1 1⁄4 cups sugar
1 1⁄4 cups brown sugar
1 cup cider vinegar
1 1⁄2 cups dates, chopped
1 small onion, peeled and thinly sliced
1⁄3 cup minced peeled ginger
3-5 cloves garlic, peeled and minced
1 tablespoon salt
1/2 teaspoon ground mustard
1 teaspoon ground cloves
1/8 teaspoon cayenne
1-1/2 teaspoons red pepper flakes
1/2 teaspoon ground black pepper
4 lbs. Italian prune plums, peeled, pitted and quartered
Bring sugars and vinegar to a boil over medium heat. Stir in dates, onions, ginger, garlic, and spices. Bring to a simmer. Stir in plums. Reduce heat to maintain a gentle simmer and cook, stirring occasionally, until chutney is dark and thick, about 3 3⁄4 hours.
Makes enough for canning about five half pint jars.
Showing posts with label condiments. Show all posts
Showing posts with label condiments. Show all posts
Ketchup
Quantities are variable, to taste. Adjust as you see fit.
Step One:
4 tablespoons olive oil
1-2 onions, chopped
6 garlic cloves, chopped
4 pounds tomatoes, skinned (seeded, if you wish) and coarsley chopped
1 cup white wine
2 teaspoons salt
2 teaspoons agave
herb bundle: 3-4 sprigs fresh thyme; 4 fresh save leaves, 2 bay leaves
Heat olive oil in pan and saute onions and garlic about 10 minutes. Add remaining ingredients of step one. Bring to a boil, then simmer, uncovered, for at least 30-45 minutes.
Step Two:
1/2 cup packed brown sugar
1/4 cup apple cider vinegar
1/2 teaspoon ground mustard
1/8 teaspoon ground cloves
1/8 teaspoon allspice
1/8 teaspoon cayenne pepper
salt to taste, if necessary
Add remaining ingredients and stir well. Keep simmering for at least a few hours, stirring frequently, until the mixture is the desired consistency. Remove herb bundle. (If you wish a smoother rather than chunkier sauce, transfer to a blender and process until desired consistency.) Then pour sauce into hot, sterilized jars or bottles; seal and process. The ketchup is ready to use immediately.
Step One:
4 tablespoons olive oil
1-2 onions, chopped
6 garlic cloves, chopped
4 pounds tomatoes, skinned (seeded, if you wish) and coarsley chopped
1 cup white wine
2 teaspoons salt
2 teaspoons agave
herb bundle: 3-4 sprigs fresh thyme; 4 fresh save leaves, 2 bay leaves
Heat olive oil in pan and saute onions and garlic about 10 minutes. Add remaining ingredients of step one. Bring to a boil, then simmer, uncovered, for at least 30-45 minutes.
Step Two:
1/2 cup packed brown sugar
1/4 cup apple cider vinegar
1/2 teaspoon ground mustard
1/8 teaspoon ground cloves
1/8 teaspoon allspice
1/8 teaspoon cayenne pepper
salt to taste, if necessary
Add remaining ingredients and stir well. Keep simmering for at least a few hours, stirring frequently, until the mixture is the desired consistency. Remove herb bundle. (If you wish a smoother rather than chunkier sauce, transfer to a blender and process until desired consistency.) Then pour sauce into hot, sterilized jars or bottles; seal and process. The ketchup is ready to use immediately.
Creamy Garlic Salad Dressing
Adapted from The Bold Vegetarian Chef.
6-8 garlic gloves, with their skins still on
1-1/4 teaspoons miso
2-1/2 tablespoons olive oil
1 tablespoon apple cider vinegar
1 tablespoon lemon juice
2 teaspoons agave syrup
1/2 teaspoon salt
In a dry skillet over medium heat, toast the unpeeled garlic, tossing occasionally; allow to brown in spots; about 10-12 minutes. Cool, then peel. Place garlic in blender with other ingredients and process until smooth.
6-8 garlic gloves, with their skins still on
1-1/4 teaspoons miso
2-1/2 tablespoons olive oil
1 tablespoon apple cider vinegar
1 tablespoon lemon juice
2 teaspoons agave syrup
1/2 teaspoon salt
In a dry skillet over medium heat, toast the unpeeled garlic, tossing occasionally; allow to brown in spots; about 10-12 minutes. Cool, then peel. Place garlic in blender with other ingredients and process until smooth.
