Preserved and Pickled

PICKLED ONIONS

2013-01-03T13:45:00.002-05:00

In England, pickled onions are enjoyed regularly. They are eaten with fish and chips, as part of a Ploughman's Lunch, with meat pies, and so many other savory dishes. There are hundreds of commercial varieties available, both across the pond and here in the States, but nothing beats a jar of homemade pickled onions.

Tiny pickling or button onions are readily available beginning in the autumn and well into the winter. Small white boiling onions, cippoline onions, shallots and even a few sliced yellow or white onions can be pickled separately or all together. You can also use a variety of vinegars, although it seems malt is the traditional choice for the Brits.

Overall this recipe is fairly quick and easy with results that are crunchy and delicious. Once you try pickled onions you will always want to keep one or two jars on the pantry shelf so you may readily add that little 'something special' to your lunches and brunches.

PICKLED ONIONS

INGREDIENTS

2 pounds pickling Onions, peeled (see note below)

4 teaspoon Basic Pickling Spices plus 4 dried red chili peppers

1 Tablespoon Kosher Salt

1 1/2 cups Malt Vinegar

1 cup Distilled White Vingar

1/2 cup Water

3/4 cup Sugar

TIP: Peeling pickling onions is time consuming. To speed up the process top and tail the onions, place them in a large bowl and pour enough boiling water over to cover. Leave until cool enough to handle and the skins will just slide off. Do not leave your onions in the water once they have cooled or they will start to go mushy.

DIRECTIONS

Place the spices (except the red chili peppers) into a bit of cheesecloth and tie tightly, put the 4 chili peppers into a mini processor and pulse until they are in small bits.

In a large stainless steel pan mix vinegars, water and sugar. Heat to dissolve the sugar but do not boil. Let the pot simmer for a good 20 to 30 minutes to make sure sugar is dissolved.

Add the spice bag and chilli peppers, simmer for another 20 minutes.

Pack the peeled onions into clean, sterilized pint jars. Pour over the vinegar and spice liquid (after removing your pickling spice bag) filling the jar to 1/4 inch from rim. Check to be sure there are no air pockets. Seal the jars and process in a Hot Water Bath for 10 minutes, or allow to cool and store in refrigertator.

The onions will be ready to eat after about one month, but are more flavorful if rested for two before opening. Once you've popped the top it is best to keep them in a refrigerator or cool pantry.

SPICY PEAR BUTTER

2012-12-18T12:10:00.001-05:00

SPICY PEAR BUTTER

INGREDIENTS

Splash Hard Cider (or Cider or Apple Juice)

5 Pears ( 5 1/2 Cups Pear Sauce)

4 Tablespoons Diced Fresh Ginger

2 Tablespoons Lemon Juice

2 Fresh Jalapenos (diced) included seeds for spicier Butter

1 Cup Honey

2 Cups Sugar

DIRECTIONS

This can either be a one or two day process. If you start early in the morning, you can work on this butter throughout the day while you get other chores done around the house. You can also start cooking down the sauce, remove from the stove top and let it cool, than continue to cook the next day, or you can even slow cook using your oven. Read the directions all the way through and see what will work best for your schedule.

Use a large heavy bottom pan that can be used in the oven and on the stove top, add splash of hard cider, cider or apple juice.

Take 5 pears, wash, cut off stem and blossom end. Cut into small pieces. Add to pan with cider. Heat on medium low, stirring occasionally, until fruit is soft.

Run fruit through a Food Mill using a fine screen. Return to pan.

Add honey, sugar and diced ginger. Cook over low heat stirring regularly until sauce begins to thicken. You are going to want your sauce to reduce by half at the very least. This can take 4 to 6 hours. Here is where you can set your oven to 250 degrees and reduce overnight, or throughout the day stirring occasionally. The point is to have intense flavor in a thick fruit butter.

When your butter has reached the desired consistency, process your jalapenos. Jalapeno peppers add heat and flavour, but if you are cooking with them, you need to exercise some caution. It is best to wear a pair of gloves when handling the jalapenos.

Once you have washed the jalapenos, use a sharp knife to split them open and scrape out the seeds . Then mince them in a mini food processor or coffee grinder. Add to your pear butter. Let it simmer for about 15 minutes. Taste and adjust honey and or sugar if you like. Let simmer for another half-hour, to an hour to let the flavors meld.

Now you are going to want to get your canning jars sterilized. The dishwasher is great for this. If you don't have a dishwasher you can wash the containers in hot, soapy water and rinse, then sanitize the jars by boiling them 10 minutes. Keep the jars in hot water until they are used or leave the jars in the dishwasher on "heated dry" until ready to use. Keeping them hot will prevent the jars from breaking when you fill them with the hot pear butter.

Put the lids into a pan of hot, but not quite boiling water (that's what the manufacturer's recommend) for 5 minutes, and use the magnetic "lid lifter wand" to pull them out.

Fill them to within 1/4 inch of the top, wipe any spilled pear butter off the rim, seat the lid, and finger tighten the ring around them.

Put them in the Hot Water Bath and boil pint jars for 5 minutes and quart jars for 10 minutes.

If you would like to do a Pear Butter that is not spicy, follow the same recipe removing the jalapenos. Halve the amount of honey and sugar and then adjust for flavor accordingly. Use crystallized ginger instead of fresh, and add 1/2 teaspoon of allspice and 1/2 teaspoon nutmeg.

There you have it, a little bit of heaven in a jar!

A PANOPLY OF PUMPKIN

2012-12-03T08:51:00.000-05:00

PUMPKIN JAM; PUMPKIN SAUCE or JELLY

& ROASTED PUMPKIN SOUP

Amazingly easy to store, incredibly versatile as far as their use in the kitchen, the fall harvest of pumpkins and squash are something you really should consider putting up in your winter pantry. Pumpkins are technically a fruit and a member of the cucurbit family, defined as ‘any creeping flowering plant of the mainly tropical and subtropical family Cucurbitaceae, which includes the pumpkin, cucumber, squashes, and gourds.’

The recipes I am sharing with you feature the sweet sugar pumpkin grown specifically for culinary use, but you could easily replace the pumpkin with a variety of squash such as the delicata, butternut or acorn varieties. Processing the pumpkin flesh for use in any number of recipes can be done by boiling or steaming, but baking is my favorite method. It is quick, easy and will soften up the flesh while cooking away some of the excess water.

Cut your pumpkin in half crosswise and scoop out the seeds and stringy material. I save all the stringy insides and pumpkin skins so that I can create a pumpkin sauce or jelly; the seeds I set aside for roasting. Both recipes are below.

Place the pumpkin halves on a baking sheet, open side down and bake in a preheated oven at 350 °F for about an hour more or less until the flesh is very tender when pierced with a fork. The edges and skin of your pumpkin will most likely be lightly browned, don’t worry, the natural sugars are caramelizing and creating a more robust flavor.

Remove from the oven and set aside until cool enough to handle, then scoop out the flesh. Mash with a potato masher or puree in your food processer. If your pumpkin pulp is too watery, you may drain it through a cheesecloth or a sieve. You can also cook it down to a thicker consistency in a saucepan as you prepare for your final recipes.

In general, a 5-pound pumpkin will yield about 4 cups of mashed, cooked pumpkin pulp. If you have more pumpkin than you need at the moment, place one cup measurements into a freezer Ziploc . Flatten, mark the date on the bag with a Sharpie and place in your freezer. This will make it easier to figure what you need for your recipes, 3 Ziplocs equal 3 cups, keep for 6 months or more in the freezer.

PUMPKIN JAM

INGREDIENTS

4 cups mashed Pumpkin

3 cups Sugar

4 Tablespoons crystallized Ginger, diced

3 Tablespoons Lemon Juice

1/2 teaspoon Nutmeg

1/2 teaspoon Allspice

10 - 12 half pint canning jars.

Do not use canning jars any larger than a half pint for this recipe.

DIRECTIONS

If your pumpkin is watery, gently simmer to evaporate. Add sugar and allow to stand overnight.

Turn crystallized ginger, lemon juice, and spices into pumpkin–sugar mixture. Adjust to taste.

Cook slowly over medium heat until the mixture is thick.

Spoon into sterilized pint jars leaving 1/4 inch headspace, seal, and process in boiling water bath for 15 minutes.

PUMPKIN SAUCE OR JELLY

INGREDIENTS

Stingy insides, parings, scrapings and skin from a sugar pumpkin

Water

3 Cups Raw Sugar

Cinnamon Stick

Star Anise

1/2 teaspoon Nutmeg

1/2 teaspoon Kosher Salt

1/2 teaspoon Butter

For Jelly

1 cup Apple Cider Vinegar

2 pouches of liquid Pectin

5 - 6 half pint Canning Jars

DIRECTIONS

Place all your pumpkin cuttings into a heavy bottom pan along with the Cinnamon Stick and Star Anise, cover with water and bring to a simmer. I usually let the pot simmer for several hours until the liquid is fragrant with a good color. Stir ocassionally.

Remove from stove top, let cool, turn into a sieve or chinois and let drip overnight. Do not press or squeeze any of the pulp.

Measure your pumpkin juice, you will need at least 3 cups. If you are short juice, boil water and pour over pulp. Add drippings until you measure 3 cups.

If you are MAKING JELLY combine pumpkin juice with nutmeg, salt, butter, cider vinegar, and sugar. Bring to a boil over high heat. Boil 10 minutes, stirring constantly.

Add liquid pectin, immediately squeezing entire contents from pouches. Continue to boil hard for 1 minute, stirring constantly. Remove from heat and skim foam if necessary.

Ladle hot jelly into hot jars leaving 1/4 inch headspace. Wipe rim. Center lid on jar. Apply band until fit is fingertip tight.

Process in a boiling water canner for 10 minutes, adjusting for altitude. Remove jars and cool. Check lids for seal.

If you are MAKING SAUCE combine pumpkin juice with nutmeg, salt, butter, and sugar. Bring to a boil over high heat. Boil 10 minutes, stirring constantly. Reduce heat adjust spices. Continue to simmer until thick.

Ladle hot jelly into hot jars leaving 1/4 inch headspace. Wipe rim. Center lid on jar. Apply band until fit is fingertip tight.

Process in a boiling water canner for 10 minutes, adjusting for altitude. Remove jars and cool. Check lids for seal after 24 hours.

Pumpkin Sauce can be poured over pound bread, ice cream, or replace for one cup of milk with one cup of pumpkin sauce when making Rice Pudding. Delicious!
While there are numerous ways to use pumpkin sauce, there are equally as many recipes for Pumpkin Soup. For example, Canadian Living.com adds a McIntosh apple, caraway seed and white pepper to their version, while Martha Stewart prefers shitake mushrooms and vegetable stock in her pumpkin soup.

I cannot help but have a New England influence in my variation, I come from a long line of independent Yanks, so I make use of bacon fat, apple cider, chicken stock, and a splash of sherry (because I usually have some in the cupboard from making Sherried Strawberry Jam).

The point is, like Chicken Soup that Grandma use to make, all you have to do is go through the pantry and take stock of what is available and get creative.

ROASTED PUMPKIN SOUP

INGREDIENTS

1 small (4-pounds more or less) Sugar Pumpkin, cut in half and seeds removed

1 Tablespoon Bacon Fat (or olive oil )

Kosher Salt

Freshly ground Black Pepper

1/2 cup small-dice Shallots or Yellow Onion

1/4 cup dry (fino) Sherry

1/2 teaspoon Nutmeg

2 cups Chicken Stock or Chicken Broth

2 cups Apple Cider

1 teaspoons finely chopped fresh Sage leaves plus some whole for garnish

1/4 cup Milk (optional)

Toasted Salted Pumpkin Seeds (recipe below)

INSTRUCTIONS

Heat the oven to 350°F and arrange a rack in the middle. Place on a baking sheet cut-side down and roast until fragrant and tender when pierced with a fork, about an hour. Remove from the oven and let sit on the baking sheet until cool enough to handle, about 20 minutes.

Using a large spoon, scoop out the flesh, place it in a medium bowl (you should have about 3 cups), and set it aside.

In a large Dutch Oven add the shallots or onions to the bacon fat or olive oil, season with salt and pepper, and sauté until softened, about 4 minutes. Add the sherry and cook until reduced by half, about 2 minutes. Add the stock or broth, apple cider, thyme, and reserved pumpkin and season with salt and pepper and nutmeg. Stir to combine, and then bring to a simmer. Reduce the heat to low and simmer until the flavors have melded, about 10 minutes.

Using a stick or tabletop blender, purée the soup (in batches) until smooth. Place the blended soup in a clean saucepan. Stir in milk and adjust seasonings as needed.

Serve garnished with pumpkin seeds and sage leaves, if desired.

TOASTED PUMPKIN SEEDS

Pumpkin seeds resting before roasting.

