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Category: Condiments & Extras

Tarragon-Garlic Scape Aioli

Tarragon-Garlic Scape Aioli

Garlic scapes are the stem and flower bud of the garlic plant. Farmers remove the scape in the spring to prevent flowering, because the plant will then produce bigger cloves of garlic. Scapes can be eaten raw or cooked, and they have a lovely mild, fresh green flavor. Making the aioli by hand with a mortar and pestle takes only about five minutes and is immensely satisfying. If you’d like to use a food processor or immersion blender instead, then double the recipe in order to create enough volume for the machine.

2 tsp. finely chopped garlic scapes
Zest and juice of one lemon
1/4 tsp. fine sea salt
1/2 tsp. Dijon mustard
1 egg yolk
1/4 tsp. white pepper
1/2 C. extra-virgin olive oil
2 tsp. tarragon, chopped

In a mortar and pestle, pulverize the garlic scapes, lemon zest, salt and mustard until it begins to turn a pale green color and there are no longer large pieces of garlic scape. Add the egg yolk, lemon juice and pepper, and mash until uniform. Drip in the olive oil while mixing. Begin slowly and work your way to a steady drizzle. If the oil begins to separate, stop pouring midway, increase your stirring for a second, and then continue. It should be pretty thick and a much paler green than what you started with. Adjust the flavoring as necessary, adding salt, lemon juice or pepper to your taste. Fold in the tarragon and serve. The aioli will keep in the refrigerator for approximately one week.

Sweet Pickles

Sweet Pickles

Use small cucumbers. Wash, dry and place in crock. Cover with brine – 1 1/2 C. salt in 4 quarts cool water. Lay a cloth over the cukes, then place a plate over the top to weight them down so that all of them are covered by brine. Let stand 2 weeks, rinsing the cloth each day to remove the scum that gathers. After two weeks, remove cucumbers from brine, wash well, and cut into 1″ pieces. Place in crock and cover with alum mixture — 1 T. powdered alum in 2 quarts cool water — and leave for 18 hours. Drain well and cover with hot syrup — 2 quarts sugar, 1 quart vinegar, with 1 T. whole cloves and 2 sticks cinnamon per quart of liquid used tied in cheesecloth, brought to a boil. Each day for three days, drain off the syrup and bring to a boil and re-pour over the cucumbers. On the fourth day, drain, boil, add 2 C. sugar. Meanwhile transfer pickles to jars. Pour syrup over pickles in jars. Cover. No need to seal.

Green Tomato Pickles

Green Tomato Pickles

Gram’s Note: Good for the toms that don’t ripen in the fall

4 qt. sliced Green Tomatoes
6 medium Onions, sliced
1/2 C. Salt
1 1/2 C. Sugar
1 T. ground Mustard
1 T. Mustard Seed
1 T. Celery Seed
1 T. Allspice
1 T. Whole Black Peppercorns
4 C. Vinegar

Use fairly small green tomatoes. Cut out the stem end and slice into 1/2” thick slices. Slice onion. Place in large bowl and sprinkle with salt; let stand overnight. Drain well. Place spices in small bag made of layered cheesecloth. Combine remaining ingredients in a large kettle, add the spice bag, and simmer about 5 minutes. Add onions and tomatoes, remove spice bag, return to a simmer and cook one minute. Seal in hot sterilized jars. Yields about six pints. If softer pickles are preferred, simmer for up to 30 minutes before jarring.

Rich Turkey Gravy

Rich Turkey Gravy

1/4 – 1/3 C. sifted Flour
1/4 C. Turkey Pan Drippings
2 C. Water
2 tsp. Chicken Bouillon

Add drippings to pan and heat over medium heat. Add flour; cook and stir until dark brown. Stir in water and bouillon; cook and stir until thickened and bouillon is dissolved. If desired, stir in parsley.

Velma’s Chili Pepper Sauce

Velma’s Chili Pepper Sauce

Gram: “dandy tasty with omelet & stuff”

20 Ripe Tomatoes, chopped
6 Green Peppers, chopped
4 White Onions, chopped
1 C. Sugar
2 C. Vinegar
2 T. Salt
2 tsp. Mace
2 tsp. Cloves
1 tsp. Celery Salt
2 tsp. Nutmeg
Red Pepper to taste

Cook everything to desired thickness. Pour into jars and seal.

Uses for Hummus

Uses for Hummus

To thicken and flavor soups, mix in some plain or flavored store-bought hummus. This technique works especially well with vegetable soups.

To bind fish or crab cakes, use plain hummus instead of eggs or bread crumbs. Just a bit of hummus binds the ingredients together and adds an unexpectedly pleasant flavor.

For an outstanding hot dip that will keep guests noshing, combine hummus and cream cheese or another flavorful semisoft cheese (such as Brie or Camembert) and microwave just until the cheese melts. Serve with crackers, bread, or cut-up vegetables.

To stir up a quick sauce for poultry, thin out plain or flavored hummus with chicken broth.

When you’re out of mayonnaise and need a tasty sandwich spread, use hummus. It works especially well with wrap sandwiches that include vegetables and chicken or turkey.

English Pea Pesto with Lemon

English Pea Pesto with Lemon

1/2 C. pine nuts, toasted
2 C. English peas, blanched
2 Meyer lemons, zested on a micro plane
3/4 C. olive oil
8 mint leaves, chiffonade
black pepper and salt to taste

In a food processor, pulse the pine nuts until roughly chopped. Add the peas and drizzle in the olive oil while the machine is running. Pour the pea mixture into a bowl and fold in the mint, lemon zest, salt and black pepper. Try spread on toasted bread with arugula and red pepper flakes.