Plum Jam
2-1/2 pounds plums, pitted and halved
1-1/2 cups water
4 cups evaporated cane juice sugar
Put the plums and water in a large pan and bring to a boil. Reduce heat and simmer about 25 minutes, stirring occasionally, until plums are soft. Add the sugar and bring back to boil. Boil for 25 to 30 minutes, or until jelling point is reached. Remove from heat and ladle jam into sterilized jars. Seal and process in a boiling water bath. Makes about 2-3 pints.
1-1/2 cups water
4 cups evaporated cane juice sugar
Put the plums and water in a large pan and bring to a boil. Reduce heat and simmer about 25 minutes, stirring occasionally, until plums are soft. Add the sugar and bring back to boil. Boil for 25 to 30 minutes, or until jelling point is reached. Remove from heat and ladle jam into sterilized jars. Seal and process in a boiling water bath. Makes about 2-3 pints.
Blueberry Jam
Adapted from Preserving.
2 pints blueberries
4 cups evaporated cane juice sugar
4 tablespoons water
2 tablespoons lemon juice
1 package of pectin
Place the blueberries, sugar, water and lemon juice in a noncorrosive saucepan. Bring slowly to a boil, stirring occasionally until the sugar is dissolved. Reduce heat and simmer about 10 minutes. Bring back to a boil and add the pectin. Boil for one minute. Remove from heat and ladle into sterilized jars. Seal and process for 10 minutes in boiling water bath. Makes about 2 to 3 pints.
2 pints blueberries
4 cups evaporated cane juice sugar
4 tablespoons water
2 tablespoons lemon juice
1 package of pectin
Place the blueberries, sugar, water and lemon juice in a noncorrosive saucepan. Bring slowly to a boil, stirring occasionally until the sugar is dissolved. Reduce heat and simmer about 10 minutes. Bring back to a boil and add the pectin. Boil for one minute. Remove from heat and ladle into sterilized jars. Seal and process for 10 minutes in boiling water bath. Makes about 2 to 3 pints.
Tomato Sauce
Adapted from Preserving.
4 tablespoons olive oil
2 medium onions, chopped
6 garlic cloves, chopped
6 celery ribs, chopped
4 pounds tomatoes, coarsely chopped
1 cup dry white wine
2 teapoons salt
2 teaspoons agave syrup
Herb bundle of:
3-4 sprigs thyme
4 sage leaves
3-4 springs oregano
Heat olive oil in large pan over medium heat. Add onions, garlic and celery and cook over medium/low heat for about 10 minutes, or until onion is softened. Add remaining ingredients. Bring to a boil, then simmer, uncovered for 30 to 60 minutes -- or until most of the liquid evaporates and you have the consistency you desire. Remove the herb bundle and ladle into sterilized jars. Seal and process for 10 minutes in boiling water bath. The sauce is ready to use immediately.
4 tablespoons olive oil
2 medium onions, chopped
6 garlic cloves, chopped
6 celery ribs, chopped
4 pounds tomatoes, coarsely chopped
1 cup dry white wine
2 teapoons salt
2 teaspoons agave syrup
Herb bundle of:
3-4 sprigs thyme
4 sage leaves
3-4 springs oregano
Heat olive oil in large pan over medium heat. Add onions, garlic and celery and cook over medium/low heat for about 10 minutes, or until onion is softened. Add remaining ingredients. Bring to a boil, then simmer, uncovered for 30 to 60 minutes -- or until most of the liquid evaporates and you have the consistency you desire. Remove the herb bundle and ladle into sterilized jars. Seal and process for 10 minutes in boiling water bath. The sauce is ready to use immediately.