It helps, if you are going to eat pumpkin seeds with the shells on, to use the seeds from sugar pumpkins. Somewhat smaller than carving pumpkin's seeds, though you can use the seeds from them also, whichever you choose, boil them in salted water first and then toast them in the oven. This will assure just the right amount of crunch, instead of having the shells being tough and hard to chew.

INGREDIENTS

One medium sized pumpkin

Salt

Olive oil

DIRECTIONS

Cut open the pumpkin. Use a strong metal spoon to scrape the insides scooping the seeds and strings into bowl. I take the time to separate the seeds onto a baking sheet and retain the other ‘insides’ for making a Pumpkin Sauce (recipe above). Set the seeds aside to dry until you have time to get back to them.

Measure your pumpkin seeds in a cup. Place the seeds in a medium saucepan. For every half cup of pumpkin seeds, add 2 cups of water and a tablespoon of salt to the pan. Add more salt if you would like your seeds to be saltier. Bring the salted water and pumpkin seeds to a boil. Let simmer for 10 minutes. Remove from heat and drain.

Preheat the oven to 400°F. Coat the bottom of a roasting pan with olive oil, a tablespoon more or less. I like to shake my seeds in a bag of mixed spices: Spanish paprika, turmeric and salt is my personal favorite, but you can experiment with a variety of spices and seasonings, before spreading in a single layer on the roasting pan.

Bake on the top rack of the oven until the seeds begin to brown. Small pumpkin seeds may toast in around 5 minutes or so, large pumpkin seeds may take up to 20 minutes, but watch them so they do not burn.

Once the seeds are toasted, remove the pan from the oven and let cool on a rack. Let the pumpkin seeds cool all the way down before packing into a jar. Pumpkin seeds are healthy snacks, are fun for garnishes, and are always appreciated as gifts in pretty jars.

SWEET PRESERVATION: Nectarine Jelly

2012-10-19T14:06:00.001-04:00

As Sweet Preservation points out, 'A canning resurgence is sweeping the nation, as people everywhere bottle up the bounties of the season and celebrate an art that’s once again au courant.'

Canning and preserving are enjoying a strong rebirth, and in my book nothing really beats a traditional single fruit jelly. Tried and true they should be a staple in your larder, not only because there really is nothing tastier than a sweet jelly on warm toast, but because they are also a wonderful base for so many other recipes, whether it be a sweet glaze on a tart or a cake, or a savory base for a meat dish or stew. That is why I chose to make a Nectarine Jelly with some of the bounty I received from the Washington State Fruit Commission.

While it is a bit of work to make the fruit juice required to create a colorfully translucent jelly, it is well worth the effort.To make good jelly, a proper ratio of fruit, pectin, acid and sugar is required; do not fret, it is not nearly as complicated as it sounds.

The fruit you choose to make into jelly provides the color and, obviously, flavor. It also furnishes some of the pectin and acid needed for a good set. So, an apple jelly will be golden, plum will be purplish, cherry red, peach peachy, and nectarines a mellow rosy-orange hue. Fruit used for jellies should be just barely ripe. Since they will be cut up, and/or mashed, fruits of all sizes and shapes can be used as long as you trim out the bad bits.

Pectin and sugar is the what causes the fruit to gel. Some fruits provide enough natural pectin, others require added pectin, especially when making jellies. Click here for an easy guide. Lemon juice is always a wise additive as it will help provide the acid also needed for a good gel.

When making jelly it is essential to whisk the powdered pectin into the fruit juice until it is completely incorporated, the pectin must be fully dissolved before adding the sugar. I always mix in the pectin when the juice is slightly warmed to facilitate its dissolving completely. Once the juice-pectin is completely blended it is brought to a hardy boil before the sugar is added. The sugar is always added all at once, which can be a bit scary your first few times, but have faith and just keep stirring.The sugar, too, must also be completely dissolved, or it can become granular as the jelly sits in the pantry. Not a complete disaster, crunchy jelly is, well, interesting and edible, but not really quite as satisfying. Can you tell I've rushed a batch or two in my time?

Commercial pectins are made from apples or citrus fruit and are available in both the powdered and liquid forms. Be sure to follow the manufacturer’s directions or tested recipes when using commercial pectin and remember, powdered and liquid forms of pectin are not interchangeable. When making this jelly you will use the powdered form.

I make a homemade pectin which I use in jams and compotes,but using the homemade pectin can be a bit tricky. You need to be as fearless as Julia Child and not be tied to a uniform consistency, some jams will be thicker, some saucier, but I've found them all to be delicious.

There are modern pectin products available to use for making jellies with no added sugar or with less sugar than old-fashioned recipes. Specific recipes are included in the pectin packaging and if you follow them you'll become a jelly and jam making pro in no time, but if you'd like to try your hand at making your own pectin, click here to find out how.

I do use these new pectins when lowering the sugar or using honey in my jams because they will give you consistency and require less time, which I never seem to have enough of. There is no shame in not cooking a pot of jam down for hours and hours.

This jelly recipe is the old fashioned kind, nectarine juice and sugar are the main ingredients, and it really takes two days to make, but the results are well worth the effort. On a cold winter morning the lovely fragrance of this Nectarine Jelly will start you off with sweet dreams of summery days to come.

NECTARINE JELLY

INGREDIENTS

3 Cups Nectarine Juice ( 9 medium Nectarines)

1/2 Cup Lemon Juice

1 package powdered fruit Pectin

1 Cup Raw Sugar

4 Cups Granulated Sugar

1 teaspoon Butter

DIRECTIONS

This will really be a two day process as first you will need to make the juice. You are going to need a jelly bag, cheesecloth, or my favorite, a chinois for separating the juice from the fruit.

On the morning of the first day, wash and quarter your nectarines, you don't need to separate out the pits, they will add some flavor and pectin to your jelly. Then half your quarters and place everything in a large bowl, toss with the Lemon Juice and sprinkle with the Raw Sugar. Now, I use the Raw Sugar for the flavor as well as a bit of depth for the color, but if you only have granulated sugar in the pantry, you can certainly use that instead.

Let this mixture sit for the day while you go to work, wrestle with the kids, clean the house, whatever your other responsibilities are. If it is very hot you will probably want to let this rest in the refrigerator, if you are making this during a cooler time of year you may leave covered on the counter.

At the end of the day transfer your bowl of fruit and juices to a stainless steel saucepan, add 1 and 1/2 cups of water and bring to a boil over high heat, stirring frequently. Reduce the heat, cover, and simmer gently for another 20 minutes, stirring occasionally and crushing the fruit with a potato masher or the back of your ladle. Don't over cook as it reduces the strength of the natural pectin and will affect the flavor. You just want the batch to be soft and juicy.

Transfer this mixture to your dampened jelly bag, a strainer lined with cheesecloth, or your chinois, set back over your large bowl and let the juice drip through over night. Do not squeeze the bag or press down the fruit as this will muddy your jelly.

The next day make sure your jars are cleaned and sterilized (you'll need 5 - 6 half pint jars) and your Hot Water Bath is ready to go. To review your safe canning practices click here.

You should have 3 cups of nectarine juice. If for some reason you do not , boil a bit more water than what you need to make three cups and pour it over the fruit mixture letting it strain through to the bowl.

Take your 3 cups of juice and put it back into the stainless steel saucepan. Put the stove on medium heat and whisk in your box of pectin until it is completely dissolved. Add the teaspoon of butter and bring to a boil over high heat stirring constantly. Add the 4 cups of granulated sugar all at once and return to a full roiling boil. Keep Stirring!

Once you return to that full boil keep it going for 1 minute longer, then remove from the heat. If you have any foam skim off, but the butter should help prevent this.

Pour the hot jelly into the hot jars leaving a 1/4 inch of headspace. Wipe rims, screw on lids. Place in your Hot Water Bath, making sure your jars are completely covered with water. Bring water bath to a boil and process for 10 minutes.

Remove jars, cool, check your seal. Admire your handy work!

Store in a cool dark place for up to a year, if they last that long.

ENJOY!

SWEET PRESERVATION: Boozy Peach Sauce

2012-10-02T22:32:00.001-04:00

Peaches have always been one of my favorite fruits. When you bite into a fresh picked summer peach and the juice runs over your tongue, well I find it to be one of the most satisfying natural sweets under the sun.

The Sweet Preservation website is Washington State Fruit Commission’s blog dedicated to the art of preserving fruit, and really is chock full of useful information. As an official 'Canbassador' for the Commission, I was awarded a box of stone fruit for preserving. A number of peaches were in the mix, just as I had hoped.

My mother makes a wonderfully chunky Peach Jam in the traditional fashion (meaning heavy on the sugar). As the oldest of five, when I was young, this jam was so coveted that I would try to squirrel a jar or two away, hiding it in the back of the refrigerator so I wouldn’t have to share. I must admit those selfish tendencies still exist, and once you taste this Boozy Peach Sauce you might just be hiding a jar or two so you won’t have to share either.

Even if you haven’t done much jam, jelly or sauce making this recipe is easy; sweet summer fruit simmered in sugar and booze until they melt into a sauce. If you haven’t preserved fruit before, or would simply like to review safe canning practices visit Sweet Preservations’ link, Preservation 101.

You can swap the peaches for other stone fruits – think apricots, nectarines, yes, even plums. Use bourbon or rum in place of the brandy, depending on your palette and what is in the cabinet. You can peel the peaches if you like, but if they are well washed, there is really no need, just split, pit and cube them. If you use the hot water bath, this sauce may be kept on the shelf for up to a year. Otherwise, store it in the fridge for a month more or less.

Just a splash of this lusciously sweet treat turns ordinary vanilla ice cream into a heavenly dessert. Delicious warmed and drizzled over traditional pound cake, as a sweetener for your smoothies, or a glaze for your pork roasts, chicken, or duck: like many home preserves the possibilities are endless.

Boozy Peach Sauce also makes a wonderful holiday gift, but beware, one taste will have your family and friends begging for more.

I chose Christian Brothers Brandy for my Boozy Peach Sauce, mostly because it brought back
childhood memories of visiting the now shuttered Christian Brothers Winery in New York State.

BOOZY PEACH SAUCE

INGREDIENTS

6 cups chopped pitted Peaches

2 tablespoons Lemon Juice

2 cups lightly packed Brown Sugar

1 cup Raw Sugar

3/4 cup Brandy

1 tsp grated Lemon Zest

DIRECTIONS

Prepare your boiling water canner. Sterilize jars, set lids in simmering water until ready for use. Set bands aside.

When chopping your peaches, toss with Lemon Juice to keep from browning.

Combine Peaches, Sugars, Booze and Lemon Zest in a large stainless steel saucepan. Bring to a boil over high heat, stirring constantly, until sugar dissolves. Reduce heat and simmer gently, stirring occasionally, until thickened, about 20 minutes.

Boozy peaches cooking on the stovetop.
Lids and Hot Water Bath simmering away in the background.

Ladle hot sauce into hot jars leaving 1/4 inch headspace. Remove air bubbles and re-measure headspace. If needed, add more sauce to meet recommended headspace. Wipe rim. Center lid on jar. Apply band and adjust until fit is fingertip tight.

Process filled jars in a boiling water bath for 10 minutes, adjusting for altitude.

Remove jars and cool. Check lids for seal.

Store in dark cool pantry for a year. Makes 3 - 4 pints.

SWEET PRESERVATION: Pickled Italian Plums

2012-09-26T11:48:00.000-04:00

Preserved and Pickled is honored to have been chosen as a Canbassador for the Washington State Fruit Commission. Well, not just honored, tickled pink actually.

What exactly is the Canbassador program, you might ask? Well, I received a box of stone fruit from Washington State which I was encouraged to preserve (like I needed encouragement), blog about my efforts, and use SweetPreservation.com as a resource.

The Sweet Preservation website is Washington State Fruit Commission’s blog dedicated to the art of preserving fruit, and really is chock full of useful information. This fun and flattering assignment certainly bore some fruitful results (pun totally intended!).

Even before my box of stone fruit arrived, I was studiously reviewing the Sweet Preservation website, as well as perusing two new canning cookbooks I had recently acquired. The first, an updated Ball Complete Book of Home Preserving, edited by Judi Kingry and Lauren Devine, discovered when I was out shopping with my mother, provided me with a Pickled Plum Recipe; the second was Jams, Jellies and Marmalades by Linda Arendt which Paul gave me as a gift; a wonderful primer or creative stimulus depending on your level of experience, for preserving, obviously, jams, jellies and marmalades.

I wasn’t exactly sure what quantities or kinds of fruit I would be receiving, all I was sure of was that it would be stone fruits from Washington State. I assumed peaches, which I was all ready to transform into a Peach Jam, one of my personal favorites, and hoped for plums as I had been wanting to try an old fashioned Pickled Plum.

