Orange Marmalade

 This is a delicious marmalade from Bernardin.  A wonderful way to spend an early spring morning, waiting for summer canning season to finally arrive.  It’s important not to deviate from the ingredient measurements or methods for the fruit pectin to do its work.

To make about 7 x 250 ml jars

Ingredients

4                   oranges

2                   lemons

2 1/2 cups      water

1/8th tsp        baking soda

6 1/2 cups      granulated sugar

1 pkg             Bernardin Original Fruit Pectin

Directions:

Place jars on a rack in the steam canner, bring the water to a gentle simmer to keep jars hot until ready to use.

Wash, then dry the lids, set aside until needed.

Thoroughly wash oranges and lemons; remove peel in large segments. Scrape half of white pith from peel; discard pith. Thinly slice remaining peel and combine with water and baking soda in a stainless steel saucepan. Bring mixture to a boil and boil gently, covered, 20 minutes.

Using a sharp knife, remove the outer membrane from the peeled fruit, discard.  Wo rking over a bowl to catch juice and pulp, separate segments from membrane, discard membrane and seeds.  Combine boiled peel and pulp/juice mixture, cover and boil gently 10 minutes; set aside.

Measure sugar and set aside.

Measure 4 cups prepared citrus mixture into a large, deep stainless steel saucepan.  Whisk in Fruit pectin until dissolved.

Stirring frequently, bring the mixture to a boil over high heat.  Add sugar.  Stirring constantly, return the mixture to a sull roiling boil, boil hard for one minute.  Remove from heat, skim foam.

Quickly ladle marmalade into a hot jar to within 1/4 inch of too of ar.  Using nonmetallic utensils, remove air bubbles and adjust headspace., if required, by adding more marmalade.  Wipe jar rim removing any food residue.  Centre lid on clean air rin,  Screw band down until resistance is met, then increase to fingertip tight.  Return filled jar to rack in steam canner.  Repeat for remaining marmalade.

When canner reaches the “green” zone, start counting down the processing time- 10 minutes.

When processing time is complete, remove the canner lid and let the jars sit for about five minutes.  Remove jars without tilting them and place them upright on a protected work surface.  Cool upright, undisturbed.  After cooling, check jar seals.  Label and store jars in a cool, dark place.

Mint Jelly

 Ahhh! Fresh mint, the gift that keeps on giving everywhere in the garden.  It’s persistent… What better way to curb it than turning it into mint jelly.  Fresh mint jelly, perfect for gift giving or serving with your favourite lamb roast.  

The last time in tried buying it in a store, the only jar of “mint” jelly contained no mint, just “flavouring”,  Go figure.  Once you try this mint jelly, you will never want to be without it.  Thanks to Canadian Living for this recipe.

To make approximately 5 250 ml jars.

Ingredients

2 cups  lightly packed fresh mint leaves

1/2 cup white wine vinegar

1 pkg    Powdered fruit pectin

4 cups   Sugar

Directions

In a saucepan, combine mint with 3 1/2 cups of water.  Bring to a boil over high heat, gently mashing with a wooden spoon.  Remove from the heat, cover and let stand for 15 minutes.

Pour the mint mixture into a damp jelly bag suspended over a large glass measuring bowl.  Let drip without squeezing the bag, until the mint infusion measures 3 cups, about 2 hours.

In a large pot, stir together the mint infusions, vinegar and pectin.  Bring to boil over high heat, stirring often.  Gradually stir in the sugar, return to full rolling boil over high heat, stirring often.  Boil hard, stirring constantly for one minute,

Remove from heat.  Stir and skim off any foam for 5 minutes.  Fill hot 250 ml jars, leaving 1/4 inch headspace.  Wipe the jar rims clean, place clean lids on the jars and tighten.  Place in a steam canner for 10 minutes (when the dial reached the green line).  Remove the lid carefully, leave the jars in the uncovered canner for another five minutes.

I AM PLAYING:  I had a few extra ingredients in the kitchen: candied lemon peel, a fresh lime and a hot pepper.  Oh a bottle of tequila flavoured with hyacinth and grapefruit. So, added the candied peel from a whole lemon, thinly sliced lime and hot pepper. These were added after the final boil.   The tequila was added to make the mint infusion come to 3 1/2 cups at the same time as the vinegar a pectin. 

