Sweet and Spicy Zucchini Pickles
August 28, 2011
My mom taught me how to can. In fact, she was full of useful instruction when I was a kid including: how to make my bed (hospital corners), the art of the thank you letter, and the ever-so-wise tip: “If you can’t say something nice, don’t say anything at all.” (I seem to have forgotten this last one recently and so I am resurrecting it as my new mantra- I think it will serve me well.) Though I do still try to do my best with thank you letters, I admit to having given up on the tightly made bed (duvees are the way to go!) The canning skills I learned from her though, are still extremely relevant and useful. I took it for granted growing up that the pantry was always full of a variety of delicious jams. It was not until I was older that I realized how few people my age knew about this practical art. Gratefully, the art of preservation is experiencing a resurgence. Just look at the popularity of sites such as Punk Domestics and Food in Jars.
My first canning projects were jams: apricot , raspberry, blueberry. My mom showed me how to carefully sort the fruit, meticulously wash the jars, fill them leaving just the right amount of head-space, and secure them with clean lids and bands. It was a fun activity to share and I of course loved to taste the fruits of our labors. Over the years, I branched out in quantity (such as the 200 jars I made for our wedding favors out of our 20 square foot college kitchen) and variety by adding in pickles and relish, as well as applesauce and curds.This recipe is not one of my childhood. It has become a family favorite none-the-less, born out of necessity as my parents’ garden expanded and they learned that three of four zucchini plants really are extreme plenty for a two-person household.
Sweet and Spicy Zucchini Pickles is the recipe that makes me yearn for our zucchini plants to over-produce. No matter how many jars I make each year, it is never enough. By February or March, I find myself rationing them so that we have enough to last until the next harvest. Sweet, tangy, and crunchy with just a little bit of spice. These are a staple on our weekend lunch table. They are great on sandwiches or on their own.
What tips did your mother teach you that you still put to use?
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Apple Blackberry Cake
August 24, 2011
Summer is not complete without a morning spent picking blackberries. Last weekend, under the pressure of a fall-like chill in the air and the craziness of back to school time, the kids and I pushed out for a ramble along the creek. We brought the wagon, a gazillion containers, and a baby doll or two. We dressed in our jeans and forced socks and closed shoes onto our spoiled summer feet. We were ready for a real berry picking session. What we found however is that like all other summer fruits (tomatoes especially!) everything is super late this year.
Not about to let a little thing like red under-ripe blackberries get us down, we assigned ourselves roles for our Blackberry Team. I picked the berries, my little man dumped the small containers into the bigger ones, and my little lady dragged the wagon up and down the trail laughing hysterically. After an hour of hard work (and just a few scrapes), we cruised home with a half-gallon of berries. Just enough for a few smoothies and Apple Blackberry Cake. While we suffer a shortage of ripe blackberries, we have boxes and boxes of Gravenstein apples from my parents’ trees.
Apple Blackberry Cake is a treat to make each late summer or fall. Though it is simple to prepare, somehow the cake has the ability to pass as both an elegant special dessert and a casual weeknight treat. This time it even disguised itself as a birthday cake. The apples are peeled and sliced and then pressed into a basic butter and brown sugar batter. The blackberries scatter across the top lending both a colorful burst and a tart contrast to the apples. The sugar and cinnamon sprinkled over the top help to form a nice sweet crunchy topping. This cake is well matched with whipped cream or vanilla ice cream. I would not mind eating a slice for breakfast either with a nice cup of coffee.
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Grilled Corn Relish
August 17, 2011
Great corn is finally here. Though tomatoes top my list of most lusted after summer food, corn is a close second. This summer it seems everything is a bit late, so the wait for these iconic summer foods is all the more tortuous. Corn though, is now at its peak. The other day I loaded up on fresh corn at the local market. To my husband’s credit, he did not flinch when I presented him with an extra 18 ears of corn to grill alongside our dinner items for the night.