Here is a Pickled Plum recipe from 1922:

Take 5 lb. ripe plums, 1 quart vinegar, 1 lb. sugar, 1 cupful of treacle, 2 oz. cloves, 3 chillies; wipe and prick the plums carefully with a fork, and place in earthenware jars.

Boil all ingredients for a quarter of an hour.

Pour the boiling liquid over the plums, and cover them at once.

Do not attempt to use them for one week, when their condition will be excellent.

Pickled Plums are traditionally served as an accomaniment to grilled pork, ham, or a cold roast beef platter. The leftover syrup can be used as a basting sauce for spareribs or a home made barbeque sauce.

Not only did I receive fragrant peaches, and pretty little purple Italian plums, but big, bright nectarines as well. So without further adieu, I present to you the first recipe from my fabulous stone-fruit-sweet-preservation canning spree.

If you haven’t preserved fruit before, or would simply like to review safe canning practices visit Sweet Preservations’ link, Preservation 101. You can also review safe canning practices for using a Hot Water Bath here.

Peaches, Nectarines and Italian Plums from Starr Ranch Growers, Wenatchee, Washington.

To learn more about Starr Ranch Growers click here.

PICKLED PLUMS

INGREDIENTS

2 1/2 to 3 lbs Italian Plums

1 1/2 inch fresh Ginger, roughly chopped

1 hot Chilies, dried

2 whole Cloves

1 Cinnamon Stick (broken into pieces)

2 teaspoon Dried Citrus Zest (or 1 long Orange Peel)

1/2 teaspoon dried Nutmeg

3 1/2 cups lightly packed Brown Sugar

1 cups Cider Vinegar

1/2 cup Water

DIRECTIONS

Preheat oven to 275 degrees.

Tie the Ginger, Chilies, Cloves, Cinnamon Stick and Orange Zest in a square of cheesecloth creating a spice bag.

In a non-reactive saucepan combine brown sugar, vinegar, water and nutmeg, along with the spice bag and bring to a boil over medium high heat, stirring constantly until the sugar has completely dissolved; about 10 minutes.

Wash the plums and prick each plum 6 times with a toothpick.

Place the plums in a baking dish, pour syrup over plums. Cover tightly and place in pre-heated oven until plums are tender but still firm, 20 to 30 minutes.

Using a slotted spoon, carefully pack the plums into hot, sterilized jars.

Pour syrup over plums leaving 1/2 inch of head space. Tap jars to remove air bubbles. Wipe the off rim, seal with hot sterilized lids.

TIP: Fill each jar with syrup a little at a time. If short, add a bit more cider vinegar to baking dish and warm slightly over stove top. Add to jars.

Place in Hot Water Bath 15 minutes, remove and rest on counter until cool.

Check the jars are sealed; keep shelved for at least two weeks before using.

Makes 4 pints or 2 quarts.

While I do believe in buying locally whenever possible, I also realize that shopping year-round at the grocery store, where produce may or may not be from local sources, is a fact of life for millions of people. In a global market, purchasing fruits and vegetables produced here in America could still be considered 'local' (in the world wide scheme), and is certainly still supporting American farmers and economy.

OLD FASHIONED TOMATO CONSERVE

2012-08-29T16:41:00.002-04:00

Heritage Tomatoes from Paley's Farm Market in Sharon, Connecticut.

Summer is winding down and loads of vegetables are coming out of local gardens. Here in the northeast it is officially tomato time, and there are so many ways to preserve tomatoes! Probably because when they are in season there are so many it is hard to know what to do with them, kind of like zucchini.

This conserve is based on a vintage recipe from an older Ball Blue Book with the cinnamon and cloves thrown in as a nod to Indian jams and chutneys and for the warmth these spices bring to the citrus tone, but they are optional and this conserve is good with or without them.

Many similar recipes can be found categorized as tomato jam or tomato butter, but they all boil down to a thick, sweet tomato spread. The lemon juice and peel add acidity needed to make the tomatoes safe for preserving in the hot water bath, as well as pectin for help with the jelling process. If you are going to proccess this recipe in a Hot Water Bath you may add one tablespoon bottled lemon juice to each pint jar before adding your tomatoes.

It is very helpful if you have a candy thermometer, and make sure you have read through the recipe and have everything prepped, sterilized, and ready to go. Once you have made the syrup, the canning process should progress rather quickly.

Spread this conserve on warm rolls, serve as a side with a cheese plate, or as a spread for sandwiches.

OLD FASHIONED TOMATO CONSERVE

INGREDIENTS

5 pounds firm just ripe Tomatoes

2 pounds Sugar

1 lemon, thinly sliced

1 stick Cinnamon

2 Cloves

DIRECTIONS

Blanch the tomatoes in hot water and remove the skins. Cut into quarters, cover with sugar and allow to stand overnight.

Drain off syrup; heat to the boiling point.

Once the syrup is boiling tie cinnamon and cloves (optional) into square of muslin, cheese cloth or jelly bag, suspend in mixture, also add lemon slices, continue cooking until syrup will spin a long thread (230 - 235 degrees on candy thermometer).

Remove bag of spices.

Pack tomatoes into sterilized hot canning jars and carefully add hot syrup to 1/4 inch from rim.

Seal and process in Hot Water Bath for 15 minutes, or cool and store in refrigerator.

Cool and store processed jars in dark pantry for a year.

I made 5 half pint jars with this recipe.

REDISCOVERING THE CREAM PUFF

2012-07-30T12:03:00.004-04:00

When I was growing up my mother cooked everything from scratch, she loved to cook - still does. I honestly did not know a pie crust could come from a box or the refrigerator section of the grocery store, that spaghetti sauce came in a jar, or that corned beef hash was sold in a can for quite a long time. In the spirit of 'preserving' I decided to revisit another one of my favorite childhood treats, my mother's recipe for cream puffs.

She made them small for finger-food appetizers stuffed with baby shrimp, egg salad, ham salad, and custards, cremes, or curds, or she would make large popovers then fill them with vanilla ice cream and drizzle with a fudge sauce. Such a special treat! When I asked my mother for the recipe for the 'popovers' she used to make, she told me she never made 'popovers', but she had a recipe for 'cream puffs'.

'Well, were the large ones popovers and the small ones cream puffs?"
I inquired.

"I never made popovers," she insisted. "Those are made in the pan, Yorkshire Pudding, to serve with roast beef," she told me. "I made cream puffs in two sizes, large and small." So she gave me her recipe for 'Cream Puffs', and I started researching the difference between the two. This is what I learned.

Before the advent of a reliable baking powder in the mid 1800’s, a few alternatives to making yeast-raised breads were popovers or cream puffs.

The popover (aka Yorkshire Pudding) is the first cousin of the cream puff, as they both contain the same basic ingredients in slightly different proportions. Yorkshire Pudding is actually popover batter made with drippings from roast beef and baked in a large pan. Popover batter is quite thin.

Cream puff dough, on the other hand, is thicker. Both the popover and the cream puff are leavened by the steam that forms in the first few minutes of baking. Magically, simple mixtures of egg and flour pouf into fluffy, golden mounds.

Most likely the name popover came about because the batter ‘popped over' the edge of the pan when baked. In fact, cast iron pans resembling muffin pans, but with straighter sides, were made specifically for baking popovers.

There are so many “comfort” foods I can think of that came from our kitchen in the Old Mill, my childhood home nestled in a rocky bend of the East Aspetuck River in Connecticut. Everything from fresh trout dredged in flour and grilled in an iron pan to Bread and Butter Pickles to Country Captain Chicken ( which was my one of Uncle Dick's favorites), but when mom would entertain and create Cream Puffs, I and all my siblings, inevitably ended up in the kitchen staring through the oven window anxiously awaiting the rising of these versatile little treats.

CREAM PUFFS

Do not peek in at the cream puffs (or popovers) during baking. Opening the oven door lets in cool air, this will condense the steam inside the popovers and cause them to collapse.

INGREDIENTS

1 Cup Boiling Water

½ Cup Butter

1 cup Sifted All Purpose Flour

¼ teaspoon Salt

4 Eggs

DIRECTIONS

Preheat oven to 475 degrees

Bring water to a boil in large pot, melt butter in boiling water. Add flour and salt all at once; stir vigorously. Cook, stirring constantly, until mixture forms a ball that does not separate. Remove from the heat and cool slightly.

Add the eggs, one at a time, beating after each addition until smooth.

Drop by large, heaping tablespoons, about 3” apart on a greased cookie sheet.

Bake at 475 degrees 15 minutes, then lower temperature to 350 degrees and bake for another 25 minutes. DO NOT OPEN OVEN!

As the cream puffs complete the last few minutes of baking remove them from the oven, prick them with a fork or split open, to prevent sogginess. At this point, the structure of the popovers has been set, so they will not collapse.

Turn oven OFF and put the cream puffs back in the oven to dry, another 10 to 15 minutes.

Store in an airtight container. To crisp them up before serving place on a baking rack in 475 degree oven for about 3 - 5 minutes.

Just before serving, fill cream puffs with ice cream or lemon curd, creme fraiche or custard, drizzled with honey or fudge sauce or confectionery sugar, the possibilities are endless.

Griswold Cast Iron Popover Pan

The following recipe for popovers comes from the Incredible Edible Egg website. You can see from the ingredients that only a few degrees of difference separate Popovers from Cream Puffs.

POPOVERS

Don't have a proper popover pan? A muffin pan can be substituted for a popover pan. You can even place 6-oz. custard cups on a baking sheet and still make a beautiful popover.

INGREDIENTS

3 Eggs

1 Cup Milk

2 Tablespoons Butter, melted

1 Cup All-Purpose Flour

1/2 teaspoon Salt

DIRECTIONS

Heat oven to 425°F. Beat eggs in mixer bowl on medium speed until foamy. Beat in milk and butter. Reduce speed to low. Add flour and salt; beat until smooth, about 3 minutes.

Fill 12 greased popover pan cups 1/2 full with batter. Bake in oven until puffed, well browned and firm, 35 to 40 minutes.

For crisper popovers, pierce side of each popover with tip of knife and bake 3 to 6 minutes longer. Loosen edges with knife, if necessary. Serve immediately.

SWEET POPOVERS: Add a spice or grated citrus peel to batter and serve with preserves or honey.

MABBETTSVILLE FRIED CHICKEN AND CLASSIC CREAMY COLESLAW

2012-07-02T09:54:00.001-04:00

I had spent the weekend cleaning and organizing dozens of boxes stacked in the closets and guestrooms of our newly acquired, old Victorian, culling through endless papers and receipts (Paul does not believe in throwing away ANY receipts or notepads, or scraps of paper with notes on them, or old lottery tickets - you get the picture) when lo and behold I uncovered a scrap of paper that had a Fried Chicken Recipe on it. This was not just any fried chicken recipe, this was the recipe scribbled quickly on one of Paul's sundry pieces of scrap paper by Brian, a previous line chef for the now closed Mabbettsville Market in Millbrook, New York. I scooped it up, set it aside to go in my recipe file.

For me, meatloaf and mashed potatoes with gravy, a spicy chili and side of corn bread, or a hearty beef stew all constitute delicious, soothing comfort food, but discovering that little scrap of a recipe gave me a mighty hankering for fried chicken. Our freezer was full of chicken legs and I had a half a head of cabbage in the crisper that I did not want to go to waste so I hummed hallelujahs and made plans to cook what I had just rememberes was another one of my favorite comfort foods, Fried Chicken with Creamy Coleslaw on the side.

Michel Nischan, sustainable food pioneer, chef, author and owner of Dressing Room Restaurant in Westport, Connecticut, helps remove the guilt factor that comes with eating fried foods by counseling, "Like most fried foods, when done correctly, fried chicken is not bad for you. It should be enjoyed in moderation, but when you feel the urge to fry up some chicken, do it right."

Like barbeque, simply everyone has their own special trick for frying up the tastiest chicken, but I totally agree with Bon Appetit magazine, for a good fried chicken the skillet makes all the difference: "A cast-iron skillet--inexpensive and indestructible--is the prized frying vessel for a reason. It retains heat better than most pans, which helps regulate the oil temperature and ensures even frying. If you don't own one already, this recipe should provide ample motivation."

Since lard is not bad for you either, as long as it too is used in moderation, I use it (in my old Griswold cast iron pan) for frying the chicken. It imparts a wonderfully distinctive flavor and actually leaves the chicken less greasy. Learn how to render your own lard here.

Never fear, if you don't own a cast iron pan you can still make perfectly acceptable fried chicken in another heavy bottomed pan. I myself, momentarily lost my sanity and spent several years immersing chicken in canola oil using one of those made-for-the-home deep fryers: never again.

This fried chicken, though, I will be having over and over. Served up with a healthy side dish of a traditional creamy coleslaw or some potato or tossed green salad, it certainly makes for a comforting meal, no matter what time of year it is.