Mom's Dill Pickles
My mother's dill pickles have always been extremely popular among not only our family, but anyone who came over to dinner. Mom always swore it was the well water from the farm that made them so good. Who knows -- maybe that's true. Here's her recipe, as best as could be divined, which yielded enough brine for about 3 to 4 pints. She indicated that the recipe could easily be doubled.
cucumbers, washed and sliced (Mom doesn't say how many; I used probably 3-4 medium-sized, plus a few cornichon sized, the latter of which are everyone's favorite)
4 cups water
2 cups white vinegar
6 tablespoons salt
1 teaspoon alum
1 garlic clove per jar (I don't remember us ever having fresh garlic on the farm, so this seems unusual coming from my mother, but I love garlic, so I included)
dill to taste (I used both fresh dill and dill seed; Mom probably used sprig of dill seed heads from her garden)
pinch of horseradish (I omitted this and can't remember my mother ever adding it, but she says she did)
In sterilized jars, place cucumbers, garlic cloves, dill and horseradish, if using. In a saucepan, combine water, vinegar, salt and alum. Bring to a boil and then pour over the cucumbers. Seal and process in a boiling water bath (I went for 10 minutes). Mom doesn't say, but I imagine one needs to let these rest at least a week or two before enjoying.
cucumbers, washed and sliced (Mom doesn't say how many; I used probably 3-4 medium-sized, plus a few cornichon sized, the latter of which are everyone's favorite)
4 cups water
2 cups white vinegar
6 tablespoons salt
1 teaspoon alum
1 garlic clove per jar (I don't remember us ever having fresh garlic on the farm, so this seems unusual coming from my mother, but I love garlic, so I included)
dill to taste (I used both fresh dill and dill seed; Mom probably used sprig of dill seed heads from her garden)
pinch of horseradish (I omitted this and can't remember my mother ever adding it, but she says she did)
In sterilized jars, place cucumbers, garlic cloves, dill and horseradish, if using. In a saucepan, combine water, vinegar, salt and alum. Bring to a boil and then pour over the cucumbers. Seal and process in a boiling water bath (I went for 10 minutes). Mom doesn't say, but I imagine one needs to let these rest at least a week or two before enjoying.
Mom's Refrigerator Pickles
Just tried a half-version of this recipe and it seemed to come out just fine, yielding about 2 pints. Since these are not actually processed and sealed, that works out better anyway, since it will take us a while to get through 2 pints. But here's the original recipe:
7 cups cucumbers (washed, ends trimmed, sliced)
2 tablespoons salt
1 tablespoon celery salt (I substituted 1/2 tablespoon salt and 1/2 tablespoon celery seed)
1 cup green pepper (washed, trimmed, sliced into rings)
1 cup sliced onions
2 cups evaporated cane juice sugar
1 cup vinegar (I used apple cider)
Place cucumbers in a bowl and sprinkle with salts. Let sit one-half hour. Meanwhile, in a saucepan, mixe the sugar and vinegar. Heat to dissolve sugar, but do not boil. Set aside. After one-half hour, drain cucumbers. (The recipe didn't say, but in retrospect, I would also rinse the cukes.) Add onions and peppers. Pack (and this part is illegible but I think it's just pack in a container) and cover with sugar/vinegar brine. (Again, the recipe didn't say, but I imagine it should add to store in refrigerator; probably only keeps a few weeks.)
7 cups cucumbers (washed, ends trimmed, sliced)
2 tablespoons salt
1 tablespoon celery salt (I substituted 1/2 tablespoon salt and 1/2 tablespoon celery seed)
1 cup green pepper (washed, trimmed, sliced into rings)
1 cup sliced onions
2 cups evaporated cane juice sugar
1 cup vinegar (I used apple cider)
Place cucumbers in a bowl and sprinkle with salts. Let sit one-half hour. Meanwhile, in a saucepan, mixe the sugar and vinegar. Heat to dissolve sugar, but do not boil. Set aside. After one-half hour, drain cucumbers. (The recipe didn't say, but in retrospect, I would also rinse the cukes.) Add onions and peppers. Pack (and this part is illegible but I think it's just pack in a container) and cover with sugar/vinegar brine. (Again, the recipe didn't say, but I imagine it should add to store in refrigerator; probably only keeps a few weeks.)
Red Onion and Beet Marmalade
Adapted from The Angelica Home Kitchen. Adjust the cayenne to your taste.
