Cauliflower Piccalilli

1. Bring a large pan of salted water to the boil.
2. Prepare the vegetables and keep them separate from each other.
3. Blanch the vegetables separately starting with the carrots, cook them until al dente and refresh in icy water. Follow with the shallot rings, blanch them very quickly and refresh in icy water. Last blanch the cauliflower, blanch them very quickly as a firm bite is preferred and refresh in ice water. You can now mix the vegetables and drain them in a colander, leave them for about a half hour to ensure that all the water has drained completely.
4. Place the sugar, star anise and both vinegars in a medium sauce pan, bring to the boil and cook for 8 minutes over medium heat, add the julienne chillies and cook for a further 2 minutes.
5. Mix the corn flour, salt, turmeric and mustard powder in a small bowl, add the cold water and dissolve.
6. Add two ladles of hot vinegar to the corn flour paste stir and add the paste to the hot vinegar, stir to dissolve, bring back to the boil over medium heat and cook for a further three minutes.
7. Pour the hot liquid over the blanched vegetables and the bay leaf.
8. Mix and spoon the piccalilli in sterilized jam jars. Keep for up to one month.

Makes about 4 x 250g jars of piccalilli