MABBETTSVILLE FRIED CHICKEN

INGREDIENTS

2 quarts Buttermilk or Whole Milk

1 Onion, minced

3 to 4 Garlic heads, sliced thinly

3 tablespoons fresh Thyme (1 Tablespoon dried thyme)

1/4 cup Kosher salt

Several grinds of freshly ground black pepper

One (2 to 3 pound) free range Chicken, cut into 8 pieces

OR all Chicken legs, backs, breasts - whatever your preference.

FLOUR MIX

2 cups All Purpose Flour

1 Tablespoon Onion powder

1 Tablespoon Garlic powder

1 Tablespoon fresh Thyme (or 2 teaspoons dried)

1 Tablespoon Cayenne Pepper

1 teaspoon dried Coleman's Mustard

Kosher salt and freshly ground Black Pepper

FOR FRYING

3/4 to 1 Cup Lard (or Canola Oil)

Cast Iron Skillet or heavy bottomed pan with Cover

DIRECTIONS

Warm 1 quart of (butter) milk in a saucepan over medium heat. Remove pan from the heat. Add the onion, garlic, and thyme. Set aside to come to room temperature. Season with salt and pepper, using enough salt so that the you can taste it.

When the (butter) milk is nearly cool, pour in a dish large enough to hold the chicken pieces. stir in the remaining 1 quart cold (butter) milk. Add your chicken, cover, and refrigerate for a minimum of 2 hours and up to 4 hours, turning occasionally. Drain the chicken, pat dry. Throw away the milk marinade.

To make the flour mix, mix together the flour, onion powder, garlic powder, thyme, and mustard in a shallow dish. Season with salt and pepper. Put the chicken pieces in the flour. Turn to coat. Let the coated chicken pieces sit for 10 to 15 minutes.

Heat your skillet over medium-high heat. When hot, heat the lard until liquified and so hot it is nearly smoking. Using tongs, lay the chicken pieces in the hot fat, which should come about halfway up the sides of the chicken.

Cover and let fry for 3 to 4 minutes, then turn the pieces over. Watch the chicken carefully, turning as needed to brown evenly on both sides and cook through, about 25 to 30 minutes total. (The smaller pieces might be cooked through in 20 minutes.) Adjust the heat if necessary to prevent scorching, but try to keep it as high as you can. Watch out for splatter, you don't want to get burned.

Lift the chicken pieces from the hot fat as they are cooked. Drain on paper towels, set in baking dish in a warm oven until all your pieces are cooked. Serve hot with your prepared side dishes..

Tossing together the Creamy Coleslaw

CREAMY COLESLAW

INGREDIENTS

1 head Cabbage, shredded

1 Yellow Onion, shredded

1 large Carrot, shredded

2 Tablespoons Honey

1 Tablespoon Celery Seed

5 Tablespoons White Vinegar

dash Cayenne Pepper

dash Garlic Salt

Mayonnaise, Salt and Pepper to taste

DIRECTIONS

Mix Honey, Vinegar, Cayenne Pepper,and Garlic Salt over low heat until honey is incorporated. Remove and let cool.

In the meantime, put Cabbage, Carrot, and Onion through food processor to shred.

Once the Vinegar/Honey mix is cooled, coat slaw well (slaw will lose volume as it sits, so this will be enough dressing). Sprinkle with Celery Seed. Refrigerate.

When ready to serve add Mayonnaise to taste, Salt and Pepper to taste.

PRESERVING CELERY IN OIL

2012-05-31T09:42:00.001-04:00

pixmac photo

The Italians still preserve in olive oil, so why can't we Americans? Oil in itself does not ward off bacteria, a cause for concern with many folks, but it does create an effective barrier against direct contact with air. Good olive oil has a balance of fatty acids that resist oxidation, and as any good cook knows, air is not our friend when it comes to canning or preserves.

When preserving vegetables in oil, they are often cured for a short period in either brine or vinegar, or sometimes in a mixture of both. The idea is to preserve the crunch. The ‘pickled’ vegetables are then placed into clean, sterile jars, covered with oil and shelved for later use.

I have found it best to start with a layer of oil in each canning jar before adding your vegetables, as this helps prevent the formation of air bubbles. Also, make sure your vegetables stay completely covered in oil after you start using the preserve. I sometimes keep mine in the refrigerator, taking them out in the morning to rest on the counter and return to room temperature before using them. This helps with the 'crunch' factor.

Though preserving vegetables in olive oil tends to be expensive, as good quality olive oil is not inexpensive, it is a lovely way to put by many vegetables that are wonderful in summer salads, on a pizza, or as side dish.

I particularly like eggplant and peppers preserved in oil. All three items: celery, eggplant and peppers, contribute nicely to salads and antipastos, and the left over oil can be used in all kinds of interesting ways.

PRESERVING CELERY IN OIL

INGREDIENTS

Celery

1/4 Cup Kosher Salt

1/8 Cup Raw Sugar

1/3 Cup White Wine Vinegar

1/4 Cup roughly chopped Mint

1/2 Cup Scallion or Ramps with greens, julienned

Olive Oil to Cover

DIRECTIONS

Trim celery sticks and finely slice on the diagonal reserving the leaves and trimmings for soup stocks or seasonings. Follow suit with your onion of choice.

Combine celery, onions and salt, mix well and leave to stand for 30 minutes.

Meanwhile, combine vinegar and sugar in a small heavy-based saucepan and stir over heat until sugar dissolves.

Simmer, uncovered and without stirring, until reduced by one-third and slightly syrupy – you should have about ¼ cup.

Using your hands, gently squeeze away any excess liquid from celery and onions, add to vinegar and let sit for a minute or two.

Pack into wide mouth canning jars, layering with mint.

Split cooled vinegar syrup between jars, top with olive oil. Make sure all vegetables are covered with oil and there are no air bubbles between layers.

Cap tightly and keep in dark, cool pantry or refrigerator until needed.

Here are several recipes from old cookbooks that use the versatile celery in some interesting and vaguely familiar ways.

CELERIS AU LARD

From The Belgium Cookbook; Editor: Mrs. Brian Luck, Published 1815

INSTRUCTIONS

Take one pound of celery, cut off the green tops, cut the stems into pieces two-thirds of an inch long; put into boiling salted water, and cook till tender. Take one-half pound potatoes, peel and slice, and add to the celery, so that both will be cooked at the same moment. Strain and place on a flat fire-proof dish. Prepare some fat slices of bacon, toast them till crisp in the oven; pour the melted bacon-fat over the celery and potato, adding a dash of vinegar, and place the rashers on top. Serve hot.

STUFFED CELERY

The Suffrage Cook Book; Compiled by Mrs. L. O. Kleber, Pittsburgh. The Equal Franchise Federation of Western Pennsylvania, Published 1915

INSTRUCTIONS

A most delicious relish is made with Roquefort cheese, the size of a walnut, rubbed in with equal quantity of butter, moistened with sherry (lemon juice will serve if sherry be not available), and seasoned with salt, pepper, celery salt, and paprika; then squeezed into the troughs of a dozen slender, succulent sticks of celery.

This is a very appropriate prelude to a dinner of roast duck.

ODE TO MAINE SHRIMP

2012-04-06T12:07:00.001-04:00

Maine Shrimp Season is always cause for celebration here in New England. Though short and sweet like the delicate pink crustaceans: just 136 days, the fishery is sustainable with catches closely monitored and regulated.

Maine shrimp are not what most people expect, they are smaller, sweeter, delicate in comparison to their cousins from the Gulf of Mexico with their white-gray color and meatier chunkiness. Envision Maine’s petite wild blueberries compared to the larger cultivated berries, it is the same difference.

A shiny pink-to-red color, Maine shrimp are usually sold with the head and tail intact. Unlike most shrimp, which have been frozen at some point, Maine shrimp are sold and shipped fresh from the cold Atlantic depths off the coasts of Maine and Massachusetts, never frozen.

Although the weather has gone topsy-turvy causing a ruckus in the food chain, Maine shrimp season was still wonderful. Running from December to April, markets receive shipments of this shrimp erratically, each year is unique, so call your fish monger ahead of time to make sure these little sweeties are available. Though the season is virtually past (unless you happen to know a Maine shrimper), these recipes can be made with other varities of shrimp.

SHRIMP BISQUE

Makes 4 servings

The first step is to beheaded your shrimp if the fishmonger has not done it for you. Reserve the heads and shells, you'll be using them to make the stock.

To remove the shell, take a shrimp in one hand, pinch its tail with your fingers, give a tug with your other hand and the little, pink shrimp will usually slip out whole. Rinse with cool water. Remember to always keep shellfish cool. It can take a while to peel your shrimp, so keep a bowl of ice in your sink they can chill in.

Making stock from scratch is a bit time-consuming, but quite simple and well worth the effort. It builds a flavor-packed foundation for this savory soup, is a delicious base for a risotto or a creamy shrimp sauce, or flavoring for any variety of other soups and sauces. With this bisque recipe keep in mind the shrimp is the star, a little sherry goes a long way.

INGREDIENTS

2 pounds Maine shrimp, shells and heads on

1 cup dry Sherry

2 cups Water

3 tablespoons Butter, divided

Olive Oil

1/2 cup chopped celery

1/2 cup chopped shallots or white onion

1/2 medium-sized Fennel bulb (or whole small), roughly sliced

1/2 cup chopped Carrot

2 tablespoons White Flour

3 tablespoons Tomato Paste

5 to 6 crumbled Saffron Threads

Kosher salt, to taste

White Pepper, to taste

Old Bay Seasoning, to taste

Dry mustard, to taste

2 cups Light Cream

1 Bay Leaf

FOR STOCK

Clean the shrimp, removing heads and shells. Set aside.

Combine the sherry and water and bring to a boil in a large, heavy-bottomed pot. Add the shells and heads and simmer for 3 to 5 minutes. Remove from burner, while working the next step.

Melt 1 tablespoon of butter with a splash of olive oil over medium heat. Add celery, shallots, fennel, carrots and bay leaf, stir until soft. Turn shells, heads and liquid mixture into pot, cover and simmer for 25 minutes. Strain though a colander, pressing on the solids to remove all liquid. Set aside.

FOR BISQUE

In a medium sauce pan, melt remaining 2 tablespoons butter and whisk in flour to form a roux. Cook for 4 or 5 minutes on low. Make sure all flour is incorporated being careful not to burn.

Slowly whisk in shrimp stock and simmer entire mixture until smooth. Add tomato paste, saffron, salt, pepper, Old Bay Seasoning and dry mustard to taste.

Add shrimp, cream, and more sherry if desired. Gently stir until shrimp are heated through. Do not bring to a boil. Serve immediately.

MAINE SHRIMP SALAD

4 servings (Adapted from a recipe published in The Washington Post, 2009)

I originally made this Maine shrimp recipe for friends, marinating them briefly in citrus juice as called for: it was a disaster! I ended up marinading the shrimp then cooking the batch lightly (until the shrimp curl) and leaving it all to rest in the refrigerator overnight to marry the flavors.

INGREDIENTS

1/2 pound peeled and beheaded Maine Shrimp

1/4 cup extra-virgin Olive Oil

1 Tablespoon freshly squeezed Lemon

1 Tablespoons finely chopped Fresh Cilantro ( or about 1 teaspoons dried Cilantro)

4 slices crisped Bacon

Freshly ground Black Pepper

1 teaspoon Spanish Paprika

dash of Dill

dash of Ground Ginger

dash of Salt

3 cups (more or less) Boston Bibb and Baby Spinach

1 small Fennel Bulb

several bulbs Pickled Garlic, diced small

DIRECTIONS

Combine the shrimp, 2 Tablespoons of olive oil, the lemon juice, cilantro, diced Pickled Garlic, dill, ginger and salt in a medium bowl. Sprinkle lightly with freshly ground black pepper, paprika, dash of salt. Toss well.

Place mixture in pan over medium heat for several minutes until shrimp curl. This step should only take a few minutes. Remove from heat. Let cool and place in refrigerator until ready to make salad.

Clean, rinse and dry the lettuce. Arrange the leaves (Boston Lettuce topped with Baby Spinach) on the salad plates.

Use a very sharp knife to shave the fennel bulb, and then distribute the shavings over the plated lettuce. Crumble crisped Bacon and arrange over lettuce. Dribble the remaining 2 tablespoons of oil over the salad bed. Top each plate with shrimp and marinade. Garnish with the leafy green fronds of fennel tops. Serve immediately.

Bon c'est temps!

ALL GOOD THINGS TAKE TIME

2012-04-05T21:33:00.001-04:00

In 1797, James Keiller and his mother Janet ran a small sweet and preserves shop in the Seagate section of Dundee, Scotland, eventually opening a factory to produce Dundee Marmalade: thick chunks of Seville orange rind suspended in jelly; a business that prospered and upon which other marmalades have since been judged.