Triple Fruit Jelly

 What to do with a couple of pounds of gorgeous red currents and sun ripened sour cherries, expertly grown by my neighbour, just steps from my house?  I decided to add strawberries and make a triple fruit jelly.  

This recipe is loosely based on a Four Fruit Jelly provided by French Master Preserver, Ginette Mathieu in her book “Conserving, Salting, Smoking, Pickling.

Makes 9 250 ml jars

Ingredients

1 3/4 lbs    red currants, stemmed and rinsed

1 3/4 lbs    Sour cherries, stemmed and rinsed

1 3/4 lbs    Strawberries, hulled and rinsed

1 tbsp        bottled lemon juice

7 cups        Sugar

57gr        Certo fruit crystals

Directions

Place all the fruit in the top compartment of the steamer juicer.  Steam for approximately one hour- this should provide you with about 7 cups of juice.  I don’t press on the fruit while they steam to keep the juice as clear as possible.  Alternatively, you could place all the fruit in a saucepan, add one cup of water and bring to a boil.  When the fruit has softened (about 5 minutes), remove from heat and place in a jelly bag to hang over a large bowl to collect the juices.

Place the fruit juice in a large preserving pan, along with the lemon juice and certo.  Bring to a boil and add the sugar gradually while stirring often.  When it reaches a full boil, begin using your instant read thermometer - the gel point is reached at 220 degrees.  Or, you can place a few small plates in the freezer and place a spoonful of the hot jelly on it to test for doneness- it should gel.  Keep testing until it is ready.

Ladle into 250 ml jars, clean the rims and top with the two piece lids.  Place the filled jars into the steam canner and steam for 10 minutes once the dial reached the “green” zone.  At the ten minute mark, remove the lid carefully to avoid burning yourself, turn off the heat and let the jars rest in the canner for five minutes.  Remove from the canner and let sit until the jars are cooled.

Tomato Soup Concentrate

 This is a recipe from Marisa McClennan.  It is intended for making tomato soup- just add milk and heat up but I use it as a thick tomato sauce to add to my vegetable soups, pot roasts, etc.

Makes 5 litre jars

Ingredients:

15 lbs    tomatoes

2 cups     diced onions

2 tbsps    granulated garlic

1 tbsp    dried Italian seasoning

1 tbsp    salt, plus more to taste

2 1/2 tsps    citric acid

Directions:

Wash the tomatoes and cut them into quarters.   Heap the chopped tomatoes into a large pot and add the diced onions.

Add about a cup of water to the bottom of the pot to prevent scorching.  Place the pot on the stove and bring to a boil.

Cook, stirring occasionally for about an hour, until the tomatoes have lost their structural integrity and the pot contains nothing but super saucy tomatoes.

Remove the pot from the stove.  Fit the food mill with its finest screen and position over a large heatproof bowl.

Working in batches, start pushing the cooked tomatoes and onions through the food mill.  You will probably need to stop three or four times to empty out the bowl into a clean pot.

Once all the tomatoes are milled, add the granulated garlic and Italian seasoning.  Set the pot on the stove and bring to a low boil.

Cook for one to three hours, until the soup concentrate has reduced by at least 1/3 and hopefully a bit more.

When you are pleased with the consistency, stir in the salt.  Begin with a tablespoon. Taste and add more as needed.

Divide the citric acid between five one liter jars.  Funnel the finished soup concentrate into the jars, leaving 1/2 inch headspace.

Wipe the rims, apply the lids and rings, process in a boiling water bath for 45 minutes.  When the time is up, remove the jars and set them on a folded kitchen towel.  Let sit overnight.  

Peach Salsa

 Based on Marisa McClennan’s recipe, this peach salsa is a mild one w'ith just en.

'

ough heat to make it a salsa.  Hey, co'uld can always add more.  There are no tomatoes in this one, which is my preference.  You can use this salsa to top your tacos, and also your BBQ’ed chicken or enjoy with tortilla chips.

To make 4 500ml jars.