2 tablespoons olive oil
1 large red onion, finely chopped
2 tablespoons maple syrup
1 tablespoon rice vinegar
1/2 cup orange juice
2 tablespoons lemon juice
dash cayenne pepper
1 pound beets, cooked, cooled and peeled
salt and pepper
Heat the oil in a skillet over medium heat; add the onion and sweat about 5 minutes. Add the maple syrup, rice vinegar, orange juice, lemon juice and cayenne pepper. Bring to a boil, then lower heat and cook slowly for about 10 minutes. Transfer to food processor; add beats and pulse to mix. Season with salt and pepper.
2 tablespoons olive oil
1 large red onion, finely chopped
2 tablespoons maple syrup
1 tablespoon rice vinegar
1/2 cup orange juice
2 tablespoons lemon juice
dash cayenne pepper
1 pound beets, cooked, cooled and peeled
salt and pepper
Heat the oil in a skillet over medium heat; add the onion and sweat about 5 minutes. Add the maple syrup, rice vinegar, orange juice, lemon juice and cayenne pepper. Bring to a boil, then lower heat and cook slowly for about 10 minutes. Transfer to food processor; add beats and pulse to mix. Season with salt and pepper.
Hazelnut Rice Milk
I'm a bit addicted to using hazelnut soy creamer in my coffee, so I thought perhaps I would try making a homemade version. This was adapated from a recipe in The Complete Vegan Kitchen.
3/4 cup rice (raw white, jasmine, basmati are all OK; brown rice will take longer to cook)
1/4 cup hazelnuts (cashews or almonds could be substituted)
12? cups water
1/4 cup evaporated cane juice sugar
1 teaspoon vanilla extract
1/8 teaspoon salt
Rinse the rice and then place in a large pot along with the hazelnuts. Add 6 cups water; mix well. Bring to a boil, then reduce heat to medium low and simmer for 2 to 4 hours (depends on what kind of rice you use; brown rice will take longer, for example). Check the pot periodically to add more water to keep the same level of water in the pot (my version took 3-4 hours and I added water twice during cooking and more during blending, to achieve the desired consistency). The rice should be falling apart and the liquid should be quite milky. Remove from heat, cover the pot and let cool. Add sugar, vanilla and salt. Blend with an immersion blender or in a blender/food processor. Keep refrigerated. Makes about 2 quarts.
3/4 cup rice (raw white, jasmine, basmati are all OK; brown rice will take longer to cook)
1/4 cup hazelnuts (cashews or almonds could be substituted)
12? cups water
1/4 cup evaporated cane juice sugar
1 teaspoon vanilla extract
1/8 teaspoon salt
Rinse the rice and then place in a large pot along with the hazelnuts. Add 6 cups water; mix well. Bring to a boil, then reduce heat to medium low and simmer for 2 to 4 hours (depends on what kind of rice you use; brown rice will take longer, for example). Check the pot periodically to add more water to keep the same level of water in the pot (my version took 3-4 hours and I added water twice during cooking and more during blending, to achieve the desired consistency). The rice should be falling apart and the liquid should be quite milky. Remove from heat, cover the pot and let cool. Add sugar, vanilla and salt. Blend with an immersion blender or in a blender/food processor. Keep refrigerated. Makes about 2 quarts.
Hollandaise Sauce
Adapted from chezbettay.com.
1 package extra-firm silken tofu
3 tablespoons lemon juice
1 tablespoon nutritional yeast
3 tablespoons Earth Balance butter, melted
1/2 teaspoon dry, ground mustard
4-6 tablespoons unsweetened MimiCreme
1/2 teaspoon vegan worcestershire sauce
dash of ground cayenne pepper
1/4 teaspoon crushed red pepper flakes
1/4 teaspoon turmeric
4 tablespoons vegetable oil
freshly ground salt and pepper
Place the tofu in a food processor and puree for several minutes, scraping down the sides to make sure all is smooth. Add the remaining ingredients and process for another couple of minutes. Transfer to small pan and heat on stovetop over very low heat; do not boil.
1 package extra-firm silken tofu
3 tablespoons lemon juice
1 tablespoon nutritional yeast
3 tablespoons Earth Balance butter, melted
1/2 teaspoon dry, ground mustard
4-6 tablespoons unsweetened MimiCreme
1/2 teaspoon vegan worcestershire sauce
dash of ground cayenne pepper
1/4 teaspoon crushed red pepper flakes
1/4 teaspoon turmeric
4 tablespoons vegetable oil
freshly ground salt and pepper
Place the tofu in a food processor and puree for several minutes, scraping down the sides to make sure all is smooth. Add the remaining ingredients and process for another couple of minutes. Transfer to small pan and heat on stovetop over very low heat; do not boil.