The general definition for marmalade is a sweet jelly in which slices of fruit and rind are suspended. The key is the rind: a sliver of tartness suspended in citrus scented jelly, the taste a tangy dance of bitter sweetness. Traditionally marmalades have a Seville orange base, the taste so well loved it spawned lime, lemon, grapefruit, and kumquat versions. The possibities are endless.

Like most foods, marmalades continue to evolve. Currently chefs are creating gourmet recipes which include savory vegetables. I like a blend of the citrus with a vegetable, particularly Orange-Carrot Marmalade.

Marmalade can take a bit of time to put together, but personally I believe in that old adage, all good things take time, don't you?

HOMEMADE PIZZA AND SAUCE

2012-03-09T14:11:00.000-05:00

Today's pizza has a long and interesting history. In the 3rd century B.C., Romans ate a "flat round of dough dressed with olive oil, herbs, and honey, baked on stones". In 16th century Europe the tomato was believed to be poisonous, as most fruits of the nightshade family are, but by the late 18th century cooks around Naples were adding it to their yeast-based flat bread: the dish now known as pizza was born.

In ancient Naples, pizza was considered 'poor man's food', but then, as now, people started talking, and visitors ventured into the poorer areas of the city to try the local specialty. Pizza's popularity was undeniable even then.

Popular pizza lore holds that Via Port'Alba 18 in Naples was the first 'official' pizzeria. Still in business today, according to Wikipedia the location was established in 1738 as a stand for street vendors, who would make pizza in wood-fired ovens, then peddle it on the street keeping the pies warm in small copper stoves they balanced on their heads.

Eventually the restaurant Antica Pizzeria Port'Alba opened replacing the peddlers with a more formal location. Legend has it that the eatery's ovens have been lined with lava rocks from nearby Mount Vesuvius since its inception.

photo courtesy of Wikipedia

The first pizzeria in America is rumored to have been founded in a grocery store opened by Gennaro Lombardi, an Italian immigrent, in Manhattan's Little Italy in 1897. An employee of his, Antonio Totonno Pero, began making pizza for the store to sell that same year. In 1924, Totonno left Lombardi's to open his own pizzeria on Coney Island called,funnily enough, Totonno's (recently reopened, click here). While the original Lombardi's closed its doors in 1984, it was reopened in 1994 just down the street and is run by Lombardi's grandson.

Paul has long talked about opening his own restaurant or pub, so when opportunity knocked he opened the door. Paulie's Pizza opened in the Sharon Farm Market this past Saturday, March 3rd. But hey, if you are too far away to visit our take-out pizza, there is no reason you can't make your own at home.

It doesn't take long to make your own sauce and dough. The recipes that follow make enough sauce for four or more medium pizzas (depends on how much sauce you like on your pie), and the dough recipe makes three medium sized pies - you can double this recipe and make six if you would like, but if you are going to make more than double the recipe it is best to mix up multiple small batches. Keep the extra sauce and dough in the freezer, then when you are in a rush you can defrost and let the children help roll out the dough, or invite friends over for a 'pick your own toppings' pizza party.

Up until the 1970’s, lard was often used instead of olive oil for making pizza dough (click to learn how to render your own lard). It makes a noticeable difference in how the dough rises and bakes. I loved the 70's and I love pizza, so in the tradition of making your own pizza I offer these recipes. Plan on making the sauce and dough a day ahead of time (another reason why it is convenient to make a bigger batch for the freezer). If you are serious about your pizza, invest in a pizza stone, it is great for re-heating cold pizza, or paninis or grinders, as well as making your fresh pies crisp and delicious.

PIZZA DOUGH

INGREDIENTS

3 ½ cups unbleached All Purpose Flour

1 tablespoon Yeast (1 packet Quick Rising Yeast)

1/2 cups Warm Water

3/4 cup Ice Cold Water

1 tablespoon Lard

1 teaspoon Salt

1 teaspoon Honey

Cornmeal for dusting

DIRECTIONS

Put yeast in a large cup with a half cup of warm water. Add 2 tablespoons of flour, 1 tablespoon Lard, and honey. Leave the mixture in the cup to rise for half an hour in a warm place. You'll know it is rising because it will bubble and expand.

Next, place the remaining 3 1/2 cups flour into your kitchen mixer with a dough hook, pour in the risen yeast "water" beating at low speed. Add 3/4 cup of ice cold water to mix a little at a time. Mix on the lowest speed for 10 to 12 minutes. You should be able to form a soft dough ball.

If the dough is too wet and doesn't come off the sides of the bowl, sprinkle in some more flour just until it clears the sides. If it is too dry dribble in a teaspoon or two more of cold water. The finished dough needs to be elastic, and slightly sticky. It may take a few tries to get this right, but don't give up!

Leave the dough in the mixing bowl, cover with a kitchen towel and let it rise for an hour and a half or until double in size, in a warm place. If it is in the cold winter months, or I am in a rush, I'll put the oven setting to warm and set the mixing bowl in the oven.

Divide the “risen” dough into 3 equal parts, form into 3 balls. Coat each ball lightly with olive oil; place in a covered container or plastic freezer bag and let sit in refridgerator over night. Use within the next three days or place in the freezer for several weeks.

Remove the desired number of dough balls from the refrigerator (freezer) at least 2 hours before making the pizza. Once the dough has warmed through (come to room temperature), place the dough balls on top of a floured counter and sprinkle them lightly with flour; dust your hands with flour. Gently press the dough into flat disks about 1/2 inch thick and 5 inches in diameter. Sprinkle the dough lightly with flour, coat lightly with olive oil, and cover the dough loosely with plastic wrap. Now let rest for for another 2 hours. With well floured hands, begin to hand-toss or, roll out with a rolling pin.

At least 45 minutes before making the pizza, place a baking stone on a rack in the lower third of the oven. Heat the oven as hot as possible, up to 800F (most home ovens will go only to 500 to 550F, but some will go higher). If you do not have a baking stone, you can use the back of a sheet pan, but do not preheat the pan.

Make the pizzas one at a time. Generously dust a peel - A peel is a shovel-like tool used by bakers to slide pizzas and other baked goods into and out of an oven - or use the back of a sheet pan with cornmeal.

Coat your hands in flour and start with one piece of dough. Gently stretch the dough by softly pulling in a circular motion, carefully giving it a stretch. Work with small pulls. If it begins to stick to your hands, lay it on the floured counter and reflour your hands, then continue shaping it. You can use a rolling pin, or puh/pull with your fingers on the counter top, though this isn't as effective (or as fun) as the traditional toss method.

When the dough is stretched out to your satisfaction (between 12 and 14 inches), lay it on the peel or pan, making sure there is just enough cornmeal to allow it to slide. Lightly top it with sauce and then with your other toppings; remember that the best pizzas are topped with a less-is-more philosophy, for taste as well as cooking.

Slide the dressed pizza onto the stone (or bake directly on the sheet pan) and close the oven door. Wait 2 minutes, then take a peek. If it needs to be rotated for even baking, turn your stone (pan). The pizza should only take 8 to 10 minutes to bake depending on the oven.

If the top gets done before the bottom, you will need to move the stone to a lower self before the next round. If the bottom crisps before the cheese melts and begins to crisp, then you will need to raise the stone up a shelf for subsequent bakes. This recipe yields three 12 to 14 inch thin crust pizzas.

HOMEMADE PIZZA SAUCE

(Enough for 4 to 8 Medium Pizzas)

INGREDIENTS

1 lb crushed Tomatoes

1 Tablespoon minced Garlic

4 oz. Tomato Paste

1 Tablespoon Basil

1 Tablespoon Olive Oil

2 Tablespoons Butter

1 Tablespoon minced Onion

1 teaspoon Marjoram

2 teaspoons dried Oregano

Pepper to taste

DIRECTIONS

Over medium low heat sauté the onion and garlic in the olive oil and butter for 4 to 5 minutes. The bits should be golden brown and fragrant but be careful not to overcook. Add the other ingredients.

Simmer the sauce for 15 to 20 minutes.

Jar up and store in refrigerator. I have found that this sauce tastes better after it rests for a few days. You can also spoon into freezer bags and freeze for later use. Freeze up to a year, refrigerate up to 2 months in tightly sealed container - but I can pretty much guarantee it will not last more than a few weeks.

Spread thinly on your pizza crust, top with favorite toppings and cheese. Bake according to above instructions.

Let your pizza rest for a few minutes when it comes out of the oven before slicing and serving.

HOW TO RENDER LARD

2012-02-29T20:08:00.002-05:00

Rendering your own lard is a tradition being rediscovered and rendering lard in your own home is not a difficult task. Lard is a remarkably good source of Vitamin D and of monounsaturated fat: the same fatty acid found in olive oil and avocado and heralded for cardiovascular health benefits.

Lard is definitely a food that our grandmothers would recognize, recipes passed down from previous generations call for lard in pie crusts (try this old fashioned recipe) and tarts, pastries and biscuits and many other recipes.

You want true flakiness in your pastries: use lard. You want a little extra flavor in stews, gravies and a plethora of other recipes: use lard. You don't need a lot, but the difference in taste is noticeable.

A jar full of creamy white, freshly rendered lard for cooking and baking is worth the minimal effort it takes to bottle some up; all that is required is filtered water, pork fat and some patience.

STOVE TOP METHOD FOR RENDERING LARD

INGREDIENTS

2 ½ pounds Pork Fat

About 4 ounces of water

DIRECTIONS

With a sharp knife, trim any blood spots or remaining meat from the lard.

Cube the fat into small cubes, about ½-inch in size.

Place the fat and the filtered water into a heavy bottomed stockpot and simmer over medium-low heat, stirring occasionally.

Cubed lard simmering in a cast iron pot.

After a time the water will evaporate and the fat will begin to melt. Continue to gently stir the melted fat periodically. Eventually, the “cracklings” form. You know how bacon sputters sending hot fat out of a shallow pan? As moisture is released from the cracklings, it will definitely sputter like the bacon. Be careful not to get burned.

Eventually when those cracklings are crispy brown and there appears to be no more lard to cook off, you may remove your pot from the heat.

Lard cooked down to 'cracklings'.

Line a strainer with cotton cheesecloth or a paper coffee filter and strain the melted fat into hot sterilized canning jars, reserving the cracklings for another use (they’re quite tasty salted and eaten as a snack).

Allow jars to cool. The melted fat will be golden to golden-brown in color; when cooled it will become a creamy white. Keep in the refrigerator for 2 to 3 months or freeze and keep for up to a year. If you are going to put your jars into the freezer, leave 1 inch headroom.

Use your freshly rendered lard in pastries, as a fat for braising vegetables or seasoning meats, or even for making pizza dough. When you experience the amount of flavor achieved or the extra flakiness of your pastries, with such a little amount of lard, you will not only be satisfied that their is no real detriment to your health, but that putting by your own lard is well worth the effort.

RED CAULIFLOWER PICKLE

2012-02-25T18:16:00.000-05:00

I wanted to pickle some cauliflower. When researching recipes for pickling cauliflower I found most recipes included mustard or mustard seeds (rai), fennel seeds, red chili powder, turmeric (haldi), and asafetida (hing). Of course, there is always the popular Piccalilli also known as 'Spiced Mustard Pickle', as well as other variations of a mixed vegetable pickle such as Chow-Chow, which always includes cauliflower as well as carrots, onions, runner beans and the like, another mixed vegetable relish that includes mustard in the brine, none of which you will find in this recipe. This Red Cauliflower Pickle recipe I discovered after finding 'Farewell The Winterline: Memories of a Boyhood in India. A Memoir by Stanley E. Brush'.

Six quarts of freshly bottled Red Cauliflower Pickle

According to the website, "Stan Brush's love for the peoples and cultures of India and Pakistan infuse his memoir...And it is appreciation of those cultures that inspires the continual development of this web site." Best of all they offer a free Indian Recipes Cookbook.

Paul and I had recently purchased a big, old Victorian in Connecticut's Northwest Corner, so when the harvest was coming in, my pots, pans, and canning supplies were lost in transition. This recipe was certainly on my to do list but because of circumstance set simmering on the back burner.

Finally the time was right. The produce department had beautiful heads of cauliflower lined up bright and white, so crisp, so pristine: and canning equipment had been unpacked. I bought two bulbous heads and several jars of Greenwood's Sweet and Tangy Sliced Pickled Beets with Onions so I could give this unique recipe a test run. I also purchased a few organic golden beets to add to the mix for a little more color.

Here is the original recipe as it appeared in the Indian Recipes Cookbook.