Dilled Green Tomatoes

Dilled Green Tomatoes

Small Green Tomatoes
Celery Stalks
Green Bell Peppers
Garlic
Fresh Dill
2 qt. Water
1 qt. Vinegar
1/2 – 1 C. Salt (to taste preference)

Prick well washed tomatoes several times with fork and pack into sterilized jars with 1 stalk celery and 3-4 strips of bell pepper per jar. Add 1-2 cloves garlic and 3-6 heads dill. Bring remaining ingredients to a boil, stir to dissolve salt and pour boiling over vegetables. Seal jars. Let stand 4-6 weeks before using.

Sorrel Salsa Verde

Sorrel Salsa Verde

tomatillos
garlic
jalapeno
sorrel
cilantro
mizuna
Homemade green onion infused olive oil

Husk, rinse and chop twelve tomatillos and place in the glass base of a food processor. Peel two garlic cloves, chop and place in the processor base. Seed and chop two small jalapeno peppers and place in the processor base. Remove the stems from one C. sorrel, one C. cilantro, one C. mizuna and place in the processor base. Process sorrel verde sauce for thirty seconds. Add two T. green onion infused olive oil and one quarter tsp. salt to sorrel verde sauce and process for thirty seconds again.

Mango Lime Basil Jam

Mango Lime Basil Jam

8 pounds mangoes, very ripe -peeled, cored and mashed
4 C. sugar
10-12 basil leaves, whole
1 package Sure-Jell
1/4 C. lime concentrate or fresh lime juice
1/2 tsp. ground ginger, optional

Peel and core mangoes. The mangoes I used were very very ripe so I just squeezed them from the pit/core making sure they were mashed well. In a heavy sauce pan, boil mango puree with remaining ingredients for about 25-30 minutes until mixture begins to thicken. Adjust lime and sugar content as needed for your own taste. *I love mine full of lime, so I tend to lime it up! Pour into nine prepared half-pint jars and seal. *This jam comes out as a softer spread, but is yummy just the same! Has the sweetness of ripe mango but the lime and basil gives it the savory that balances the sweetness!

Oregon Cottage’s Tomato Chutney

Oregon Cottage’s Tomato Chutney

4 lb. tomatoes, peeled, cored and chopped
1/4 C. minced garlic (about a medium sized head)
1 C. chopped onions
3/4 C. brown sugar
3/4 C. white sugar
1-1/2 C. cider vinegar
1 T. pickling salt
1 lime, zested and juiced
1 T. dry, ground ginger
1 tsp. hot pepper flakes (or to taste)
1/2 tsp. ground cumin
1/2 tsp. black pepper
1/2 C. raisins, chopped

Combine all the ingredients in a heavy nonreactive 4-6 quart pot. Bring to a boil over high heat, then lower heat and cook at a low simmer for 1-1/2 to 2 hours until thickened. Stir often as it thickens to prevent scorching. Ladle the chutney into 1/2 pint canning jars leaving 1/4″ headspace and attach the two-piece canning lids. Boil in a boiling-water canner for 10 minutes. Remove and cool before storing in a dark, cool place. Makes five 1/2 pint jars

Refrigerator Pickled Vegetables

Refrigerator Pickled Vegetables

1 qt. White Vinegar
1 3/4 C. Sugar
1/4 C. Salt
2 tsp. Mustard Seed
1/2 tsp. Fennel Seed
1/2 tsp. minced Garlic
1 bay Leaf
5 C. Cauliflower Florets
3 lg. Zucchini, cut into 1/4″ slices
3 large Carrots, pared and cut into 1/4″ wide diagonal slices

Add all ingredients except vegetables to a large saucepan and bring quickly to a boil. Reduce heat and simmer, covered, for 15 minutes. Add cauliflower and cook 5 minutes. Remove cauliflower with slotted spoon. Add zucchini and cook covered until crisp tender, about 2-3 minutes. Remove with slotted spoon, add to large container with cauliflower. Repeat process with carrots, cooking about 5 minutes. Pour carrots, liquid and all over the other vegetables. Cover and refrigerate.

Rhubarb Simple Syrup & Enticing Spring Cocktails

Rhubarb Simple Syrup & Enticing Spring Cocktails

Rhubarb syrup is vividly pink and brightly flavored. Try using the colorful syrup over ice cream or pound cake, in all sorts of mixed drinks, and to make your own strawberry rhubarb sorbet.

Rhubarb Simple Syrup
1 C. rhubarb, cut into half inch chunks
1 C. granulated sugar
1 1/4 C. water

Place all ingredients in a saucepan over medium-high heat and bring to a boil. Reduce heat and simmer until rhubarb is falling apart, about 25 minutes. Remove from heat and, using a fine mesh strainer, strain syrup from rhubarb solids. Reserve solids for another use. (For example, mix solids with lemon juice for luscious rhubarb jam.) Return strained syrup to stove top and simmer for an additional 25 minutes or until the syrup coats a spoon and has become brightly pink. Cool syrup, transfer to a sealed container, and keep refrigerated.
Makes 1 C.
Rhubarb Bloom

1 1/2 oz. No. 209 gin
3/4 oz. lime juice
1/2 oz. rhubarb simple syrup
8 mint leaves
1 sprig mint

Combine gin, lime juice, syrup and mint leaves in a pint glass, add ice and shake very hard. Pour through a fine mesh strainer into a cocktail glass. Garnish with a fresh sprig of mint.
Flamingo Soda

2/3 C. freshly squeezed orange and/or lemon juice
1/3 C. rhubarb simple syrup
Soda water to your liking.
Pour the juices and rhubarb syrup in a large glass over ice. Pour soda water until it reaches the top. Taste and add more syrup if it needs sweetening.
Sunrise Cocktail

1 dash of angostura bitters
1 sugar cube
1 tsp. rhubarb simple syrup
Cold, dry champagne
Twist of orange peel

Add a dash of bitters to sugar cube in the bottom of a chilled champagne glass. Add rhubarb syrup and slowly pour in the champagne. Garnish with a twist of orange peel.