Ingredients

6 cups.        peeled, pitted and chopped peaches (about 4 lbs)

1 1/2 cups   Finely chopped onion (1 large)

1 1/2 cups   White vinegar

1 cup            chopped, sweet red pepper (1 large)

3/4 cup         granulated sugar

1                   Finely chopped jalapeño pepper 

1                   Finely chopped poblano pepper (or other mild pepper)

3 cloves        Garlic

1 tsp              Ground cumin

1/4 tsp           Cayenne Pepper

Directions

To peel the peaches, prepare a pot of boiling water.  Add the peaches to the boiling water and remove them to a bowl of cold water after about 1-2 minutes.  You should be able to rub off the peach skins quite easily.

To keep peaches from browning, place them in the vinegar called for in the recipe as they are chopped.  

Add the onions, peppers, garlic, sugar and spices to the vinegar and peaches, in a large pot.  Bring to a boil, then reduce the heat to a simmer for about 10 minutes, until the salsa no longer looks watery.  Taste and add additional jalapeño, vinegar, sugar if necessary.

Ladle the hot salsa into the prepared jars, leaving 1/2 inch headspace.  Wipe the rims, apply the lids and bands and place in a steam (or water bath) canner for 15 minutes.  When the time is up, turn off the heat, carefully remove the canner lid and let the jars sit in the canner for about five minutes.  This will help prevent the salsa from reacting to the rapid temperature change and bubbling out of the jars.

Enjoy!

Try something new- Josta Berry Jam

 Josta berries are a cross between gooseberries and black currants.  They start out looking like a gooseberry and, by the time they are fully ripe, they look like a black currant.  This fruit is full of pectin and will gel quite readily.  

Lucky for me, I have quite a few bushes of Josta berries in my garden.  Pick in the morning and jam in the afternoon- nice…

This recipe is from Mother Earth News.  

For approximately three 250-ml jars.

Ingredients

4 cups    josta berries, stemmed

2-4 cups granulated sugar

1/4 cup   Lime juice

Directions

Wash and stem the Josta berries and bring to a simmer in a large pot with 1/4 cup of lime juice.  After the berries begin to release their juice, add the sugar and cook for a few minutes before tasting to check for sweetness.  Add more sugar if needed and continue to cook until the jam gels on a cold place or until a thermometer reads 220 degrees

Pour into hot jars leaving 1/2 inch head space, wipe rims and place flat lids and rings onto the jars.  Place in a steam canner for 10 minutes.  At the end of the ten minutes, carefully remove the lid from the pot, turn off the heat and let the jars sit for approximately 15 minutes.  Then remove from the pot and let sit overnight.

Blood Orange Marmalade- so much easier this way!

 Thank you to Marissa McClellan for this wonderful new, less “fussy” but really delicious  marmalade.  After almost thirty years of canning, it was only last year that I made my first marmalade- Strawberry and lemon.  And it confirmed all the reasons for avoiding making marmalades- beginning with the removal of the “pith” and the  delicate cutting of fruit to remove membranes, yadda, yadda, yadda.  This was a delicious marmalade, a hit with my taste testers BUT too much work- lol.  And then came Marissa’s new method.  Check out this recipe…

To make about 3 x 250 ml jars.

Ingredients

1 lb    Blood oranges (about 4-5 oranges)

3 cups  Water

2.5 cups  Sugar

Directions

Wash the oranges well.  Trim away both ends and slice the oranges in half.  Using a sharp knife, trim away the core of the orange and pluck away the seeds, if any.  I made a V incision to remove the pith in the middle of the orange half.  Some blood oranges have no seeds.  Set the cores and the seeds aside.

Thinly slice each orange half, then in half again. You will have quarters.  Place the oranges in a bowl, add the three cups of water.  Place the cores and seeds in a cheesecloth and close tightly.  Add the cheesecloth bundle to the oranges and water, cover with plastic wrap and place in the fridge overnight.

To make the marmalade, place the soaked fruit and water (discard the cheesecloth bundle) in the preserving pan, add 2.5 cups of sugar and dissolve the sugar slowly on low heat.  When it is fully dissolved, bring the marmalade to a boil and simmer until it is reduced by more than half.  The thermometer should read 220 degrees F and should pass the plate test.  When it is finished cooking place in the prepared canning jars.  Wipe rims, apply lids and rings and process in a steam canner for 10 minutes.