RED CAULIFLOWER PICKLE

'This is a very uncommon pickle, and looks particularly pretty in white bottles. Cut the cauliflower into pieces of equal sizes, sprinkle with salt, and place it in the sun for a couple of days. Make a syrup of vinegar and sugar: to every quart of vinegar put a quarter of a pound of sugar, a few sticks of cinnamon, and as much sliced or bruised and pounded red beet as will give the vinegar a deep red colour.

When all the salt water has drained away, put the cauliflower into a pan, and pour over it the boiling-hot vinegar or syrup through a fine sieve, in order to leave behind the sticks of cinnamon and fibres of the beetroot; when cold, put the pickle into nice white bottles and cork.'

Here is the version I ended up with after a bit of experimentation.

Pre-pickled beets and fresh cauliflower.

BETH'S BEET CAULIFLOWER PICKLE

2 large heads Cauliflower

2 bunches fresh Red Beets

1 bunch Golden Beets

2 quarts White Vinegar, or if you don't like a sharp bite, 1 quart White Vinegar, 1 quart Apple Cider Vinegar

1 3/4 Cup Raw Sugar

1 stick Cinnamon

6 whole Cloves

Kosher Salt as needed

Break the cauliflower heads into florets with no worries about equal sizing, then sprinkle them liberally with Kosher salt and set the whole she-bang on the kitchen table for a few days (Unless it is very hot out, then set in the fridge).Check after one day, drain off the excess water and sprinkle them again liberally with salt, tossing to make sure every floret is covered.

While your cauliflower is resting prepare your beets. Roasting beets, as with parsnips and other root vegetables, intensifies their flavor bringing out their sweet earthiness. It also makes them easier to peel. Start with beets that are firm and feel heavy for their size. If the beets came with their greens still attached, cut off the greens, wash them, and reserve them for another use.

Roast beets until tender. The amount of time this takes will vary depending on the size and number of the beets, and how fresh they are. For smaller beets, start checking them for tenderness at about 25 minutes. Larger, older beets can take up to an hour.

Preheat the oven to 375°F. Scrub beets clean. Place them on a piece of aluminum foil large enough to packet up the beets comfortably with a bit of 'roasting' room, drizzle with olive oil (just a splash) . Fold the foil over (forming a packet) and crimp the sides closed. Remove beets from oven when a fork will easily pierce them to their center. Let sit until cool enough to handle. Peel and set in the fridge until your cauliflower is ready.

After the cauliflower has set for two days, gather up your canning supplies and prepare to bottle up the pickles. First step: in a large heavy bottomed, non-reactive pot combine vinegar and sugar; bring to a simmer over medium heat until sugar has liquified - do not boil yet. Tie cinnamon stick and cloves into a square of muslin or cheese cloth and float in the brine. Continue to simmer allowing ample time for the flavors to meld (about 20 minutes).

Bring mixture to a rapid boil, then turn heat down - in other words keep the brine hot as you bottle.

Rinse your salted cauliflower florets several times in cool water and let drain. Begin bottling by layering sliced beets and drained cauliflower florets into your sterilized bottles and/or jars. I bottled up one 2 quart container (pictured below) that went right into the fridge after it cooled, and then I moved to 4 pint bottles that I processed in a canning water bath for 10 minutes, for long term storage in my pie safe now canning cupboard.

Once your jars are full (you can press down the vegetables with your fingers or a spoon to make a tight pack) you can begin to add the hot brine.

Two quart jar being stuffed with cauliflower and beets.

This step will make for many air bubbles, which you do not want, so ladle in some brine and tap the bottle gently against the counter to release the air, then add some more brine. A long thin kabob stick, or thin knife can also be inserted into your jars to release any air bubbles.

Continue this process until the jars are filled with brine leaving 1/2 inch headspace. Follow all your Safe Canning Standards. Wait for several weeks before serving. This allows the flavors to combine.

These pickles can be left in the pantry for a year, or in the fridge for equally as long. Because the cauliflower is so dense, even after standing in the vinegar brine for a long time they usually retain a delightful cruchiness.

BRUSCHETTA: BY ANY OTHER NAME STILL TASTES AS SWEET.

2012-02-18T02:19:00.000-05:00

I have written before about cooking with our children. They learn from us in so many ways and I believe taking the time to cook not only for them, but also with them, is just one way to teach our children well.

The time for cooking together with my family has evolved into mostly holidays or special celebrations now that our boys are older: Hunter is 23-years-old and living in Seattle, Washington and occasionally making use of The New York Times Cookbook bequeathed to him by his Nanny, while 16-year-old Daniel is home but busy with school, hockey, and socializing with friends; usually he is just a blur passing through the house, grabbing a bite to eat on the run, so it is a special time when we do have a chance to cook together.

Not long ago I rummaged through the pantry and refrigerator planning a simple dinner that Daniel and I could make together in a short amount of time: Italian bread, pickled garlic, preserved eggplant, artichoke hearts in oil, black olives, cherry tomatos, some homemade pizza sauce (recipe below). I knew what we were going to make, but confused about the correct terminology: are we making bruschetta, crostini, or just a refrigerator pizza? I decided to do some research so I could categorize exactly what it was we were preparing.

I discovered along with bruschetta, crostini originated in medieval times when Italian peasants ate their meals on slices of bread instead of using ceramics. The word bruschetta arose from the Roman verb bruscare, meaning 'to roast over coals'. Traditionally, bruschetta is prepared using Italian bread rubbed with garlic and extra-virgin olive oil, dusted with salt and pepper, then topped with peppers, tomato, vegetables, beans, cured meat, or cheese.

Crostini, also a popular Italian appetizer typically made using slices of French or Italian baguettes, means ‘little toasts’ in Italian. Small slices of grilled or toasted bread are topped with a variety of cheeses, meats, and vegetables, or may be served simply with a brush of olive oil and herbs or a sauce.

The term ‘Refrigerator Pizza’ originated around the same time as the colloquial phrases ‘Refrigerator Soup’ or ‘Leftover Lunch’: are you familiar with the terms? I am sure most Americans have experienced this type of food during their lifetime. It simply means creating a pizza or soup or lunch by opening the refrigerator and making do with the contents.

For instance, our Refrigerator Pizza is made by using any available bread: english muffin, bagel, leftover Italian, what-have-you. Brush with homemade pizza sauce (recipe below) or anoint with olive oil, top with whatever fixings are leftover in the refrigerator, sprinkle with cheese and toast in the oven.

My conclusion, call it what you will: no matter the title it always tastes delicious!

HOMEMADE PIZZA SAUCE

(Enough for 4 Medium Pizzas)

INGREDIENTS

1 lb crushed Tomatoes

1 Tablespoon minced Garlic

4 oz Tomato Paste

1 Tablespoon dried Basil

1 Tablespoon Olive Oil

2 Tablespoons Butter

1 Tablespoon minced Onion

1 teaspoon dried Marjoram

2 teaspoons dried Oregano

Pepper to taste

DIRECTIONS

Over medium low heat sauté the onion and garlic in the olive oil and butter for 4 to 5 minutes. The bits should be golden brown and fragrant but be careful not to overcook.
Add the other ingredients.

Simmer the sauce for 15 to 20 minutes.

Jar up and store in refrigerator. I have found that this sauce tastes better after it rests for a few days. You can also spoon into freezer bags and freeze for later use. Freeze up to a year, refrigerate up to 6 months - but I can pretty much guarantee it will not last more than a few weeks.

Ciao!!

ORANGE-CARROT MARMALADE

2012-01-31T08:30:00.000-05:00

I have become enamored with marmalades. Their taste is like a grown-up Sweet -Tart making one want to pucker up and smile all at the same time. I recently made a lovely, pale, light on the peel Pink Grapefruit Marmalade, but I wanted to do something more, something bright and orange.

I wanted to find the perfect balance between fruit and vegetable, something simple so the colors and flavors enhanced each other like Ying and Yang, Popeye and Olive Oyl, Yogi and Boo-Boo, and what the heck, I wanted to make something the children would like too, now, not later when they are all grown-up.

The result of my desire is Orange - Carrot Marmalade, which is not only eye candy in a jar, but just a little sweeter than traditional marmalade, fulfilling my desire to entice the children to partake of, because they like it. Of course, I didn't invent this particular pairing, there are a number of recipes floating around cyberspace, and I am not sure who did, but that really doesn't matter. I've discovered it now and made it my own. As far as I know, you won't find this on any supermarket shelf, but then again, that just makes this marmalade taste so much better.

ORANGE - CARROT MARMALADE

INGREDIENTS

4 Cups grated Raw Carrots

4 Lemons

2 Oranges

Water, about 3 Cups

4 Cups Sugar

1 Tablespoons Butter

Pinch salt

DIRECTIONS

Scrub clean and squeeze oranges and lemons reserving the juice.

Slice the rinds of 1 orange and 2 lemons, place the remaining peels and pits into cheesecloth (see directions in Pink Grapefruit Marmalade) and/or set peels aside to dry for Citrus Zest.

Cook citrus peels in 3 cups of water over medium heat until tender--about 30 minutes.

Add the grated carrots and another 3 cups of water, bring to a boil, reduce and cook until soft, 20 to 30 minutes. Stir in the orange and lemon juice.

Add sugar all at once. Stir constantly, cooking slowly until all sugar is dissolved. Take your time may take from 30 to 40 minutes. Once you are sure sugar is dissolved, bring to a hard boil. Boil for a minute or 2 - (Candy Thermometer at 220 F if thats your thing)

Remove from heat. Add pinch salt and 2 teaspoons butter. Stir until incorporated.

Ladle into hot half pint or pint jars, leaving 1/4 inch head space. Adjust caps.

Process 10 minutes in boiling water bath.

It may take a week to jell, but if you are anxious you can add 2 Tablespoons Pectin when you add the grated carrots.

Yield: about 3 to 4 pints or 6 to 8 half pints.

HOMEMADE TACO SEASONING

2012-01-21T19:11:00.004-05:00

In my home tacos are a favorite meal. Not only are they delicious and quite easy to make, but versatile allowing everyone to create a unique meal. I like re-fried beans, lettuce, onions, jalapenos, cheese, and sour cream all wrapped up in a soft tortilla lightly toasted on my lovely flat cast iron pan, an old Warner Ware. I was raised cooking in cast iron cookware, and have a wonderful collection of Griswold and Warner Ware handed down from both sides of our family. Paul and I also collect iron pots and pans, sometimes buying something we don't really need because the bargain is just too good to pass up.

Paul prefers his 'taco' dinner as a salad, a bed of lettuce and some salsa satisfy his taste buds, while our 16-year-old, Daniel, craves a soft taco shell with lots of sour cream and cheese. Hunter, our 23-year-old, loves to pile everything on his taco, particularly jalapenos and hot salsa.

We don't always use hamburger either, sometimes I'll cube up pork, chicken or venison for our taco stuffing.

Because we do partake of some version of Americanized tacos so regularly and I was constantly running out of the store bought seasoning, I decided to blend my own at home. This recipe is one derived from many available on-line. I've discovered that cumin, garlic, cilantro and cornstarch are absolutely necessary to the blend, but the other spices can be adjusted to taste - like it hot, add more red pepper. Go ahead and double or triple the batch and store in an airtight container. If your family is anything like mine it won't be around long enough to become dull.

HOMEMADE TACO SEASONING

INGREDIENTS

2 Tablespoon. Cornstarch

1 Tablespoon Ground Cumin

1 Tablespoon. Cayenne Pepper

1 Tablespoon Chili Powder

1 1/2 teaspoon Cilantro

1 teaspoon Salt

1 teaspoon White Pepper

1/2 teaspoon Garlic Powder

1/2 teaspoon Paprika

1/4 teaspoon Crushed Red Pepper Flakes*

*(if you like it hotter, add more or leave out if you like a milder flavor)

DIRECTIONS

Blend well. Store in airtight container. Use 2 Tablespoons per pound of meat.

DRY CITRUS RIB RUB

2012-01-16T12:40:00.014-05:00

The leftover skins from citrus fruits are aromatic and full of flavor. They can be dried out in the sun, in an oven, a dehydrator, or in a warm, dry spot in your kitchen or pantry. Then those dried skins , or used for making a lovely barbeque rub.

Your citrus peels can be used in so many ways: added whole or powdered to baked foods and cakes, mixed into a stew or stuffing, but one of my favorite ways to use cirus peels is in a dry rub for grilling. It is so easy. Blend everything together, store in a jar on the shelf. Just remember, the quicker you use it, the more sophisticated the flavors, so keep your batches small.

Most dry rub recipes, used by 'grill masters', start with two basic ingredients, sugar and kosher salt, before adding your preferred spices at a ratio of 8:3:1:1. The following is a simple example.

