Awes Goji Berry Relish

So, I have a very good friend who is somewhat renowned amongst his friends as being a pretty dab hand at cooking and one of his key skills is chutney and relish making. So he is always most upset that I always proclaim that I would rather watch Annie on repeat 40 times or eat a dozen lightbulbs than eat anything even vaguely resembling his lovingly made relish. The ones with swollen sultanas lolling around like dead flies in a sea of bile are the ones that are most likely to send a chill up my spine.

So, when a friend of mine offered me some Goji berry relish I hesitated but not wanting to appear rude, I dipped away. And it wasn’t bad. In fact it was good. I liked it. Shock bloody horror. 

Now goji berries are one of those exotic antioxidant fruits that were all the rage in the not too distant past and were touted to cure all manner of ills and looking at its chemical makeup, you can see why. 

Their colour gives away that they contain a fair whack of carotenoids- particularly lutein and zeaxanthin , which are both extremely  good for protecting and enhancing eyesight and also for protecting against UV skin damage and wrinkles! 

They also contain unique immune stimulating polysaccharides which give the immune system a helping hand to recognise bugs and sick cells and destroy them.  Goji is also seen to help improve stamina, endurance and libido, sort out dodgy blood sugar levels and support a healthy heart. 

So blending goji with my all-time favourite ingredient garlic which is an awesome heart tonic and antimicrobial and chilli which also support the heart and circulation and gives your brain a bit of a jolt, is a stroke of pure genius. 

And if you are little on the skint side this Christmas I am totally sure that old auntie Maude would love a little jar of goji relish (dressed up with a green ribbon of course) to have on her cheese sandwiches.  And you can tell her how good it is for her heart. And her eyesight. And her immune system. And her libido (okay, maybe not) 

So whats in it?

 

200 grams give or take of goji berries 
1 large capsicum- I used one of those long super sweet ones
1 red chilli- you could use chipotle- that would be amazing! 
2-4 cloves of garlic depending on how many vampires there are in your neighborhood
2 tablespoons of apple cider vinegar 
2 tablespoons of olive oil 
Plenty of salt and pepper  and a bit of smoked paprika if it tickles your fancy

How do you do it?

Blend the Goji in the food processor for a fair while- these puppies are pretty tough. I reckon you could probably soak them before hand in the vinegar and oil to soften them up a bit- I didn’t, I’m not very organised.  Add all the other ingredients to the processor and then blitz the bejesus out of it. 

Enjoy!