Notes:  be sure to cut the slices as thinly as possible.

Raspberry and Cacao Nibs Jam

 Raspberries and chocolate are a great combination. Cacao nibs add that hit of chocolate and a nice crunch to the jam.  I first tried this recipe at the Chocolate Museum in Puerto Vallarta, Mexico.  This is the place to go for everything you ever want to know about chocolate!

To make 5 x 250 ml jars.

Ingredients

1.9 kg     Raspberries, gently washed and any leaves picked out.

60 ml      Lemon juice

700 gr     Sugar

1/4 tsp    Vanilla extract

1 tbsp      Cacao nibs

Directions

Place the raspberries in a large stainless steel saucepan, add 50 ml water and the lemon juice.  Soften the fruit over a medium-high heat for about five minutes, stirring frequently to it doesn’t stick to the bottom of the pan.  

Slowly pour in the sugar, stirring until it dissolves completely, then add the vanilla and cacao nibs.  Increase the heat and boil over a high heat for about 10-15 minutes, until it reaches 220 degrees on a thermometer.  

You can also take the jam off the heat and do the wrinkle test by putting a quarter teaspoon of jam on a pre-frozen place and put in the fridge for a few minutes.  Remove from the fridge and push the jam with your finger- it should have a slight wrinkle on the surface.  If there is no wrinkle, put the pan back on a high heat, keep cooking and testing every few minutes until the wrinkle is achieved.

When the jam is ready, skim off and discard any froth on the surface, ladle the jam into hot, sterilized jars.  Clean the rim of the jar and place / tighten the lids.  Process in a steam canner for ten minutes.  When it’s done, turn off the heat, remove the lid and let sit for five minutes before removing.

Strawberry Lemon Marmalade

This is my first ever marmalade!  Looks great and can’t wait to taste.  I have to admit, it is a time consuming process- but i anticipate that it will all be worth it.  This recipe is from Better Homes and Gardens.

To make approx. six 125 ml jars.

Ingredients

• 2 medium lemons

• ½ cup water

• ⅛ teaspoon baking soda

• 3 cup crushed strawberries (about 6 cups whole berries)

• 5 cup sugar

• ½ of a 6-ounce package liquid fruit pectin (1 foil pouch)

Directions

1. Score the peel of each lemon into four lengthwise sections; remove the peels with your fingers. Using a sharp knife, scrape off the white portions of peels; discard. Cut peels into thin strips.

2. In a large saucepan, combine peel strips the water, and baking soda. Bring to boiling; reduce heat. Simmer, covered, for 20 minutes. Do not drain. Section lemons, reserving juice; discard seeds. Add lemon sections and juice to peel-strips mixture. Stir in crushed strawberries. Return to boiling; reduce heat. Simmer, covered, for 10 minutes (should have about 3 cups).

3. In an 8- to 10-quart heavy pot, combine lemon-strawberry mixture and sugar. Bring to a full rolling boil, stirring constantly. Quickly stir in pectin. Return to a full rolling boil, stirring constantly. Boil hard for 1 minute, stirring constantly. Remove from heat. Quickly skim off foam with a metal spoon.

4. Ladle hot marmalade into hot, sterilized half-pint canning jars, leaving a 1/4-inch headspace. Wipe jar rims; adjust lids.

5. Process filled jars in a boiling-water canner for 10 minutes (start timing when water returns to boiling). Remove jars from canner; cool on wire racks. Allow to set at room temperature for 2 weeks before serving.

. 

Pickled Cabbage Slaw

 A salad in a jar, ready to eat and delicious.  A few simple ingredients and voila!

This recipe makes 8 500ml jars.

Ingredients

3 med.        white cabbages- cored and shredded

1/4 cup.       Kosher salt

1/2 cup.       Each- julienned carrots, red onions, red and yellow bell peppers

1                  Each- Serrano, jalapeño, banana pepper - diced (optional)

3 cups.         Water

4 cups.         White vinegar

3 1/2 cups.   Sugar

Directions

In a bowl, put in the cabbage and cover with salt.

Toss and set aside for a minimum of two hours to overnight so that the salt will soften the cabbage.  No need to salt the other vegetables.

