Tomato Jam

Adapted from http://www.lanascooking.com/2011/03/08/tomato-jam/


I used 1.5 lbs of a mixture of cherry tomatoes and larger tomatoes from my garden, cut up into small slices and chunks.










1 c sugar
1 key lime juiced and zested
3 cloves crushed
1/4 tsp cinnamon
1/2 tsp grated ginger
1 tsp red pepper
1/4 tsp salt

Combine all into a medium sized pan and bring to a boil.  Let simmer for 1-2 hours.

Balsamic Broccoli Dills

I couldn't recreate my broccoli pickles from earlier this year because I don't have any more of that great jalapeno-raisin wine.  So I had to improve a bit with this batch.

I used up a package of Ball dill seasoning but used balsamic vinegar instead of white vinegar.
I added some jalapenos that had previously been part of refrigerator jalepeno pickles (http://somthgiate.blogspot.com/2011/08/sweet-jalapeno-refrigerator-pickles.html) and a handful of raisins.

I added some carrots to fill the jars.  I processed for 15 minutes according to the package directions

We'll see how they turn out in 1-2 months.

Cumin Squash Salad

http://www.nytimes.com/2011/08/18/health/nutrition/18recipehealth.html?_r=1&ref=nutrition

1-2 cut up squash and zucchini, steamed

3 tbsp lemon juice
1/2 tbsp cumin
1/4 c olive oil
2 tbsp minced garlic
1 small bunch of chopped cilantro

Mix together.

Ceviche

Adapted from an old Gourmet recipe.  I buy flash frozen fish from a good grocery store (like Whole Foods or Trader Joe's).

2 swordfish steaks
2 tuna steaks
1 lb of bay scallops

2 c lime juice
1.5 c orange juice
2-3 tbsp kosher salt

1-2 jalapeno peppers
1 medium white onion
other chopped veggies like brightly colored peppers, tomatoes, avacado.
a good handful of cilantro

Parboil scallops in salted water for 1 min.  Cut fish into thin chunks and combine with scallops in juices and salt with onion and jalapeno.  Let marinate overnight or at least several hours.  Mix in cilantro and other veggies.

I use whatever fish strikes my fancy at the store, but I've found by trial and error that a firmer white fish works best. I like shrimp in my ceviche too and I think you are supposed to parboil it as well, which I do sometimes.  When I feel like it.

Sweet jalapeno refrigerator pickles

2-3 thinly sliced jalapenos
1 small thinly sliced onion
I added some orange pepper to color it up

Boil together
3/4 c apple cider vinegar
3/4 c water
1 tbsp salt
1 tbsp agave syrup

Combine veggies and syrup in glass bowl.  Let cool and then refrigerate.

Spicy Coriander (Fennel) Green Bean Pickles

12oz of cleaned green beans




1 tsp black pepper
1 tsp coriander
sprig of fennel
2-3 garlic cloves
fresh jalapeno








1 c white vinegar
1 c water
1 tbsp salt




Boil vinegar, water, and salt.  Put spices, garlic, jalapeno in bottom of sterilized jars.  Pack green beans and cover with boiled pickle mixture.  Process in water bath for 10 minutes for pints.

Adapted from http://gabbysgfree.wordpress.com/2011/08/10/real-time-pickle-party/

Chinese Chicken and Cabbage Stirfry

2 cut up chicken thighs marinated in 2 tbsp soy sauce and 3 tbsp sherry with a bit of cayenne

1 onion

2 cloves garlic

1 head chopped cabbage

1 tsp coriander

1 tbsp vinegar
1/4 cup chopped tomatoes

Stir fry onion, garlic, coriander for a minutes or two.  Then add cabbage. Add 1-2 tbsp more soy sauce, sherry, a bit of water to wilt everything.  Stir in some tomatoes and red pepper flakes.  Stirfry chicken and then add to mixture.  Add scallions.

Buy water chestnuts for next time.

adapted from http://www.delish.com/recipefinder/stir-fried-chicken-chinese-cabbage-recipe-7741

Sauteed beet greens

While harvesting the beets to can this weekend, we were left with a huge pile of beet greens.  Yum.  From garden to pan in less than 1 hour.

Cleaned and cut beet greens sauteed with garlic olive oil, garlic, crushed red pepper and salt.

Beets were also canned.  Yum.

Canning - part 2: Tomatoes

Even though my tomatoes from my garden weren't ready to be canned today, Findlay Market provided me with 9 pints of tomatoes to can.

Blanching and Peeling tomatoes

Tomatoes processed for 35 minutes

All Done!

Watermelon Pickles

Pickled Watermelon Rind - adapted from The Bitten Word  http://thebittenword.typepad.com/thebittenword/2009/08/pickled-watermelon-rind.html

4 quarts watermelon rind, pared (equal to one medium-sized melon)
1.5 cup salt
3 quarts water
5 cups sugar
6 cups white vinegar
1 tablespoon (about 48) whole cloves
6 cinnamon sticks, broken into 1-inch pieces
1 tablespoon Allspice
Pieces of ginger (optional)

Brining

Trim the pink flesh and the green outer skin from the rind. Cut into small strips, about 1" x 2". Cover with brine. Let soak overnight. 

Drain; rinse. Cover the watermelon with water and bring to a boil; continue cooking until fork-tender, 10-15 minutes. (Overcooking will cause the rinds to become rubbery.) Drain.

Combine sugar, vinegar, water and spice. Boil 5 minutes and then pour over watermelon. Refrigerate overnight.

Heat watermelon in syrup to boiling; reduce heat to medium-high and for one hour. Pack the hot watermelon pickles loosely into clean, hot pint jars.Cover with boiling syrup, leaving 1/2 inch headspace. Remove air bubbles and adjust headspace if needed. Wipe rims of jars with a dampened clean paper towel; apply two-piece metal lids.  Added some ginger to some of the jars.

Boiling in syrup

To seal: Submerge the full jars in boiling water (enough water so the jars are 1-2" below the surface); boil for 15 minutes (or slightly longer at higher altitudes). Remove jars and let them sit undisturbed at room temperature for 24 hours. Check seals.

Zesty Sweet Squash Pickles

2 lbs zucchini/squash

2 small onions
1/4 cup pickling salt








2c sugar
1 tsp celery salt
1tsp tumeric
2tsp mustard seed
3c cider vinegar

Wash and cut zucchini into rounds, peel and cut onions sliced thin.  Mix together.  Cover zucchini and onions with 1" water and add salt.  Let stand for 2 hours.  Drain thoroughly.  Bring remaining ingredients to boil and pour over veggie mix.  Let stand for additional 2 hours.  Bring all ingredients to boil for 5 minutes.  Pack in preheated jars and process in water bath for 15 minutes.

Melenzana di olio - mulljohnny

Eggplant - 1/2" slices

salt brine for 24 hrs with canning salt

1# oregeno

3/4# basil

1# dried red pepper

8 heads of garlic, chopped

Sprinkle each layer with spices and cover each with olive oil.  After all layers are covered, weight down to keep eggplant under oil and cover.  Let rest 6 mo

.

steak marinade

http://www.bigoven.com/recipe/140513/grilled-butter-marinated-steak-sirloin-steaks


1:1 garlic olive oil and worchestore + cracked black pepper