8:3:1:1 RUB

8 Tablespoons Brown Sugar

3 Tablespoons Kosher Salt

1/2 teaspoon Cumin

1/2 teaspoon White Pepper

1/2 teaspoon Cayenne Pepper

1/2 teaspoon dry Coleman's Mustard

Combine all ingredients in a large bowl and mix well. Store in an airtight container.
For the best results, the rub should have time to 'rest' with the meat. Rubs should be applied liberally to moist, thawed meat for a minimum of two hours. You have maximum flavor if you apply the rub 24 hours before throwing on the fire. This allows the rub's ingredients to marinade with the meat's natural juices. If preparing duck, chicken, or some other fowl for barbequeing, place the rub under the skin for best results. Play with the citrus to find your favorite flavor combinations. For instance, orange peel works well with duck, lemon peels with chicken, and a combination of grapefruit and lemon blends wonderfully with pork.

Wrap your meat tightly in plastic wrap, this helps keep your rub married to the meat, and rest for the desired time in the refrigerator. Pull out meat about an hour prior to cooking and let return to room temperature. Grill according to taste.

Personally, I don't consider cooking on gas grilling. For an unrivaled, full-barbeque flavor, Paul and I prefer cooking over a natural hardwood charcoal fire, but we all do as we must!

Dried grapefruit and lemon peels in the Mini Chopper.
Grind into small bits, store in a container in the fridge
or with your other dried spices.

DRY CITRUS RIB RUB

INGREDIENTS

2 Tablespoons Kosher Salt

2 Tablespoon Dark Brown Sugar

2 Tablespoons dried Citrus Flakes

2 Tablespoon Cumin

1 Tablespoon Paprika

1 Tablespoon diced Garlic

1 Tablespoon diced Onion

1 teaspoon Cayenne Pepper

1 teaspoon White Pepper

1 teaspoon ground Sage

1 teaspoon ground Thyme

NOTE: Garlic and onion may be fresh diced or dried. Dried citrus flakes can be any combination of lemon, orange and grapefruit.

DIRECTIONS

Combine all ingredients in a large bowl and mix well. Store in an airtight container. Pack the dry rub onto your next rack of ribs, pork roast, venison loin, or chicken.

NOTE: Purchase the best quality spices you can find. There is a huge difference between the older discounted spices, and the newer fresher bottles.

PUTTING BY THE PERFECT 'POT' OF MARMALADE

2012-01-09T12:32:00.006-05:00

Here in the northeast United States, the bulk of preserving happens from June to September; however there are still plenty of fun preserving projects possible during the darker months of the year - like now, for instance. For those of us here in New England, all the citrus fruits stacked along the produce shelves are a wonderful splash of color (and taste) reminding us of sunnier days and the promise of spring. What better way to calm your spirits after a busy holiday season then to get back into the kitchen and put by some small batch preserves.

When my grandmother, Margery, was alive, each autumn she would send her sister, Aunt Alice, a box of crisp New England apples; in exchange, around the winter holidays or soon thereafter, a box of grapefruit from Aunt Alice’s tree would arrive by post from her home ion Florida. Granma would cut them in half and eat them for breakfast. Of course a three minute egg, toast and jelly or jam were often served at for breakfast also.

Back then, my first taste of marmalade came from a stone crock. It was tart, bitter, with some rinds that weren’t quite soft, not as appealing to my young taste buds as sweet jams and jellies, but as I matured, so did my taste. Besides once I discovered marmalade was the spread of choice for James Bond, I was all in.

Marmalade is traditionally made with Seville oranges, but our local market had a sale on grapefruit and so I will be making a Pink Grapefruit Marmalade. Also, I have tended toward replacing or reducing sugar in many of my preserves, but for the marmalade I’m keeping with the traditional recipe as far as sugar goes.

CLASSIC TASTE

As I said, Seville oranges are the best for a classic, bitter-sweet marmalade, and this is the time of year to buy them. You can find them in supermarkets and they freeze well whole, as do a number of other citrus fruits, so, if they are on sale, get enough for several batches. You can defrost them when you have the time.

You will need 3 pounds of grapefruit (or whichever citrus you prefer), plus the juice of two lemons, six pints (12 cups) of water, 4 pounds (8 cups) of sugar, and 2 teaspoons unsalted butter.

DIRECTIONS

Wash the fruit, cut in half and remove the seeds. Keep the seeds; you need these for the pectin. Also, when peeling citrus fruits for marmalades be sure to keep some of the white membrane (pith) found just under the skin, the pith also contains pectin.

Set the seeds and pith aside on a square of cheesecloth (available in any good kitchen store or the canning aisle at your local hardware store) draped over a bowl.

Next, remove and discard the remaining pith from the grapefruit and lemon. Finely chop the segments, adding any seeds and membranes to the cheesecloth, make sure to capture all the juice. Place everything into a large heavy bottomed pot – a Dutch oven is great if you have one.

Add water. As a rule, two pints of water are used for every 1 pound of fruit. This will all need to reduce by a third before you add the sugar and will take a couple of hours of slow cooking, so keep the fire on medium - low for now. Be patient and stir often so nothing sticks to the bottom of the pot. You also need to add the cheesecloth with the seeds, piths, etcetera, tied securely. Just let it float in the juice.

Cut the rinds into thin slices and add to the cooking juice. The amount of peel you add is personal preference. You do not have to use all the peel in the marmalade. Set the extra peels aside on a wire rack for drying. Later they can be ground and saved for seasonsings.

In about 2 hours, check to see if the peel is soft (pull one out and take a bite) and the juice has reduced, squeeze the cheesecloth bag to extract the pectin and set aside.

Add granulated sugar a little at a time. Stir until all the sugar dissolves. You don’t want it crystallizing in the jar. This step may take a little time - focus, be zen about it and give the sugar time to dissolve - it will be worth the effort!

Once the sugar has completely dissolved, turn up the heat. You need to get the mixture up to a rolling boil (if you have a candy thermometer, you want to hit 220F) so the marmalade will set, a process that takes about 20 minutes.

If you don’t have a candy thermometer dip in a wooden spoon and then hold it high over the pot letting the marmalade drip from the edge. If the mixture is sufficiently cooked, the drops run together to form a hanging flake. This is known as the flake test.

You can also test the mixture by putting a spoonful of marmalade on a plate and putting it somewhere cool (but not in the fridge). The surface should set within a few minutes and crinkle when pushed with the finger.

If you feel your marmalade has not set, continue the rolling boil for a few minutes longer and re-test. When the mixture is ready, remove from the heat and add the butter. Stir slowly until the butter is incorporated into the juice. If there is any foam on top, remove.

Ladle into sterilized pint or quart containers leaving 1/2 inch headspace. Seal, place in Hot Water Canning Bath. 10 minutes for pint jars; 15 minutes for quarts. Give several weeks to set.

You should end up with 9 to 10 half pints or 4 or 5 pints.

PICKLED PEPPERS IN OIL

2012-01-07T06:09:00.000-05:00

Several years ago, I developed a pickled pepper recipe for a friend. Daryl had given me some seeds from a pepper he had wrapped up in tin foil. He had been to a restaurant for dinner and complimented the chef on the meal, particularly the peppers. Well, the peppers were imported from Italy and the chef had given Daryl an actual dried pepper (hence, the tin foil wrapping).

Knowing that I like to grow things and being excited at the prospect of harvesting bunches of these delicious peppers, he passed the seeds onto me. We had one good season. Disappointingly, the second and third years (generations) never produced enough peppers for pickling; possibly, they were a hybrid. Anyway, I have a few seeds left from the last lonely pepper - one a third generation plant produced - and I am going to try planting one more time. Though a bit disappointing in the pepper production arena, the whole experience did lead to a wonderful recipe for preserving peppers.

I wanted to do Italian style preservation in what I assumed would be just olive oil, but every recipe I found was more towards pickling. I queried all my foodie friends and relatives, searching high and low for recipes on preserving peppers. Finally, I modified one recipe from many.

You can use any kind of pepper in this recipe: sweet, hot, or a combination of both. We certainly continue to enjoy peppers bottled this way and hope you will too.

NOTE: If using any hot peppers, please make sure to wear some kind of glove while cutting or stemming. Do not rub face or eyes - even if you get a sudden, uncontrollable itch!

PICKLED PEPPERS IN OIL

INGREDIENTS

4 pounds Peppers

1/4 Cup Raw Sugar

1/2 Cup Water

1 Cup Oil

2 Cups White Vinegar

2 cloves Garlic

1/2 Tablespoon prepared Horseradish

DIRECTIONS

Wash Peppers. You may stem and pack them whole or slice them into circles, depending on your preference and size of canning jars. Do not worry about removing seeds.

In a stainless steel pot, combine all ingredients. Simmer for 15 minutes. Do not boil.

Using a slotted spoon, pack Peppers into sterilized jars.

Bring remaining pickling juice to a roiling boil. Remove from heat. Using ladle, evenly divide liquid between jars of peppers. You may place garlic cloves into two jars or discard, as desired.

Jars need to be filled leaving only 1/4 inch headspace. If you do not have enough picklingjuice, top off containers with olive oil.

Clean rims. Adjust caps.

Process in a Boiling Hot Water Bath: 10 minutes for half pints or pints, 15 minutes for quarts.

Makes about 8 half pints. Stores on shelf, unopened, for 1 year.

Refrigerate after opening.

PRESERVED EGGPLANT ITALIAN STYLE

2011-12-27T18:17:00.006-05:00

I am moved into my new home – albeit not completely unpacked and organized, yet – the holiday season has passed, and I have slowed down on my canning and preserving, so I finally have a few moments to post some more recipes and photos from all my small batches I put by at the end of the harvest season!

I really, really like eggplant. I like it as parmigiana or as a grinder, sprinkled on an antipasto salad, on bruschetta or focaccia – or if it is Preserved Italian Style in oil, sometimes I like it straight from the jar.

A variety of eggplants and tomatoes, fresh from the garden, ready for preserving.

The problem here in the United States is that when you preserve certain vegetables in oil the U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA) consider it ‘risky business’. The Italians have been doing it for centuries without serious consequences, but I would not advise anyone to can or preserve something in a way that could be detrimental to their health. The recipe I am going to share with you should be refrigerated. Because the eggplant is soaked in red wine vinegar (making it ‘acidic’) before canning, the process is safe.

As a disclaimer, though, I must insist that anyone planning on canning or preserving fruits and vegetables should educate himself or herself with the processes for safe canning and preserving. A great place to start is with the National Center for Home Food Preservation’s guidelines found here.

In the meantime, if you would like to preserve Eggplant Italian Style, it is fairly simple. All you need are some sterile jars and lids and a few basic ingredients: Eggplant, Red Wine Vinegar, fresh Basil, dried Red Chilies and good Olive Oil.

Simply peel your eggplant and cut it into squares. I like mine about ½” in size. Toss these with plenty of salt, and then set them in a colander inside a large bowl to drain for a minimum of 1 to 2 hours, but it is best if you can let them rest overnight. They should shed a substantial amount of liquid.

Stone Crock, Red Wine Vinegar and Eggplants.

After the cubes have rested, press as much remaining liquid out of the eggplant as you can. Use your hands, a wooden spoon, a dessert plate – whatever works for you. Then let the eggplant rest on some paper towels and drain for another little bit.

While the eggplant cubes are resting, get yourself a stone crock that is clean and sterile (make sure you rinse thoroughly with boiling water) or similar deep container that will hold your cubed eggplant with a little headspace. Make sure you have a clean plate whose circumference is slightly smaller than your stone crock or container, and a clean jar filled with dried rice or water. The jar will be used to weigh down the plate, keeping the eggplant cubes submerged in the Red Wine Vinegar.

Cubed eggplant in the crock soaking in red wine vinegar.

Place the drained eggplant into your container and cover with red wine vinegar, cover with plate and rest jar on top, if necessary - then set aside for 1 to 2 hours. Pour eggplant into a colander and press off red wine vinegar.

Using a slotted spoon pack the eggplant into pint jars, layering with 2 or 3 leaves of fresh basil. Press each layer down firmly, and pour any excess vinegar out of jar. Top with one small dried red chili pepper. When each jar is full, cover the contents with your favorite olive oil leaving a ¼” of headspace. Secure the lids on the jars and refrigerate.

Let the flavors meld for at least a week, before decanting. When ready to use remove from refrigerator and allow to come to room temperature before using in your favorite recipe. Return any leftovers to the refrigerator after opening.

Preserved Eggplant Italian Style!

PERSIMMON MARMALADE & QUINCE-APPLE SAUCE

2011-12-01T11:41:00.004-05:00

Heart-shaped Hachiya persimmons.
photo courtesy of Pixmax

It really should not surprise me, knowing just how many different, unique and nutritional fruits are available for canning and preserving, but sometimes I am pleasantly startled by the local bounty sitting right under my nose.