After salting, rinse the cabbage twice to remove as much salt as possible.  In a large bowl, combine the rinsed cabbage with the other vegetables.  Mix well to evenly distribute.

In a stainless steel or enameled pot, heat water, vinegar, sugar.  Heat to a simmer, until the sugar is dissolved.

Add the cabbage/vegetable mixture to the brine, stir once and with a slotted spoon put the cabbage mixture back into the original bowl.  Ladle the veggies into the jars.

Ladle the hot brine into each cabbage-filled jar, leaving 1/2 inch headspace.  Remove air bubbles and refill to the proper headspace.

Wipe the rims of the jars, apply lids and rings to the jars.  Place the jars into the steam canner and process for 15 minutes.  When time is up, turn off the heat, remove the lid carefully and leave the jars to sit in the canner for five minutes.  

Blue Agave Sweetened Pickle Slices

 What to do with a premium bottle of Mexican blue agave syrup.  This recipe seems perfect.  Can’t wait for the pickles to be ready.  This recipe is adapted from Marisa McClennan’s  Naturally Sweet Food in Jars.

I am well acquainted with Kosher dills and bread and butter pickles- either no sugar or lots of sugar.  I am expecting good things from agave sweetened pickles.

This recipe 3 500 ml jars

Ingredients

2 lbs.     pickling cucumbers

4 cups.   Apple cider vinegar

1 1/2 cups agave syrup

2 tbsp.    Pickling salt

2 tbsp.    Yellow mustard seeds

1 tbsp.     Allspice berries

1 tbsp.     Celery seeds

1.            Cinnamon stick, broken into three pieces

Directions

Wash the cucumbers and trim the ends.  Slice the cucumbers into thin slices- for authenticity use a crinkle slicer.  In a large pan, combine the vinegar, agave, spices salt and bring to a boil.  Add the cucumber slices and simmer for about 3-4 minutes.  The goal is to tenderize the slices, do not overcook.

Once the cucumber slices have softened, remove from heat.  Pack the slices into the prepared jars.  Return the brine to the heat and bring to a boil.  Cook to reduce for 4 -5 minutes.  The goal is to thicken the brine and bring out the sweetness of the agave.

Funnel the brine into the jars, leaving 1/2 inch headspace.  Wipe the rims, add the rings and place in a steam canner.  Process for 10 minutes.  At the end of the 10 minutes, turn off heat, remove the lid carefully and leave the jars in the water for about five minutes.

Wait for about two weeks before tasting.  Enjoy!

Caramelized Red Onion Relish

 This recipe is adapted from one of my favourite “go to” canning books- Food in Jars by Marisa McClennan.  Check it out.  

I love last year’s Sweet & Sour Red Onion Pickles and I think this year’s love will be Caramelized Red Onion relish.  Besides, I just made a few batches of garlic powder using my freshly harvested garlic.  Will know in a few weeks when the relish has “rested”, how it turns out, garlic and all.

Put this on cheese and crackers, add it to burgers and meats, spread it on a pizza or focaccia.

This recipe makes about 6  250ml jars.

Ingredients

1 tbsp.     Unsalted butter

1.2 kg.     Red onions, sliced into thin half moons (4 or five large onions)  Use your food processor slicing             blade set to 2.5 for uniform slices)

1 cup.       Brown sugar

1 cup.       Apple cider vinegar

1/2 cup.    Malt vinegar

2 tsp.        Sea salt

1 tsp.        Garlic powder

1/2 tsp      Ground black pepper

1/4 tsp.     Cayenne pepper

Directions

I place clean jars in my dishwasher on the rinse cycle to heat them up, ready for filling.

Melt the butter over medium-low heat, in a large canning pot.  Add the onions.  Cook until the onions are golden and fragrant, about 20-25 minutes.  Add the remaining ingredients.  Increase the heat and bring to a boil, then reduce the heat and simmer for 10 minutes, until the liquid is reduced.

Ladle the relish into the hot jars.  Gently tap the jars on a towel lined countertop to help loosen any bubbles, before using a wooden chopstick to dislodge any remaining bubbles.  Wipe the rims, apply the lids and screw bands and process in a steam canner for 15 minutes.  When the processing time is up, remove the lid carefully and let the jars sit in the canner for about five minutes.  This helps to prevent the relish from reacting to the rapid temperature change.

