Mangoes

Ingredients

• green peppers or young melons
• 1 piece alum
• strong cold vinegar
• 1/2 pound race ginger
• 1/2 pint black mustard seed
• 1/2 pint white mustard seed
• 1/2 ounce mace
• 1/2 ounce allspice
• 1/2 ounce turmeric
• 1/2 ounce black pepper
• 1 dash garlic
• 1/2 cup salad oil
• 1 small head firm but tender cabbage
• 3 hearts of celery
• 1/2 dozen small pickled cucumbers
• 1/2 pint small onions
• 1 large sweet red pepper
• 1 teaspoonful sugar
• 1 tablespoonful brandy or dry sherry
• soft thread or narrow tape
• best cold vinegar
• grape leaves

Instructions

1. Either green peppers or young melons will serve as a foundation — epicures rather preferring the peppers.
2. After making thoroughly fresh, cut out the stems from the peppers, removing and throwing away the seed but saving the stems.
3. Cut a section from the side of each melon, and remove everything inside.
4. Fit back stems, sections, etc., then pack in a kettle in layers with fresh grape leaves between.
5. Add a bit of alum as big as the thumb's end, cover all with strong, cold vinegar, bring to a boil, and simmer gently for twenty minutes.
6. Let stand in vinegar two or three days, throwing away the leaves. Take out, rinse and drain.
7. To stuff four dozen: bruise, soak, cut small and dry, half a pound of race ginger; add half a pint each black and white mustard seed; mace, allspice, Turmeric, black pepper, each half an ounce. Beat all together to a rather fine powder, add a dash of garlic, and mix smooth in half a cup of salad oil.
8. Chop very fine a small head of firm but tender cabbage, three fine hearts of celery, half a dozen small pickled cucumbers, half a pint small onions, and a large, sweet red pepper, finely shredded.
9. Add a teaspoonful sugar, a tablespoonful of brandy, or dry sherry, and the mixed spices. Work all well together.
10. Stuff the mangoes neatly, sew up with soft thread or tie about with very narrow tape.
11. Pack down in stone jars, cover with the best cold vinegar, pour a film of salad oil on top, tie down and let stand two months.
12. If wanted sweetish, add moist sugar to the vinegar, a pound to the gallon.