I have learned that taking the time to put aside fresh foods in season is good not only for my physical health, but for my mental health as well. I love the gathering, planning, chopping, blending, cooking, processing, not to mention the fun of recipe researching, as well as being rewarded with shelves of lovely, delicious bottles of goodies to share with my family and friends.

In that spirit, I decided to make sure I paid closer attention to local bounty, which led me to two fruits which are relatively under appreciated, but steadily regaining popularity here in the United States: the persimmon and the quince.

PERSIMMON

Though persimmons are Japan's national fruit, many Americans are unfamiliar with them. With persimmon season running from late October through December here in the northeast, now is the perfect time to try something different.

There are two types of persimmons: Fuyu and Hachiya. Fuyu persimmons are squat and dense. Their skin ranges from pale yellow-orange to brilliant reddish-orange; generally, the darker the color, the sweeter the taste. Fuyu persimmons are non-astringent, which means you can eat them either firm or soft. Firm Fuyus can be eaten like an apple, skin and all, and when you slice off the top, a beautiful star is centered in the flesh.

Heart-shaped Hachiya persimmons have a deep orange skin. Hachiyas are astringent, which means they can be eaten only when fully ripe. When a Hachiya persimmon is ripe, it should feel very soft, almost mushy. If you purchase some and they are still firm, place them in a paper bag with a banana and set on a pantry shelf for a few days.

For me the persimmon’s exotic flavor, reminiscent of apricot/mango, brings to mind warm tropical breezes. When perfectly ripe, the coral colored flesh scoops easily from its skin with a spoon, already resembles jelly.

I preserved Hachiya persimmons as a marmalade using a simple vintage recipe I discovered through Uncle Phaedrus, Consulting Detective and Founder of Lost Recipes; but there are many other fun and tasty persimmon recipes if marmalades are not your thing.

Persimmon and Granny Smith Salsa or Persimmon, Gingersnap, and Caramel Sundaes, can be found on Food Blogga. CHOW also has a fabulous recipe for Boozy Persimmon Pudding.

PERSIMMON MARMALADE

INGREDIENTS

2 Quarts ripe Persimmons

¾ Cup Honey

1 Cup Orange Juice

Grated rind of 1 Orange

5-7 Half Pint Jars

DIRECTIONS

Cut the tops off the persimmons; scoop out the flesh; discard seeds and cores.

Mash Persimmons and cook with Honey, Orange Juice and Orange Rind over medium heat until mixture is thick. Do not allow to boil.

Ladle into canning jars leaving 1/4 inch headspace.

Process in a Boiling Hot Water Bath for 10 minutes

QUINCE

The birthplace of the Quince is believed to have been the Fertile Crescent in Asia Minor, the cradle of civilization. From there it spread to the Mediterranean, delighting Greeks and Romans with its tart flavor and potent aroma.

A bowl of quinces, or in my case a bag on the counter waiting to be preserved, perfumes the air. Once you have worked with quinces and had their fragrance lingering in your kitchen, you will forever dream of that time of year when they will once again decorate your counter and intoxicate you with their aroma.

The whitish quince flesh turns rosy when cooked, and is traditionally stewed, poached, or baked in desserts, often with other fruits. It is especially prized in the Middle East but also well-loved in South America, where it is often used in savory meat dishes. In Spain, quince becomes a dense paste to eat with cheese.

The quince was popular in Colonial America, and quinces grew at Thomas Jefferson's Monticello. Having grown up in Connecticut I was familiar with quinces, but had never had the opportunity to track some down for preserving. Luckily I have some personal ties to the Averill Orchard in Washington, Connecticut. Though they only have a few trees and do not usually sell these golden apples to the public, I was able to wrangle a peck for adding to my apple sauce.

Here in the Northeast United States, the skin of the bumpy, pear-shaped quince is rough and woolly and needs a good scrubbing before you use it in your recipes, and are not palatable to eat as you would an apple, but poached, stewed, sauced or jellied they add a sweet dimension to many a dish.

My simple recipe for Quince-Applesauce is a quick and easy way to familiarize yourself with the fruit. Besides, with Thanksgiving and Christmas holidays right around the corner, who couldn’t use a few jars of homemade sauce for the dinner table? And this applesauce with the added quince will leave everyone who tastes it begging for more.

If you want to try quince in a dinner dish, check this out:
SAFFRON INFUSED CHICKEN WITH QUINCE / Heyvali ve Zeferanli Toyuq

For more interesting facts and a few vintage recipes for quince click here.

Local Quince and Apples from Averill Orchards in Washington, Connecticut.

QUINCE-APPLE SAUCE

INGREDIENTS

1 Peck whole Quinces

1/2 Peck whole Apples

2 cups Apple Cider

1/2 cup Honey

2 Tbsp. Cinnamon

1/4 Cup Brown Sugar

6 – 8 Pint Jars

DIRECTIONS

Wash the Quinces and Apples well, and cut into chunks. Leave in the cores and seeds, but cut out bruised portions, stems, and the blossom end of the fruits.

Place in a large pot with a lid, along with the apple cider.

Bring to simmer over medium heat, stirring occasionally to moisten all the fruit; reduce heat to low.

Leaving the lid a bit ajar, cook for a few hours, stirring occasionally, until the fruit is mushy. Be careful not to let the fruit burn on the bottom of the pot.

Remove from heat and scoop the fruit into a food mill.

Puree, and then taste. Adjust more or less until sauce is at desired sweetness with the honey and brown sugar. Add in cinnamon. Stir thoroughly.

Return to pot and bring to simmer again. You want the sauce hot when you add to the jars.

Ladle into clean canning jars, leaving 1/2 inch headspace. Use a knife to remove any air pockets.
If you have leftovers that won’t fill up a jar, keep in refrigerator for immediate treat.

Process jars in a Boiling Hot Water Bath 15 minutes.

Hot Water Bath or Pressure Canning

ROSE HIP JELLY

2011-11-08T15:01:00.007-05:00

Our new home in Lime Rock, Connecticut!

I had been putting off making Rose Hip Jelly for a few years. Even though the most beautiful, fragrant Rosa Rugosa bushes grew right out my back door, it always seemed with work and life’s other numerous distractions, I never got around to it.

Ah, but this year, right before we moved to our new home, did I tell you Paul and I are proud owners of an old Victorian built in 1890? (see the photo at the end of this blog.) I realized I was going to have to leave all those beautiful bushes behind, so I made the time and some differently delicious Rose Hip Jelly.

The fruit of the Rosa Rugosa resemble tiny tomatoes, and anyone who has been near the shore – for me Cape Cod, Block Island, Maine – you find them growing wild on the shifting dunes. The sweet, distinctly scented flowers are often used to make pot-pourri, but the hips, also called haws by some, are well-known for making tea, wine, or creating a jam or jelly.

Rose hips are legendary for being high in Vitamin C, and there is no doubt in anyone’s mind about the beneficial effects of vitamin C. In addition to C, rose hips also contain A, D, Iron and E - all wrapped up in the tart-sweet taste of these miniature fruits.

The hips have seeds on the inside that are covered with tiny-weenie hairs that can be itchy and irritating. However, when making jelly the seeds will get strained out in the jelly-making process, so, it is easiest just to trim off the top and bottom of the hip. Also, when making this jelly you definitely want to use a non-reactive pan, like enamel or stainless steel. Do not use aluminum or cast iron to cook the rosehips.

ROSE HIP JELLY

INGREDIENTS

2 quarts Rose Hips (plus or minus)

½ Cup Lemon Juice

¼ teaspoon Butter

3 Cups Raw Sugar

¼ Cup Honey

Several Crab Apples or one large Green Apple

1 package Powdered Pectin (or Homemade Pectin)

Water

5 or 6 Eight-ounce canning jars and fresh lids

DIRECTIONS

Rinse the rose hips and apples thoroughly. Cut off the tops and bottoms of the rose hips and discard. Cut apples into small pieces leaving skin and seeds.

Place rose hips and apple in a large pot. Add enough water to cover. If fruit begins to float, temporarily cover with a dinner plate or something similar for water measurement. Remove the plate before cooking.

Bring hips to a boil and stir constantly for 5 minutes before reducing heat to simmer. Cover and cook for 1 hour (more or less), until rose hips are soft. Stir occasionally so they do not stick to your pot. It is fine to mash the hips against the side of the pan as you stir. I also use a food mill to grind the pulp once it is soft, or you can use a potato masher, or just squish everything up as best you can with the back of a flat spoon.

Set up a jelly bag, or a large very fine mesh strainer, or three layers of cheesecloth over a bowl or large pot. Transfer the rose hip, apples and liquid (or puree) into the jelly bag/strainer/cheesecloth. Let strain into the bowl for a minimum of one hour . Do not squeeze the jelly bag or cheesecloth to get more remaining juice out, it will make your jelly cloudy.

Measure the juice. You will need 3 cups of juice for this recipe, so if you have less than 3 cups, add some boiling water to the jelly bag and allow more liquid to drain through.

Place 3 cups of the rose hip juice in a large, non-reactive pot. Add the honey, lemon juice, and pectin. Bring to a boil, stirring constantly dissolving all of the pectin. Add the sugar, also stirring constantly until dissolves, then add the butter.

Bring jelly to a rolling boil (one that you cannot reduce by stirring). The mixture will bubble up considerably. Boil for exactly one minute. Then remove from heat and pour off into sterilized canning jars, leaving 1/4-inch headspace from the rim.

Make sure rims are clean and sterilized tops are finger tight on the jars, then process in a Hot Water Bath for 10 minutes. Voila, a lovely bit of summer in a jar. Enjoy!

Hot Water Bath or Pressure Canning

WHAT EXACTLY IS A PICKLE?

2011-10-19T12:25:00.005-04:00

For thousands of years, our ancestors have explored ways to pickle foods. According to Wikipedia, “pickling began 4000 years ago using cucumbers native to India.” Pickling was a way to preserve food "for out-of-season use and for long journeys, especially by sea… Although the process was invented to preserve foods, pickles are also made and eaten because people enjoy the resulting flavors.”

So, what is it that makes a pickle a pickle? Generally, pickles are foods preserved in brines, a salt and water or vinegar and water solution, with spices, created to prevent spoilage and impart particular flavors.

There are two kinds of pickling. The first includes pickles preserved in different types of vinegar, as vinegar is acidic and most bacteria cannot survive in this type of “brine”. Most supermarket pickles are preserved in vinegar.

The other category includes pickles soaked in a salt brine to encourages fermentation, the growth of "good" bacteria that make a food less vulnerable to "bad" bacteria. Kimchi and many dill or sour pickles are fermented.

In Iran, Israel, and Arab countries, pickles are the norm and are commonly made from turnips, peppers, carrots, green olives, cucumbers, beetroot, radish, cabbage, lemons, and cauliflower.

In Mexico, chili peppers, particularly of the Jalapeño and Serrano varieties, pickled with onions, carrots and herbs are common condiments.

In Britain, pickled onions and pickled eggs are sold in pubs and fish and chip shops. Pickled beetroot, walnuts, and gherkins, and condiments such as piccalilli, are typically eaten as an accompaniment to pork pies and cold meats, sandwiches or a ploughman's lunch; and the countries and lists of pickled products goes on and on and on.

Nowadays, canning and pickling your own food is enjoying a resurgence, as homemakers revolt against processed fruits and vegetables and other foods, canned with unpronounceable additives and preservatives. Modern moms and dads are realizing that mass processing may not be the safest, or tastiest, food option for their families.

TYPES OF PICKLING

Fresh-pack pickles are cured for several hours in a vinegar solution or are immediately combined with hot vinegar, spices, and seasonings. Examples include dill pickles, bread-and-butter pickles, pickled radish and pickled beets.

Fermented pickles are vegetables soaked in a brine solution for an extended period of time. While soaking, lactic acid bacteria, naturally present on vegetables, grows while other microbes are inhibited by salt in the brine. The color of the vegetables change, and their interiors becomes translucent. Examples include kimchi, dill pickles, and sauerkraut.

Refrigerator pickles are cucumbers marinated in brine and then stored in the refrigerator. Fresh and crisp, no canning is required!

Fruit pickles are whole or sliced fruit simmered in spicy syrup. Examples include spiced peaches, pears, plums or crabapples.

Some may consider relishes a type of pickling as they are made from chopped fruits or vegetables that are cooked in a spicy vinegar solution and kept for extended periods of time, though technically a relish is a "highly flavored condiment".

A condiment is usually used in lesser amounts, like spreading mustard on a hot dog, while a relish may be eaten by the mouthful with a main food, like a chutney with meat. Examples of relishes include cucumber relish or a sweet corn relish.

Well, there you have it, a brief dissertation on what a pickle is, and hopefully the inspiration to think about setting some time aside to do your own canning and pickling. As noted author Eugenia Bone says, “Preserving is an extension of the values that made you shop in the farmers’ market in the first place.”

Hot Water Bath or Pressure Canning