Dill-Hazelnut Pesto

Dill-Hazelnut Pesto

1 1/3 C. fennel fronds
1 C. fresh dill fronds
1/4 C. roasted hazelnuts, skinned
1 garlic clove, minced
Zest of 1/2 lemon
1 tsp. lemon juice
1/4 C. hazelnut oil
2 T. extra-virgin olive oil
Salt and freshly ground black pepper

Blend the fennel, dill, hazelnuts, garlic, lemon zest, and lemon juice in the bowl of a food processor fitted with a steel blade attachment until well combined. Add the hazelnut oil, then the olive oil in a slow, steady stream with the motor running. Salt and pepper to taste. Use the pesto immediately or
transfer to an airtight container, cover with a thin layer of olive oil, and refrigerate until ready to use. Stored in the refrigerator, the pesto will keep for about l week.

English Pea Pesto

English Pea Pesto

1 lb. English peas, shelled (about 1 C. after shelling)
1/4 C. extra-virgin olive oil
1/4 C. grated pecorino Romano cheese
2 tsp. finely chopped fresh tarragon
Sea salt

Prepare an ice-water bath. Bring a medium pot of salted water to a boil and cook the peas for 1 minute. Drain the peas and immediately transfer them to the ice water bath to cool. When cool, drain again. In the bowl of a food processor fitted with a steel blade, blend the peas and olive oil until well combined but still slightly coarse. Transfer the pesto to a small bowl. Mix in the cheese and tarragon. Salt to taste and serve immediately.

Strawberry, Balsamic and Black Pepper Jam

Strawberry, Balsamic and Black Pepper Jam

3 pounds fresh strawberries, hulled and chopped (about 9 C.)
1 1/2 C. white granulated sugar
1/4 C. balsamic vinegar
1 tsp. finely ground black pepper (or to taste)

Start by getting a very large pot of water on the stove for processing the jars. It needs to be large enough so that there will be at least 1-inch of water above your jars – I use a very large soup pot. That much water takes a long time to boil, so put it on first. At the same time, place a small clean saucer in the freezer. If you time this whole process well, the jars should be done just a few minutes before your jam.

When the water starts boiling, add your empty jars to the water to sterilize. If you don’t have a canning rack, place a cotton tea towel in the bottom of the pot. Make sure your jars don’t touch the bottom or sides of the pot. Place the lids and rings in a heat proof bowl, ladle in some of the boiling water to cover, and leave to sit. Boil the jars for at least 10 minutes, and then carefully remove, dumping out the water from each one before placing on a dish towel. Keep the water boiling in the pot for processing.

In a large pot or dutch oven over medium heat, stir the sugar in with the strawberries and bring to a simmer. Cook for 5 minutes, then strain the fruit through a fine colander, stirring the fruit a bit to loosen the juices. Return the juice to the pot and reserve the fruit.

Simmer the juice uncovered for 20 minutes, or until you have about 1 1/2 C. remaining. Return the strawberries to the the pot with the juices, and add the balsamic vinegar. Continue cooking for another 15 minutes. To check if the jam is done, remove the saucer from the freezer, place a dab of the liquid jam on the plate, and return the plate to the freezer for 1 minute. The jam will be stiff, but won’t quite gel.

Remove from the heat, and skim off as much of the foam as you can. Stir in the black pepper to your taste. It’s difficult to get a sense of the amount of pepper when the jam is hot, so if you want to check the flavor put a big glob of jam on the plate in the freezer for a minute. When it’s cool give it a taste, and add more pepper until you’re happy with the result.

At this point your jars should be ready to go. Fill each jar to within a 1/4 inch of the top (I know, that’s really full!). Put on the lids and tighten the rings to just finger tight – you want the air to be able to escape during processing. If you don’t have quite enough jam left to completely fill the last jar, place it in the fridge and eat within a few weeks.

Carefully lower your jars into the boiling water, again using a rack or a towel, and keeping the jars from touching the bottom or sides of the pot, or from touching each other. That last thing you want after all this work is for a jar to crack or explode! Process for 5 minutes – if you live above 1000 ft, add 1 extra minute for each additional 1000 ft above sea level.

Remove the jars from the water and place on a towel in a corner of the kitchen where they can be left undisturbed for 12 hours. After about an hour, check that the tops of the lids are fully sealed by pressing down on the middle of the lid – if you find one that pops up and down, place that jar in the fridge immediately and eat within a few weeks.

Minty Pineapple-Jalapeno Salsa

Minty Pineapple-Jalapeno Salsa

2 C. diced fresh pineapple (1/4-inch dice)
¼ C. diced yellow bell pepper (1/4-inch dice)
¼ C. diced green bell pepper (1/4-inch dice)
1 to 2 T. chopped fresh mint leaves
1 tsp. minced fresh jalapeno pepper, or to taste
1 T. fresh lime juice
Kosher or coarse salt, to taste

Place the pineapple, yellow and green bell peppers, mint, jalapeno, lime juice, and salt in a medium-size bowl and toss gently until well combined.

Creole Spice Paste

Creole Spice Paste

Use spice paste for your shrimp po boys, to spice up a mayo in a chicken or tuna salad, on grilled butterflied jumbo shrimp, add to chilis or soups, or to rub on chicken breasts, chops or steaks before broiling or grilling them.