Pickled Salad
More vacation, more pickling. And oh, my gosh, have my few cucumber plants suddenly produced a bounty! What else to do besides eat a few, share a few and turn the rest into pickles. I like this recipe, adapted from a recipe called Toby's Pickled Cucumbers in a cookbook titled Preserving by Oded Schwartz, because the ingredients come together like an instant salad: Just add lettuce. You can use some of the vinegar from the jar to finish off a vinagrette dressing, while you're at it. The original recipe, which is tripled here to net eight pints, didn't call for the asparagus -- I just added it because I had a bunch left in the fridge.
3 pounds cucumbers (about 3 large cucumbers), sliced 1/2-inch thick
6 tablespoons pickling salt
1-1/2 pounds onions, sliced into thin rings
1 pound carrots, peeled and cut into smallish pieces
1/2 pound asparagus, cut into smallish pieces
12 garlic cloves, sliced
3 teaspoons black peppercorns
9 cups water
4-1/2 cups apple cider vinegar
12 tablespoons sugar
fresh dill (16 small sprigs or 8 large sprigs)
Prepare canning equipment (wash, sterilize, etc.). Put sliced cucumbers in a colander and sprinkle with half the salt. Mix well and let stand for about 20 minutes. Rinse the cucumbers under cold water and drain well. Mix the onion rings, carrots and asaparagus in a bowl, pour boiling water to cover then drain well. Arrange a layer of cucumber in the bottoms of the hot, sterilized jars. Add some garlic, dill and peppercorns. Cover with a layer of the remaining vegetables. Repeat until vegetables are used up and the jars are almost full, but loosely packed. Place the water, vinegar, sugar and remaining salt in a noncorrosive saucepan and bring to a boil for a few minutes. Pour the hot vinegar mixture into the jars, leaving 1/4-inch headroom. Poke the vegetables with a wooden skewer to make sure there are no air pockets. Then seal the jars. Cool and refrigerate. The pickle will be ready to eat in 2 days and should keep in the fridge for a couple of months.
What really happened: I actually went ahead and processed these in a boiling water bath for 10 minutes to seal 'em up for the long haul. Well, sure enough, all the bold, beautiful colors went bland and boring. Everything may still taste good (we'll know in a couple days), but it looks sad and pathetic. (sigh). Next time: Just close 'em up, refrigerate and eat before they go bad.
3 pounds cucumbers (about 3 large cucumbers), sliced 1/2-inch thick
6 tablespoons pickling salt
1-1/2 pounds onions, sliced into thin rings
1 pound carrots, peeled and cut into smallish pieces
1/2 pound asparagus, cut into smallish pieces
12 garlic cloves, sliced
3 teaspoons black peppercorns
9 cups water
4-1/2 cups apple cider vinegar
12 tablespoons sugar
fresh dill (16 small sprigs or 8 large sprigs)
Prepare canning equipment (wash, sterilize, etc.). Put sliced cucumbers in a colander and sprinkle with half the salt. Mix well and let stand for about 20 minutes. Rinse the cucumbers under cold water and drain well. Mix the onion rings, carrots and asaparagus in a bowl, pour boiling water to cover then drain well. Arrange a layer of cucumber in the bottoms of the hot, sterilized jars. Add some garlic, dill and peppercorns. Cover with a layer of the remaining vegetables. Repeat until vegetables are used up and the jars are almost full, but loosely packed. Place the water, vinegar, sugar and remaining salt in a noncorrosive saucepan and bring to a boil for a few minutes. Pour the hot vinegar mixture into the jars, leaving 1/4-inch headroom. Poke the vegetables with a wooden skewer to make sure there are no air pockets. Then seal the jars. Cool and refrigerate. The pickle will be ready to eat in 2 days and should keep in the fridge for a couple of months.