Grilled Corn Relish is a staple in our pantry. Each year I make a big batch and still end up having to meter it out over the course of the winter so that we do not run out. Grilling the corn adds a bit of nice charred flavor and some color to this sweet and tangy relish. You may also boil the corn if that is more convenient for you. Bag up any extra cooked corn you have and toss it in the freezer. It is a great addition to lots of other foods like these Cheesy Onion Corn Muffins or Chicken Tortilla Soup. If you do not want to process your jars, you can also keep the jars for months in the refrigerator.
Serve it with grilled meats, toss it with shredded cabbage for a quick and colorful salad, or use it to top soft tacos (our favorite).
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Chicken Satay
August 10, 2011
Though my time frees up in the summer when my day job as a high school science teacher takes a hiatus, somehow our dinners suffer. During the school year, time is so limited that a strict menu must be followed, the food shopping is completed on schedule, and for the most part we eat pretty well. During the summer though, I have the luxury to let loose. My kids and I bounce from one adventure to another and more than once we have found ourselves without a clue what to make for dinner. Or sometimes I spend the day canning and completely loose interest in preparing another meal when I am done. (I will not embarrass myself by sharing our dinner for tonight, except to say that it included refried beans, tortillas, and cheese and not much else- but beans are a vegetable right?) So you can see why when I find a recipe that is easy to whip up (especially in advance) and incredibly tasty, and yes, kid friendly, it quickly becomes a go-to recipe.
I first made Chicken Satay at the beginning of summer. We enjoyed it so much that it quickly fell into our program and has since graced our table a number of times. At once bold, yet not overwhelming, this mixture of spices is a tasty accompaniment to juicy chicken thighs. I modified the recipe to use Salt Preserved Lemons, instead of lemon grass, because I do not have a local source for the lemongrass and do have an abundance of lemons. The authenticity may suffer, but the flavor does not. The skewers cook up super fast on the grill, which keeps the oven off and the house cool. I usually serve this dish with a simple slaw, perhaps a mango salsa, and of course some sriracha for a spicy dip.
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Peppered Peach and Rosemary Jam
August 6, 2011
The peaches have been calling me this summer. On my last trip to the farmers’ market, I gleefully strode away with a huge box mounded high with beautiful peaches and nectarines. Fortunately, this coincided with an almost unprecedented two free days without the kiddos. Oh, how productive this mama can be when the children are away!
There were enough peaches to make a few different types of products. It was hard to resist making the Perfect Peach Cake (it really is soooo good), but I did. Instead a made a batch of pie filling inspired by this recipe from Mrs. Wheelbarrow. A few pounds went to making a puree for peach ice cream (still working out the kinks on that recipe). With the bulk of the peaches I made one of my favorite pantry items, Peppered Peach and Rosemary Jam.
This jam is special. Sweet white peaches, earthy rosemary, and just a hint of spice from the cracked pepper, the combination is delightful. I serve it with cheese such as brie or chevre. It is a definite crowd pleaser and an excellent hostess or holiday gift.
Peppered Peach and Rosemary Jam
adapted from Martha Stewart
makes 5 half-pints
3 pounds white peaches (you can use yellow, but I prefer the white varieties for this jam)
1/3 cup lemon juice
3 cups sugar
4 large sprigs rosemary
1/2 teaspoon coarsely ground black pepper
Peel and pit the peaches. (Very ripe peaches are very easy to peel with a knife. If your peaches do not peel easily, they are probably not ripe enough. If you must make the jam without allowing them to ripen further, you can boil them for one minute, then plunge into cold water to loosen the skin.)
Slice the peaches into 1/2 inch slices. Place peaches in a large bowl, add lemon juice, sugar, rosemary, and pepper. Cover and let stand for 4 hours. Stir every hour to incorporate the sugar.
Transfer peach mixture to a large pot. Bring to a boil over medium-high heat. Cook for 15 minutes, until mixture is syrupy. Lightly mash the mixture to break down peach slices, leave 1/3 of wedges intact. Discard rosemary sprigs (you can fish out the individual rosemary leaves if you want, but I leave some in for color and interest.)
Ladle jam into hot sterile jars. Leave a 1/2 inch head-space. Top with a new lid and band. Process in a hot water bath for 10 minutes for half-pint jars. See Home Canning Basics for more information about the canning process.
Here is a printer-friendly version of the recipe: Peppered Peach and Rosemary Jam
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