1/4 cup coarsely chopped onion
1 clove garlic, peeled
1 tablespoon roughly chopped fresh flat-leaf parsley leaves
1/2 jalapeño pepper, seeded
1/4 teaspoon ground cayenne pepper
1/4 teaspoon dried thyme
1/4 teaspoon paprika
Kosher or coarse salt and freshly ground black pepper, to taste

Place the onion, garlic, parsley, jalapeño, cayenne, thyme, paprika, and salt and pepper in a food processor and process until the spice paste is well blended, scraping down the sides of the bowl at least once. Transfer the paste to a small plastic container. Cover and refrigerate until ready to use. You can add a little vegetable oil to the paste if you need it a little thinner.

Jellied Cranberry Sauce

Jellied Cranberry Sauce

6 bags (12oz) cranberries
6 C. water
6 C. sugar

Cooking – In a stockpot, bring water and sugar to a boil, add cranberries, boil for 10 mins. After cranberries are soft use hand blender (immersion blender) to mix. Using a fine mesh strainer push through the liquid and pulp, then use cheesecloth to strain rest of seeds.

Filling jars – Using your funnel fill the jars with the cranberry mixture in half pints or pint size canning jars. Continue filling till the jars are filled to 1/2″ headspace. Remove the air bubbles with the rubber or plastic spatula and refill to the proper headspace if necessary.

Processing: Wipe the rims and place the hot lid/rings on the jars. Process in a water bath canner for 15 minutes at a full rolling boil. Wait 5 minutes, remove and place on dishtowel overnight undisturbed. The next day remove rings and clean jars and label with recipe name and date. Store in a cool, dry, and dark place.

Hot & Sour Cherry Preserves

Hot & Sour Cherry Preserves

1 1/2 lb. (4 C.) Sour Cherries, pitted
1 1/3 C. Sugar
2 T. Lemon Juice
¼ tsp. Cayenne Pepper

Gently stir together the pitted cherries, sugar, and lemon juice in a large nonreactive bowl. Cover and let the mixture sit at room temperature for 1 hour, then cover and refrigerate overnight. Transfer the macerated fruit mixture to your preserving pot using a spatula to scrape any sugar that has settled to the bottom of the bowl. Add the ground cayenne and, over high heat, bring the mixture to a boil that cannot be stirred down. Continue to boil, stirring frequently until the mixture passes the plate test, about 12 minutes. You can reduce the heat near the end of the cooking time if the mixture begins to scorch. Ladle into prepared half-pint jars, leaving 1/4-inch headspace. Remove air bubbles and wipe rims. Place the lids on the jars and screw on the bands until they are fingertip tight. Process in a water-bath canner for 10 minutes, adjusting for altitude as needed. After 24 hours, check the seals. Label, date, and store out of direct sunlight without the bands for up to a year.

LunaCafe Chinese Five-Spice

LunaCafe Chinese Five-Spice

The aroma of these spices when they are toasting is remarkable. For most evocative aroma and flavor, always use fresh spices.

3 whole star anise pieces, broken
20 whole cloves
3-inch Mexican cinnamon stick (canella), broken
1 tsp. fennel seeds
1 tsp. whole Sichuan pepper or black peppercorns

In nonstick skillet set over medium heat, toast the spices just until fragrant, about 1 minute.  Immediately remove from the heat and grind to a powder in a spice grinder. When cool, store in an airtight container in a cool, dark, dry location.

Sorrel Pesto

Sorrel Pesto

3 C. of packed sorrel leaves, thoroughly washed and dried
4 – 5 large cloves of garlic, roughly chopped
3/4 C. Greek extra virgin olive oil (I like Athena brand)
¼ C. of pine nuts
1/2 C. walnuts
3/4 C. grated Parmesan (Reggiano) cheese
1/3 C. grated Pecorino Romano (Locatelli) cheese
salt
pepper

In a large food processor, combine sorrel leaves, garlic, pine nuts and walnuts. Process to make a near paste. Scrape bowl. With machine on, slowly drizzle in olive oil. Scrape bowl again. Add the cheeses, a big pinch of salt and 12 grinds of fresh pepper. Process again, taste and add more salt, if necessary, to your liking. A one C. portion is enough to coat 1 lb. of dried pasta, cooked. I like it on fusilli or gemelli best as it can get in all the little groves for maximum coverage and flavor. Excellent to put a dab on grilled chicken breasts, squash, potatoes or green beans. Adds a lovely cheesy, lemony flavor.

Marinated Peppers

Marinated Peppers

1 ½ lb. Peppers
¼ C. Bottled Lemon Juice
¾ C. White Wine Vinegar
¼ C. Olive Oil
1 ½ tsp. Sugar
½ tsp. Aleppo Pepper
½ tsp. Salt
¼ tsp. Pepper

Prepare a boiling water bath and 2 half-pint/250 ml jars. Place 2 lids in a small saucepan of water and bring to a gentle simmer. Heat your oven’s broiler to high. Cover a rimmed baking sheet with aluminum foil, place the peppers on the pan, and slide the pan under the broiler. Cook the peppers for 1 to 2 minutes per side under the broiler, until they are uniformly charred and they have collapsed inside their skins. Remove the pan from the broiler and cover the peppers with another length of aluminum foil. Let the peppers rest until cool enough to handle. While the peppers cool, make the pickling liquid. Combine the lemon juice, vinegar, olive oil, sugar, Aleppo pepper, salt, and black pepper in a medium saucepan. Bring to a boil and then lower the heat to low to keep the brine warm until the peppers are prepped. Once the peppers are cool, peel away the skin and remove the seeds and cores. Tightly pack the peeled peppers into the prepared jars and cover with the pickling liquid, leaving a generous 1/2 inch/12 mm of headspace. Using a wooden chopstick, gently prod the peppers to dislodge any trapped air bubbles. Add more liquid to return the headspace to 1/2 inch/12 mm, if necessary. When the jars are nicely packed, wipe the rims, apply the lids and rings, and process in a boiling water bath for 15 minutes

