Calabrese Explosion- it's hot, it's spicy and it's truly amazing!

Preserving the Italian Way is an interesting book- full of great ideas for preserving some of my favourite ingredients: eggplant, tomatoes, squash, hot peppers...  For years, I have been meaning to try out this recipe and finally I have.  Well, I started with their recipe but have made it my own and can't wait to try it!  on bruschetta, on cheese, added to a sauce for heat...

This is a multi-step recipe, spread over a few days.

My jars of spicy deliciousness!

This recipe made six 500ml jars.

Fig Paste- Looking forward to trying it with cheese

This is a grown up fig recipe.  Instead of just sugar and figs, there is wine and a little thyme.  It takes it our of the realm of toast and dessert and melds it happily with wine and cheese.  So much more refined.

Fig season is short in Ottawa and prices are usually high.  So when I could buy 12 figs for under $10.00, I just needed to do something special with them.  This is it!  I based my recipe on one I found in the Washington Post.

This recipe should make approximately four 125-ml jars.

Tomato Meets Raisin - make Delicious Tomato Chutney

My usual tomato season is all about bottling passata for the winter.  But I can't resist making old favourite tomato treats and trying new ones.  I based this chutney on one shared by Liz the Chef mostly because I could use my freshly dehydrated and amazing tasting grapes/raisins.  I don't think I will ever buy those dry, shrivelled and tasteless raisins offered up at the grocery store ever again.

It is worthwhile taking your time with this chutney.  Just let it slowly simmer away at the back of the stove.  Give it a stir once in a while and it will do just fine.  Be sure to let your jars sit for about four weeks before opening- let those flavours mellow out.

Serve it with meats, a cheese board, with curries.

This recipe makes about 8 250 ml jars.