What really happened: I actually went ahead and processed these in a boiling water bath for 10 minutes to seal 'em up for the long haul. Well, sure enough, all the bold, beautiful colors went bland and boring. Everything may still taste good (we'll know in a couple days), but it looks sad and pathetic. (sigh). Next time: Just close 'em up, refrigerate and eat before they go bad.
Sweet Miso Salad Dressing
A salad dressing is what can turn a good salad into a great salad. This dressing, which I veganized from Ken Charney's The Bold Vegetarian Chef, has both great flavor and is super quick.
1/4 cup extra virgin olive oil
2 tablespoons red wine vinegar
2 teaspoons agave syrup
2 teaspons white miso
Blend the ingredients together well with a whisk.
1/4 cup extra virgin olive oil
2 tablespoons red wine vinegar
2 teaspoons agave syrup
2 teaspons white miso
Blend the ingredients together well with a whisk.
Barbecue Sauce
One of the great things about good ol' barbecue sauce is that it's so easily individualized. You can take any basic recipe and really turn it into something unique by adding or subtracting ingredients. Or, if you're like me, you can leave it all up to fate (or, in other words, whatever ingredients you may or may not have on hand). Here's the variation we prepared tonight to sauce up some ribz, which turned out well, though this recipe tends to rely a lot on the ketchup. I think next time I will try just tomatoes instead, adjusting the seasonings and sugar content accordingly.
2 tablespoons olive oil
1 to 2 onions, chopped finely
2 tablespoons garlic, minced
1 cup ketchup
1/2 cup brown sugar
1/2 cup malt vinegar
1 to 2 tablespoons soy sauce
freshly ground pepper
1 teaspoon oregano
1/2 to 1 teaspoon chili powder
1/2 teaspoon liquid smoke
Place the oil in a large skillet or pot. Over medium-high heat, sautee the onions until slightly soft, about 5 minutes. Add the peppers and carrots and sautee for a few minutes more. Then add the garlic and chiles and continue to sautee for another minute or so. Add the remaining ingredients and mix well. Bring to a boil. Then reduce heat and simmer, stirring frequently, for about 20 minutes or until thickened. Adjust seasonings to taste. Makes 3 to 4 cups.
2 tablespoons olive oil
1 to 2 onions, chopped finely
2 tablespoons garlic, minced
1 cup ketchup
1/2 cup brown sugar
1/2 cup malt vinegar
1 to 2 tablespoons soy sauce
freshly ground pepper
1 teaspoon oregano
1/2 to 1 teaspoon chili powder
1/2 teaspoon liquid smoke
Place the oil in a large skillet or pot. Over medium-high heat, sautee the onions until slightly soft, about 5 minutes. Add the peppers and carrots and sautee for a few minutes more. Then add the garlic and chiles and continue to sautee for another minute or so. Add the remaining ingredients and mix well. Bring to a boil. Then reduce heat and simmer, stirring frequently, for about 20 minutes or until thickened. Adjust seasonings to taste. Makes 3 to 4 cups.
Peanut Dipping Sauce
Awesome, plain and simple. Adapted from Robin Robertson's Some Like It Hot, a favorite cookbook of mine that I've just learned from the author is actually out of print. You could still dig up a copy from the library, but Robin tells me she has a brand new version out called Vegan Fire & Spice. Check out http://veganplanet.blogspot.com for details, including sample recipes from many of Robin's cookbooks. Thanks, Robin!
4 tablespoons peanut butter
2 tablespoons soy sauce
1 tablespoon agave syrup
2 teaspoons vinegar
1 to 2 teaspoons chili paste
In a small bowl, blend the peanut butter with a two tablespoons of water. Add the other ingredients and mix well. Adjust the ingredients to taste; add more water, if necessary, to achieve the desired consistency.
4 tablespoons peanut butter
2 tablespoons soy sauce
1 tablespoon agave syrup
2 teaspoons vinegar
1 to 2 teaspoons chili paste
In a small bowl, blend the peanut butter with a two tablespoons of water. Add the other ingredients and mix well. Adjust the ingredients to taste; add more water, if necessary, to achieve the desired consistency.