Zucchini Spread

Zucchini Spread

3 1/2 C. zucchini, unpeeled, shredded (equiv. to 1 pound)
1/4 C. fresh parsley, finely snipped
2 tablespoons red wine vinegar
1 tablespoon olive oil
1 medium garlic clove, minced
1/4 teaspoon salt
pepper
2 tablespoons finely chopped pecans, dry roasted

Squeeze the zucchini to remove excess water. In a food processor or blender, process the zucchini and all other ingredients except the nuts until smooth, scraping the sides as needed. Spoon the mixture into a serving bowl. Fold in the nuts. Cover and refrigerate before serving.

LTS Blender Salsa

LTS Blender Salsa

1- 14 oz can diced tomatoes
1- 10 oz can orginal Rotel
3 T. Dehydrated Onion
1 T. Lime Juice
1 T. dried Cilantro
1 tsp. honey
½ tsp. Granulated Garlic
1/2 tsp. salt
1/4 tsp. ground cumin
pinch chili flakes

If you have fresh cilantro from your garden, this salsa really benefits from it instead of the dried. Use a small to medium sized handful, depending on your preference.

Mix all ingredients in a bowl and let sit until the onion is mostly soft. Dump into in the base of a food processor or good blender and pulse to combine for 30 seconds or so until all the ingredients are finely chopped and salsa is desired consistency. Taste for seasoning and adjust to taste. Do not omit the honey if you have it. It’s the secret ingredient that really makes it taste “right”.

Charred Lemon-Mint Chimichurri

Charred Lemon-Mint Chimichurri

This sauce works well with grilled meats (especially lamb chops and steak) and fish (try fresh sardines or halibut), but it’s a good accompaniment to vegetables too. Drizzle it on thick slices of tomato, grilled zucchini, or to dress a grainy salad or cucumbers.

1 small lemon
1 small jalapeño
1 C. flat-leaf parsley leaves
1 C. fresh spearmint leaves
3 tsp. fresh oregano leaves
2 cloves garlic, coarsely chopped
1 tsp. coarsely chopped shallot
1 tsp. white wine vinegar
1/2 C. extra-virgin olive oil

Cut off the blossom and stem ends of the lemon, removing enough so that you can see the pulp on both ends. Cut the lemon into 1/4-inch-thick slices, and place in a small bowl with the whole jalapeño. Toss with a little bit of olive oil and salt, and grill or broil until slightly charred. Return them to the bowl, and cover with a plate. The steam will cause them to soften and collapse slightly, and make the skin of the jalapeño easy to remove. Peel and seed the jalapeño (leave all or some of the seeds and membrane if you prefer some spice). Remove any seeds from the lemon slices. Put about 4 slices of lemon and the jalapeño in the bowl of a food processor with the parsley, mint, oregano, garlic, shallot, and vinegar. Pulse the ingredients in short bursts to chop and combine without creating too fine a purée. With the motor running, drizzle in the remaining olive oil. Remove the sauce and let sit at least 2 hours or up to overnight, during which time the flavors will develop.

Spiced Vinegar

Spiced Vinegar

1 pt. vinegar
1 tsp. molasses
1 tsp. golden syrup
Pinch of salt
¼ tsp. pepper
1 onion, grated for juice
1 clove garlic, crushed for juice
1 tsp. lemon zest
½ C water
¼ tsp. ground ginger

Blend all ingredients together, and store in a cool place.

Onion Relish

Onion Relish

3 T. vegetable oil
12 C. white onions, chopped
1 C. celery, chopped
1 C. sugar
1 C. cider vinegar
1/2 C. water
1/2 tsp. salt
1 tsp. celery seed

Sauté onions and celery in oil until they are soft. Stir in sugar, vinegar, water, and spices and bring to a boil. Reduce heat and simmer gently for about twenty minutes, stirring occasionally. Let cool and refrigerate.

Savory Mint Sauce

Savory Mint Sauce

This is one of the simplest sauces to make, and one of the most versatile. In Sicily it is known as zogghiu and is believed to be Maltese in origin. It is used to dress grilled fish, meat, and vegetables. It is also delicious spooned onto grilled bread and topped with fresh summer tomatoes. In this version, I’ve added some chopped walnuts to the basic sauce for a little extra body. See the variations that follow for more ways to switch up this spunky, garlicky sauce.

2 lightly packed C. (28 g) fresh mint leaves
2 lightly packed C. (28 g) fresh flat-leaf parsley leaves
2 large cloves garlic, coarsely chopped
1 tsp. fine sea salt
1/4 C. (28 g) coarsely chopped walnuts
3 T. white wine vinegar
3/4 C. (165 g) extra-virgin olive oil, plus more to cover

Place the mint and parsley leaves, garlic, and salt in the bowl of a food processor fitted with the metal blade. Pulse briefly to chop the leaves. Add the nuts and pulse again until everything is coarsely chopped. With the motor running, add the vinegar, 1 T. at a time. Turn off the motor and scrape down the sides of the bowl if necessary. Then, with the motor running, drizzle in the oil. You should end up with a sauce that is somewhat thinner than classic basil pesto, but thick and spoonable nonetheless. Scrape the sauce into a jar or container and top off with a thin layer of olive oil. Store in the refrigerator for up to 1 week, or in the freezer for up to 6 months. If you like, divide the sauce between two or three containers before storing.