Blueberry Mustard

 I love making mustards- Dijon, white wine, stout beer, tequila, etc.  It’s a great list.  This year, I am trying a fruit mustard- blueberry mustard and no alcohol was added to the mix :-). I can’t wait for it to mellow so I can taste it!

Mustards are incredibly easy to make and can pack a real punch.  You’ll never go back to industrial, processed mustard.  This recipe is adapted from the food preserving.org website where you will find a wide range of amazing recipes.  I adapted their raspberry mustard recipe to make a blueberry version.

This recipe makes approx. one - 500ml jar.

Ingredients:

1 cup      White wine vinegar

2/3 cup   Yellow mustard seeds

1 cup       Water

2 3/4 lbs   Blueberries

3/4 cup     Sugar

1/4 cup     Mustard powder

Directions

Add vinegar, mustard seeds and water to a bowl, stir to combine, cover and leave overnight.

Pour the bowl of mustard mixture into your food process, pulse until seeds begin to spoil and the mixture thickens.  Add the blueberries and blend.  Boil gently for five minutes then add the sugar and mustard powder.  Boil until thick (approx. 15 minutes).

Ladle the mustard into hot jars, leaving 1/4 inch headspace, remove bubbles and wipe the rims with paper towel, add the lids.

Process jars in a steam canner (or boiling water canner) for 15 minutes.  When the time is up, turn off the heat and let the jars rest in the water for about five minutes.

Pickled Cherry Tomatoes in White Wine with Rosemary

 I am constantly on a quest to find great canning recipes for my cherry tomatoes.  This year’s treasure is made up of ingredients all found in my garden: cherry tomatoes, garlic and rosemary.  I used black, red and green cherry tomatoes.  Perfect for this winter’s salads.

Makes six 500ml jars

Ingredients:

6         2” springs of fresh rosemary

6         Cloves of garlic

3 lbs    Cherry or grape tomatoes

           Pickling salt

250 ml  White wine vinegar

250 ml   White vinegar

1 liter    Water

Directions

Wash and snip sprigs of rosemary and set aside.

Peel garlic and set aside.

Wash tomatoes under cold running water, removing stems or leaves.

Using a small,thin metal skewer, do a prick in the stem end of the tomato.

Into each jar, put a clove of garlic, a sprig of rosemary, 1/4 tsp of pickling salt,  Pack tomatoes in the jars, leaving 1/2 inch headspace.

Combine the vinegar and water in a saucepan and bring to a boil.  Fill the jars with the hot vinegar, leaving 1/2 inch headspace.  Debubble, adjust headspace.  Wipe the jar rims; put on lids.  Process in a steam water bath and process for 10 minutes.  At the ten minute mark, turn off the heat, remove the cover and let the jars sit in the water for about five minutes, before removing to cool.

Let stand a month before sampling.

WANNA PLAY?

I added more white wine vinegar and adjusted the white vinegar down to equal the same amount of vinegars.

Sweet and Sour Pickled Red Onion

 What to do when you have five pounds of red onions, freshly picked from the garden?  Within two hours, they were sliced, canned and looking great.  These sweet and sour onions are perfect for sandwiches and as a side for roasts.  I use them for so many things!  For the best flavour, let them sit a few weeks before opening.  

This recipe is from Marisa MacClennan’s Food in Jars canning book and I highly recommend both the book and this recipe.

This recipe makes 8 250 ml jars.

Ingredients

3 lbs    red onions (trimmed and thinly sliced)

2 cups    apple cider vinegar

1/2 cup    water

3/4 cup    sugar  (or 1/3 cup of honey)

1 tbsp    pickling salt

2 tsps    mustard seed

1 tsp    celery seed

1/2 tsp red chili flakes

Directions:

Prepare a canning pot and enough jars to hold 8 250 ml jars of pickled onions.  

Bring a large pot of water to a boil.  Add the sliced red onions and cook for four minutes.  Drain and set aside.

Using the same pot, combine the brine ingredients.  As soon as the salt and the sugar are dissolved, add the red onions.  Stir to combine and remove from heat.