Ginger and Agave Dipping Sauce
Too lazy to cook much, we opted for some frozen spring rolls for dinner. Except this new brand we're trying didn't come with a dipping sauce. So I consulted my copy of Robin Robertson's Some Like It Hot and came up with this variation:
1 tablespoon chopped fresh ginger
1 to 2 tablespoons chopped garlic
1 tablespoon sugar
1 to 2 tablespoons agave syrup
3 tablespoons soy sauce
1 to 2 tablespoons malt vinegar
1/2 to 1 tablespoon toasted sesame oil
2 to 3 tablespoons water
In a bowl, combine all the ingredients, beginning with smaller amounts and increasing to taste. This makes a lot of sauce -- probably enough to accompany appetizers for 6 to 8 people -- so maybe cut in half for a dinner-for-two night.
1 tablespoon chopped fresh ginger
1 to 2 tablespoons chopped garlic
1 tablespoon sugar
1 to 2 tablespoons agave syrup
3 tablespoons soy sauce
1 to 2 tablespoons malt vinegar
1/2 to 1 tablespoon toasted sesame oil
2 to 3 tablespoons water
In a bowl, combine all the ingredients, beginning with smaller amounts and increasing to taste. This makes a lot of sauce -- probably enough to accompany appetizers for 6 to 8 people -- so maybe cut in half for a dinner-for-two night.
Dill Pickles
As part of my pickling predicament, I am trying my hand once again at a Dill Pickle. I tried this a long time ago and ended up with rubbering grossness, which put me off pickling for a long time. Instead of spears, I'm trying this time "chips" — pickles for sandwiches. Unfortunately, Fred Meyer didn't have any fresh dill heads, so I must resort to dry spices. I've consulted a few different recipes on the Internet and in cookbooks; here's my variation.4 pounds cucumbers
1/4 cup salt
5 cups cider vinegar
3 tablespoons sugar
1 tablespoon salt
6 teaspoons mustard seeds
6 teaspoons black peppercorns
6 cloves of garlic, peeled
6 teaspoons coriander seeds
12 teaspoons dill seed
6 teaspoons pickling spice
The night before: Wash cucumbers and slice off flower end. Dissolve salt in about a gallon of water and cover cucumbers in a non-corrosive container. Cover and let stand overnight.
The day of: Drain and rinse cucumbers. Slice and hold in cold water. Place vinegar, sugar and salt in non-corrosive saucepan and bring to a boil. Remove from heat and cool slightly. Evenly distribute spices among sterilized canning jars (6 pint jars). Drain cucumbers and pack in jars. Add vinegar, leaving 1/4-inch headroom. Seal jars and process in boiling water bath for 10 minutes.
Bread and Butter Pickles
My pickling madness continues with a return to an old-fashioned staple, the Bread and Butter pickle, adapted again from Preserving. Dee-lish on sandwiches, or toss with lettuce for an instant garden salad. This time around, I used a malt vinegar, which is probably why they turned out so dark. This recipe resulted in 5 pints, plus I also had a pint of vinegar left over to use for other purposes. Here's my variation:1-1/2 pound cucumbers
1-1/4 pound onions, sliced 1/4 inch thick
3/4 pound red or yellow peppers, sliced 1/4 inch thick
3 tablespoons salt
4 cups cider vinegar, white wine vinegar or malt vinegar
2 cups brown sugar
2 teaspoons ground turrmeric
1 tablespoon mustard seed
2 teaspoons dill seed
The night before: Put the cucumbers in a bowl and pour boiling water over them. Drain, refresh under cold running water and drain again. Slice the cucumbers into 1/4-inch to 1/2-inch thick pieces. Put the sliced cucumbers, onions and peppers in a large non-corrosive bowl and sprinkle with the salt. Mix well and cover with a clean cloth. Let stand overnight in a cool place.
The day of: Drain off the liquid. Rince the vegetables under cold running water and drain. Repeat. If too salty, let sit in cold water 10 minutes and then drain, rinse and drain again. Put the vinegar, sugar, ground turmeric, mustard seed and dill seed in a non-corrosive saucepan. Bring to boil and boil rapidly for 10 minutes. Add the drained vegetables and bring back to a boil; then remove from the heat. Pack the hot pickle into sterilized jars and seal. Process in boiling water bath for 10 minutes. The pickle is ready to eat immediately.