Variations
Add 3 or 4 anchovy fillets and 1 T. capers.
Substitute almonds for the walnuts.
Add a handful of finely chopped olives and a generous pinch of dried peperoncini flakes or minced fresh peperoncini.

Pickled Eggplant with Mint & Garlic

Pickled Eggplant with Mint & Garlic

2 1/2 C. red wine vinegar
1 1/2 pounds eggplant, peeled and cut into 1/2 inch cubes
1 1/2 tsp. chopped garlic
1/4 C. mint leaves
1 1/2 tsp. pickling salt

Prepare a small canning pot and 2 pint jars. Place 2 new lids in a small pot of water and bring to the barest simmer. Pour vinegar into a medium saucepan and bring to a boil. Once it boils, add eggplant and simmer for 2-3 minutes. When time is up, remove eggplant cubes from vinegar with a slotted spoon and place them in a bowl. Add garlic, mint and salt and stir to combine. Pack eggplant into jars and top with boiling vinegar, leaving 1/2 inch headspace. Tap jars gently to remove any trapped air bubbles. If necessary, add more brine to return the headspace to 1/2 inch. Wipe rims, apply lids and rings and process jars in a boiling water bath canner for 10 minutes (start your timer when the water returns to a boil, not when the jars first go in). When time is up, remove jars from canner and let cool on a folded kitchen towel. When jars are cool enough to handle, remove rings and test seals by grasping edges of lids and carefully lifting jars. If lids hold fast, seals are good. Store jars in a cool, dark place. They are ready to eat within 1 week, but can be kept up to one year.

Dehydrator: Tomato Leather

Dehydrator: Tomato Leather

Heirloom organic tomatoes–preferably plum tomatoes or another variety that has more flesh and not as much juice.
Honey–organic and local if possible
Lemon wedges
You can experiment with spices and seasonings once you get the hang of it.

Wash the tomatoes thoroughly and cut out all blemishes and stems. Puree 6 C. tomatoes (large chunks) in a blender (I love my Vitamix). This will give you about 3-4 C. puree depending on how juicy your tomatoes are. Add 1 tsp. honey per C. liquid and a slice of lemon (with the rind). Puree this into the tomatoes. Line the dehydrator tray with kitchen parchment paper (trim it to fit the tray) or Paraflexx®*, which is made by the Excalibur company and is perfect for this sort of thing. I also tried the shiny side of freezer paper and it worked okay. DO NOT USE foil, waxed paper or plastic bags. Pour about 3/4 to 1 C. the mixture onto each tray. Depending on how runny your puree is, you may need more or less per tray. You want it to be about 1/8″ thick at the center and about 1/4″ at the edges. This keeps the edges from drying out too fast and getting brittle. Leave about 1/2″ between the puree and the edge of the tray. Carefully load the trays into the dehydrator. Set the thermostat for 135˚F. Tomato leather should be ready in 8-10 hours depending on the moisture content of your puree. If you want to shorten the drying time, rotate the trays 180˚ halfway through the process. They are ready when there are no sticky spots in the middle but they are leathery and pliable. You can pull a tray out and see if the leather is easy to remove. It should come off in one piece. Place leather on a piece of plastic wrap. You can either roll it up on itself or roll it up in a piece of plastic. Which ever way you prefer, each rolled piece should be wrapped in plastic. Store in airtight containers in a cool dark place. If you make fruit leathers as well, do not store them with vegetable leathers. If you will not eat them all within a month, you might want to keep some of them in the freezer. Sometimes mine have gone bad after a while. But usually we eat them pretty quick. NOTE: One batch of my tomato leathers got a little too crisp around the edges. But after they had been wrapped up for a day, they were just fine.

Variations

You can also add other goodies to your tomatoes. Try some onion, green pepper, and/or garlic. Maybe some fresh basil or other herbs and spices. For starters, add

1 medium onion
1 green pepper
a clove of garlic

to 3 C. tomato puree and process until well blended. Then just follow the same instructions for drying plain tomato leather.
What to Do with Tomato Leather

Marinara Sauce: In a pan sauté onion, garlic, shredded carrot and dried or fresh herbs in olive oil. When everything is cooked, add in your reconstituted sauce and cook for several more minutes.

Pizza Sauce: Place tomato leather into an amount of boiling water. Add dried Italian seasoning and garlic for instant pizza sauce.

Tomato Paste: Add tomato leather pieces to the least amount of hot water possible. Better yet if you can pulverize the leather in a blender or food processor first.

Chili, Soups & Stews: Add squares of tomato leather directly to your pot of simmering chili, soup, or stew to thicken it and add extra tomato flavor.

Tomato Cream Sauce: Sauté onion and garlic until softened, then add in heavy cream or half and half and add tomato leather directly to it; simmer very low until leather has softened.

Tomato Sprinkles: Cut the leather into fine strips or whirl in the food processor or blender to make a fine crumb. Use for a topping on eggs, a green salad or even broccoli. Add some to chicken with pesto, or use in veggie dips. Roll it up in a pork or beef roulade. How about on a turkey sandwich or wrap? It is great in deviled eggs, crock pot recipes, vinaigrette dressings, and in hamburger patties. Tomato basil bread, anyone?