Fill the jars with the onions and brine, leaving 1/2 inch of headspace.  Use a wooden chopstick or end of a wooden spoon to remove as many bubbles from the jars as possible.

Wipe the rims, apply the lids and rings and process in a boiling water bath or steam canner for 10 minutes.  When the time is up, turn off the heat, leave the jars for about five minutes, then remove and set them on a wooden board or folded towel to cool.  Do not disturb for about 24 hours. 

Check the seals- any unsealed jars can be stored in the refrigerator.  Sealed jars can be stored in a cool, dry place (think pantry or basement) for at least one year.

Singapore Red Chili Sauce

Adding to my repertoire of canned and fermented hot sauces.  This recipe is from Ball.  This sauce is canned and uses up a good amount of chili peppers from the garden.  And, most importantly, is passes the Clark family taste test!

This could be called the Asian version of the ubiquitous Tabasco sauce.  It is delicious with Asian dishes but also with roast chicken, on hot dogs and burgers.  Watch out- it is hot!

Makes about 6 (8 oz) half pints 

Ingredients: 

2 1/2 cups       white vinegar 
2 1/2 cups       granulated sugar 
4 cups             chopped hot red chili peppers, such as Holland (Dutch), Fresno or jalapeño
1 1/2 cups       sultana raisins, rinsed 
1/4 cup            chopped garlic 
1 tbsp             grated ginger root 
2 tsp                salt

Directions:

COMBINE vinegar and sugar in a large stainless steel saucepan. Bring to a boil over high heat, stirring to dissolve sugar. Reduce heat and boil gently for 3 minutes. Add chili peppers, raisins, garlic, ginger root and salt. Increase heat to high and bring to a boil. Reduce heat and boil gently until vegetables are heated through, about 5 minutes. 

LADLE hot sauce into hot jars leaving 1/2 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 canner for 10 minutes, adjusting for altitude. Remove jars and cool. Check lids for seal after 24 hours. Lid should not flex up and down when center is pressed. 

Tomatillo Jalapeno Chutney

 I was desperate!  Such a big tomatillo harvest and so few recipes.  After canning a dozen delicious tomatillo salsa verdes, I turned to this recipe and what a tasty surprise it turned out to be!  Highly recommend.  

Makes 3 250 ml jars

Rhubarb Strawberry Jam

 

Rhubarb, the harbinger of spring.  And, this year, I have a beautiful, large rhubarb plant, just waiting to be harvested.  Pair it with strawberry and you know spring is definite here. Because both are low in pectin, this recipe adds the peel and the flesh of oranges to give this bright-flavored, tangy jam the body it needs. 

Perfect for scones and coffee on the patio.

This recipe makes 7 x 250 ml jars.

Strawberry Fig Jam

This week, figs season intersected with strawberry season.  This strawberry fig jam is delicious!  It's made without pectin, so it turns out to be less sweet and  slightly runny. 

This recipe makes a very small batch- 3 x 250 ml jars.

Ingredients:

1 lb       fresh purple Mission figs, stems removed, cut into small pieces

1 lb       fresh strawberries, quartered

1/3 cup lemon juice

2 cups  white sugar

Directions:

Place figs, strawberries, lemon juice and sugar in a non-reactive saucepot.   Cover and let stand for 45 minutes, stirring occasionally.

Bring the mixture to a boil over high heat, then reduce heat to medium and boil rapidly, uncovered, stirring occasionally, for about 10 minutes. Continue to cook about 2 minutes more, stirring constantly, until mixture jells. Remove from heat.

Ladle into sterilized jars, leaving ¼-inch (5-mm) headspace at the rim. Cover with 2-piece lids and process in a steam canner for 10 minutes.  Once cool, check for proper seal (the lids should be slightly concave) and store in a cool, dry place.

June 2021:  I let it stand overnight.  Next time, suggest removing the fruit from the syrup after it has macerated overnight.  Bring the syrup to the boil, until the thermometer reads 220 degrees, then add the fruit and boil for about two minutes.  Could also add grated lemon rind at the very end.

Pickled Figs

 Figs- in Ottawa the window for fresh figs is small.  I was looking for a fig preserve perfect to add to a charcuterie board.  I think this is it: sweet, sour, and delicious.

To make approximately 3 x 500 ml jars