Spicy Pickled Vegetables
I took a week of vacation and here I am fussing over a hot stove to make ... pickles? Think of it as Mt. Everest. Must be conquered. And even though it is probably more expensive than buying them at even Whole Foods, at least I can say "I made it myself" without added chemicals or packaging. Too bad my garden doesn't yield enough produce to can ... yet. So I adapted this recipe from that bargain books bin dive Preserving (love all the photos!). It was originally for "Pickled Baby Vegetables." Instead, I just chose some nice fresh veggies that were on sale and would make an interesting color palette. They not ready to eat until 4-6 weeks from now, so I can't tell you how they tasted, but here's my variation:
3 bell peppers (1 red, 1 orange, 1 yellow), sliced
1 red onion, sliced
12 or so radishes, trimmed
1 head cauliflower, cut into small pieces
1 pound or so green beans, trimmed and cut to size
1 red onion, sliced
12 or so radishes, trimmed
1 head cauliflower, cut into small pieces
1 pound or so green beans, trimmed and cut to size
1/2 cup salt
7 cups apple cider vinegar
1 cup rice wine vinegar
8 garlic cloves, peeled and crushed
1 medium (thumb-size) piece of fresh ginger root, peeled and crushed
1 tablespoon black peppercorns
1 tablespoon yellow mustard seeds
1 teaspoon salt
The night before: Rinse and chop the vegetables; place in large non-corrosive bowl and sprinkle with salt. Mix well and cover the bowl with a clean cloth. Let stand overnight, up to 48 hours, stirring vegetables from time to time.
When you're ready to pickle: Drain off the liquid from the bowl of veggies. Rinse under cold running water and drain well. Cover with more cold water and let stand for 1 hour.
Place the remaning ingredients in a non-corrosive saucepan and bring to a boil. Boil 10 minutes. Remove from heat.
Drain veggies and distribute among sterilized canning jars. Fill with vinegar mixture, making sure vegetables are covered. Then seal and process in boiling water bath for 10 minutes. The pickle will be ready to eat in 4-6 weeks.
Place the vinegar, garlic, ginger, peppercorns, mustard seeds and salt in a non-corrosive pot and bring to boil. Boil 10 minutes. Set aside.
Pickled Ginger
Once upon a time, I wanted to make pickled ginger, probably to serve with some vegan sushi recipe. I searched for recipes and what I found, easily enough made with ingredients on hand, was less an accompaniment to sushi and more a way to keep ginger root available long-term without it shriveling up in my fridge. Because I tend to want to use ginger on a whim, this makes it all very convenient -- and I'll save the true pickled ginger for another day. (No picture for this recipe because, really, it isn't much to look at.) Here's my variation from Whats Cooking America (note: the second recipe they offer may indeed be a closer match to the sushi accompaniment variety; anyone?):
2 large ginger roots (or however much you have, really)
1 cup rice vinegar
5 to 7 tablespoons sugar
1 teaspoon salt
Peel the ginger root by scraping with a spoon. Cut the ginger into medium-sized pieces (such as you would use in a recipe and, of course, would fit in your canning jar) and salt it. Leave the ginger in a bowl for 30 minutes; then rinse and put in your canning jar. Mix rice vinegar and sugar in a pan and bring to a boil. Pour the hot mixture of vinegar and sugar on the ginger. Cool, then cover with a lid and place in the refrigerator.
The recipe goes on to say that in a week, the ginger change its color to light pink. I have not had this happen; it has always stayed its original sort of golden color. But it's great to have on hand for quick stir-frys and such.
2 large ginger roots (or however much you have, really)
1 cup rice vinegar
5 to 7 tablespoons sugar
1 teaspoon salt
Peel the ginger root by scraping with a spoon. Cut the ginger into medium-sized pieces (such as you would use in a recipe and, of course, would fit in your canning jar) and salt it. Leave the ginger in a bowl for 30 minutes; then rinse and put in your canning jar. Mix rice vinegar and sugar in a pan and bring to a boil. Pour the hot mixture of vinegar and sugar on the ginger. Cool, then cover with a lid and place in the refrigerator.
The recipe goes on to say that in a week, the ginger change its color to light pink. I have not had this happen; it has always stayed its original sort of golden color. But it's great to have on hand for quick stir-frys and such.
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