Garlic Scape and Arugula Pesto

Garlic Scape and Arugula Pesto

8 ounces/225 S garlic scapes (2 to 3 bunches)
1 cup/20 g packed arugula leaves
1/2 cup/70 g pine nuts, toasted
1/4 cup/25 g grated Parmesan cheese
1/4 cup/60 ml olive oil, plus more as needed
Salt and freshly ground black pepper

Chop the garlic scapes into l-inch/2.5 cm lengths and combine them with the arugula leaves, toasted pine nuts, and Parmesan cheese in the bowl of a food processor. Pulse until a paste begins to form. Remove the lid and scrape down the bowl, if necessary. Once you’ve gotten to a chunky paste, slowly stream in the 1/4 cup/60 ml of olive oil with the motor running and process until well combined. Taste and adjust the seasoning to taste. Pack the pesto into a half-pint/250 ml jar (if you’re freezing it, try dividing it between 2 quarter-pint/125 ml jars). Cover with a thin layer of olive oil (it keeps out the oxygen and prevents the top of the pesto from browning) and either refrigerate or freeze. It will keep in the refrigerator for at least a week, or in the freezer for up to a year.

Cranberry, Orange & Hazelnut Conserve

Cranberry, Orange & Hazelnut Conserve

1 quart unfiltered cranberry juice
1/4 cup apple cider
1 cup sugar
1 orange, peel cut in large strips
1 T. grated ginger
2 bay leaves
1 cup toasted hazelnuts
1 T. balsamic vinegar
1 pound fresh cranberries

In a medium saucepan, combine cranberry juice, apple cider, sugar, orange peel, ginger, and bay leaves. Simmer until the mixture is reduced by half, about 20 minutes. Add the nuts, vinegar, and cranberries. Continue to cook until the cranberries burst, about 15 minutes.

Roasted Tomato Jam

Roasted Tomato Jam

2 cups sugar
3 pounds ripe beefsteak tomatoes, cored and thinly sliced (1/4 inch)
Large pinch salt
Grated zest of 1 lemon
Juice of 1 lemon
1 cinnamon stick
1/2 teaspoon fennel seeds, lightly crushed
2 dried red chiles

Pour 1/3 of the sugar over the base of a 12-inch braising pan or other baking dish. Layer half the tomatoes, overlapping the slices, in the pan. Sprinkle with 1/3 cup sugar, and top with the lemon zest, lemon juice, cinnamon stick, fennel seeds, and chiles. Top with the remaining tomatoes, followed by the rest of the sugar. Let sit for 30 minutes. Heat the oven to 400 degrees F. Place the pan, uncovered in the oven and let cook for 1 hour. The tomato juices should simmer actively. Check every 20 minutes, spooning the juices over the top tomatoes, and removing the chiles if they char. Continue roasting and checking every 20 minutes — the tomato juices should begin to gel at 2 hours, but it could happen a little sooner or later. Test the juices by spooning a little onto a plate, letting it cool, and running your finger though it. If it holds the line, the jam is ready. Remove the jam from the oven and let cool. I eat this jam fresh so I put it into jars and keep it in the fridge.

Tomato Basil Dip

Tomato Basil Dip

1 C. softened cream cheese or yogurt cheese
1 C. sour cream or labneh (yogurt cheese)
2 tsp. extra virgin olive oil
4 cloves garlic, minced
1 heaping tsp. dried basil (or 3 heaping tsp. fresh basil leaf shreds)
2 heaping tsp. dried tomato powder
3 tsp. water
1/2 tsp. salt
2 heaping tsp. finely grated Parmesan or Romano cheese
1 tsp. lemon zest

Soften your cream cheese at room temperature so that it is easy to work with. Add your olive oil to a skillet over medium heat. .Add minced garlic to the skillet. Allow it to sauté for about 30 seconds. Add the dried basil for an additional 30 seconds. Add the tomato powder for 30 more seconds. (Fresh basil and rehydrated dried tomato can be added directly to the cream cheese.) . Add water to the skillet to hydrate the tomato and basil until it forms the consistency of a watery ketchup. Whip your room temperature cream cheese with a wire whip. Add oil, garlic, tomato, basil, and water mixture to cream cheese. Mix well. Add sour cream until your dip reaches the desired consistency. Add lemon zest, grated cheese, and salt. Adjust for salt. Garnish with grated cheese and fresh basil if available. Ideally, make this dip a day in advance to allow the flavors to blend. The flavors will be nice for about three days though the dip can last a few days longer.

Rangpur Lime Marmalade

Rangpur Lime Marmalade

1 1/2 pounds (about 5 large) Rangpur limes
4 1/2 cups water
3 1/2 cups sugar

Slice off the ends of one Rangpur lime and place it on one of its flat ends. Using a sharp knife or vegetable peeler, remove the peel in strips about 1-inch wide. Leave behind as much white pith as possible. Repeat with the remaining fruit. Use a sharp knife to help peel off any extra pith or remaining patches of skin [from the flesh of the fruit]. It doesn’t need to be perfect. Reserve the flesh of the fruit. Julienne the Rangpur lime peel by stacking 3 or 4 pieces on top of one another and slicing them thin. Place the julienned peel in your preserving pot and set aside. Now, slice the reserved fruit in half lengthwise and slice the half lengthwise again. Cut each quarter crosswise to form many small 1/8-inch-thick Rangpur lime triangles. Reserve the seeds as you go. Put the fruit slices in a medium-size nonreactive bowl as you work. Once the flesh is sliced, tie up the seeds in a square of cheesecloth or scrap of white tea towel. Add them to the preserving pot with the julienned peel and cover with the water. Bring to a boil, reduce heat to low, and simmer for 5 minutes. Remove from heat and pour in the sliced Rangpur lime fruit. Let cool to room temperature and refrigerate overnight.

[Before you start, remove the rangpur lime seed bundle from the preserving pot and give it a good squeeze into the mixture, then discard the seeds.] Add the sugar and, over high heat, bring to a boil that cannot be stirred down. Cook, stirring frequently, until it passes the plate test, about 18 minutes. Ladle into prepared half-pint jars, leaving 1/4-inch headspace. Remove air bubbles. Wipe rims. Place the lids on the jars and screw on the bands until they are fingertip tight. Process in a water-bath canner for 10 minutes, adjusting for altitude as needed. After 24 hours, check the seals. Label, date, and store out of direct sunlight without the bands for up to a year.

Herbed Butternut Squash Chips

Herbed Butternut Squash Chips

1 small butternut squash, about 1 pound
2 teaspoons chopped mixed fresh herbs (I used sage, thyme and oregano)
4 teaspoons olive oil
1/2 teaspoon kosher salt

Heat the oven to 250 degrees F and put a rack in the middle of the oven. Peel the squash and cut it in two, separating the thin end without seeds from the bulbous end. Scoop out the seeds with a spoon and discard them (or save and roast them if you’re feeling energetic). Slice the squash finely with a mandoline, about an 1/8-inch thick. You’ll have nice neat rounds from the seedless end, and pretty rings from the other end. Toss the squash in a bowl with the herbs, olive oil and salt. Line 2 baking sheets with parchment and spread out the squash slices in a single layer on the parchment. Bake for an hour, then flip the slices using tongs or a spatula. Bake for another hour. Turn the slices again, lower the heat to 200 degrees and bake for another hour. Turn off the oven and let the chips cool in there for several hours, or overnight. Remove from the parchment and serve, or store in an airtight container for up to a week.

Zucchini Butter

Zucchini Butter

2 pounds zucchini or assorted summer squash (feel free to use less or add extra — cooking times will vary)
1/4 cup olive oil or butter
2 minced shallots, garlic, or combination of both
Salt and pepper

Coarsely grate the zucchini. Let it drain in a colander for 3 to 4 minutes or until you are ready to begin cooking. To hasten cooking time, squeeze the water out of the zucchini by wringing it in a clean cloth towel. In a deep skillet, heat the olive oil/butter. Sauté the shallots or garlic briefly. Add the zucchini and toss. Cook and stir over medium to medium-high heat until the zucchini reaches a spreadable consistency, about 15 minutes. If you scorch the bottom, turn the flame down! (And scrape those delicious bits into the butter for added flavor — you can splash in a little water to help deglaze the pan.) The zucchini will hold its bright green color and slowly caramelize into a nice vegetable jam. How to use it? Spread it on toast in place of actual butter. Cake a thick layer in a sandwich with salted tomatoes or soft cheese. Sauce a grilled pizza. Consider it a side dish. Or just eat a big heap of it, right out of the pan!

Grapefruit-Rhubarb Preserves

Grapefruit-Rhubarb Preserves

2 lb. (2 medium) Red Grapefruit
1 lb. (4 C.) Rhubarb, sliced 1/2 “ thick
2 C. Sugar

Cut 1-inch-thick strips of peel from the grapefruit, leaving as much pith behind as possible. Stack 3 or 4 pieces of peel together and julienne until youhHave 1/4 cup of julienned peel. Add to the preserving pot. Once you have enough peel, supreme the grapefruit, reserving the seeds and as much juice as possible. I find the easiest way to catch as much juice as possible is to work over a bowl or Pyrex measuring cup. Squeeze the “rag” of the grapefruit, the membrane that remains after you have cut away all the fruit during supreming. to extract as much juice as possible. Measure 1 1/2 cups supremed grapefruit sections and juice. Tie the seeds up in a square of cheesecloth or scrap of white tea towel. Add them to the preserving pot with the julienned peel, grapefruit flesh and juice, rhubarb chunks, and sugar. Over high heat, bring the mixture to a boil that cannot be stirred down. Immediately remove from heat, let cool, and refrigerate overnight. Remove and squeeze the grapefruit seed packet into the
preserving pot. Over high heat, bring to a boil that cannot be stirred down. Reduce to medium-high and cook, stirring frequently, until it passes the plate test. This small batch sets up quickly, in less than 10 minutes. Ladle into prepared half-pint jars, leaving 1/4-inch
headspace. Remove air bubbles and wipe rims. Place the lids on the jars and screw on the bands until they are fingertip tight. Process in a water bath canner for 10 minutes, adjusting for altitude as needed. After 24 hours, check the seals. Label, date, and store out of direct sunlight without bands for up to a year.

Honey Lemon Pear Butter

Honey Lemon Pear Butter

2 lb. Bartlett Pears (5-6)
1/3 C. Honey
1 tsp. Cinnamon
Zest and Juice of 1 Lemon

Prepare a boiling water bath and 2 half-pint/250 ml jars. Place 2 lids in a small saucepan of water and bring to a gentle simmer. Wash, core, and quarter the pears. Place the pears in a medium saucepan with 2 T. of water. Set the pan over medium-low heat and simmer for 10 to 15 minutes, until the pears are quite smooth. Scrape the softened pears into the carafe of a blender and puree until the skins disappear and the flesh is quite tender. Return the puree to the saucepan and place over low heat. Cook, stirring regularly, for 45 to 55 minutes, until the pear puree has thickened a great deal and sits up tall in the bowl of a spoon. If it’s not done, it will run to the edges of the spoon and will be no higher than the rim. Add the honey, lemon juice and zest, and cinnamon. Taste and adjust the sweet and tart levels. Remove the butter from the heat and funnel into the prepared jars, leaving 1/2 inch of headspace. Wipe the rims, apply the lids and rings, and process in a boiling water bath for 10 minutes.