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Fri 16 May, 2003 01:48 pm
Hopefully, summer is around the corner, and the time is coming to start thinking about preserving the warm weather bounty. We have a ton of recipes that we grew up with, and some from my grandmother that I have adapted, in particular jams. I am interested in other peoples family preserve recipes (especially if they are unique), or even just memories of particularly good preserves. Anyone can do a Google search on 'preserves', but I don't want links here, just the real down-home deal. Both sweet and savoury, meat, fish, fowl, veggies and fruit are all welcome!
GARLIC JELLY (Canning Recipe)
The Jelly can be used as a condiment. Add it to meat marinades, or brush it on roasts or poultry while cooking. Great with crackers and cream cheese. Yield: 5 half pints. The combination of ingredients result in an attractive light green color.
GARLIC JELLY
Adapted by BumbleBeeBoogie from the Garlic Seed Foundation's recipe
1/4 cup garlic cloves, peeled
2 cups white vinegar (labeled 5% acidity)
5 cups granulated white sugar
3 ounces liquid pectin
5 half-pint canning jars, lids and rings, sterilized
In a food processor or blender, blend the garlic and 1/2 cup vinegar until smooth.
In a 6 to 8-quart saucepan, combine the garlic mixture, remaining 1-1/2 cups of vinegar and sugar. Over high heat, bring the mixture to a boil, stirring constantly. Quickly add the pectin. Return the mixture to a boil and boil hard for 1 minute, stirring constantly. Remove from heat.
Immediately fill five, sterilized half pint jars with the jelly, leaving 1/4-inch head space. Wipe the jars tops and threads clean. Place hot sealing lids on the jars and apply the screw on rings loosely. Process in boiling water in a deep canning pot for 5 minutes. Remove the jars and cool completely. Tighten the jar screw rings to complete the sealing process.
Peach Butter
Good commercial Peach Butter is hard to find and is expensive because it must be made in small batches. Most commercial peach butter is made of pureed peaches. I like my method much better. Peach Butter is my favorite toast, biscuit, pancake and waffle topping as well as for other uses, such as a topping for vanilla ice cream, or as a sweetener for coleslaw. When a small girl, I helped my mother make peach butter. My job was to feed the peeled peaches through a meat grinder to make the little rice-size peach pulp. This texture is so much better than pureed peaches.
-----BumbleBeeBoogie
PEACH BUTTER
An original recipe by BumbleBeeBoogie
9 large ripe peaches (cling or freestone or a mixture of both for better texture and flavor)
1/2 cup plus 1 tablespoon water
1/4 cup packed light brown sugar
6 strips of orange peel (zest only, no white part), 2-1/4 inches each
2 tablespoons fresh orange juice
5 tablespoons fresh lemon juice (divided)
1/4 teaspoon ground cinnamon
1/4 teaspoon ground nutmeg
1/4 teaspoon ground cloves
Peel and pit the peaches. Run the peaches through a medium-cut meat grinder. I prefer the meat grinder method because of the better rice-size texture it creates. If you don't have a meat grinder, chop the peaches into small chunks, or alternately, you may puree the cooked peaches in a blender. Put the peaches into a large saucepan over low heat. Cook, stirring, until soft, about 5 minutes. Remove from heat. If you chopped the peaches by hand, using a fork, mash any large peach chunks remaining.
Transfer the peaches to a large clean pan and place over medium heat. Stir in the brown sugar, orange juice and rind strips, 3 tablespoons of the lemon juice, and spices. Cook, stirring frequently, until mixture is very thick, about 8 to 10 minutes (or longer taking care that it doesn't burn). Remove and discard the orange strips and stir in the remaining lemon juice.
Pour into hot sterilized jars and seal. Or let cool, place in a covered container, and refrigerate for up to one week. Makes 2 cups.
Quince Marmalade
I love quince, and quince jam, jelly or preserves are hard to find in supermarkets. This Fall, when quince are in season, plan to make some of this wonderful marmalade.
-----BBB
QUINCE MARMALADE
By BumbleBeeBoogie
4 cups quince, (about 4 quinces), peeled, cored and chopped
3 cups water
2 cups granulated white sugar
1/4 cup (1-inch) julienne-cut lemon rind
1/4 cup fresh lemon juice
Combine all of the ingredients in a large saucepan; bring to a boil. Reduce the heat to medium, and cook for 1 hour and 15 minutes or until thick, stirring occassionally to be sure it does not burn. Cool. The mixture will continue to thicken as it cools.
Store the marmalade in an air-tight container in the refrigerator for up to 2 weeks. Or it can be canned using standard canning procedures.
PLUM AND BLUEBERRY KETCHUP
Its fun to experiment with different kinds of condiments than you usually find in a supermarket. This is a unique and tasty fruity ketchup.
-----BBB
PLUM AND BLUEBERRY KETCHUP
Adapted by BumbleBeeBoogie
2 tablespoons vegetable oil
1 large garlic clove, peeled and crushed
1 tablespoon fresh ginger, minced
1 medium yellow onion, peeled and finely chopped
2 pints fresh blueberries
1 cup fresh Roma tomato, peeled, seeded and chopped
2 large purple plums, pitted and chopped
1/4 cup dark brown sugar, firmly packed
1 tablespoon blueberry or raspberry vinegar
1 tablespoon fresh lemon juice
zest of 1 lemon, cut into julienne strips
1 medium dried chili pepper, crumbled
1 teaspoon ground cinnamon
1 teaspoon ground cardamom
1 teaspoon ground coriander
1 teaspoon salt
1 teaspoon freshly ground mixed peppercorns (white, green, red, black.)
Heat the oil in a heavy-bottomed saucepan (two quart or larger). Add the garlic and ginger and cook over low heat for two minutes, taking care not to burn the garlic or it will become bitter. Add the onion and cook until soft and transparent, stirring often.
Add the blueberries, tomato, plums, brown sugar, vinegar, lemon juice and zest, chili pepper, spices, salt and pepper, stirring well.
Cook the mixture over medium heat until it begins to simmer. Reduce the heat and keep simmering gently for 30 minutes. Remove from the heat. Let the mixture cool slightly.
Transfer the mixture to a food processor blender puree in a food processor or blender and puree until smooth.
Return the puree to the pan and heat, bringing the mixture to a simmer. Cook until thick, about 1 hour.
Pour the ketchup into two sterile pint jars or covered containers. Cover and let cool. Store in the refrigerator for up to four weeks, or freeze. Makes 3 cups of ketchup.
Cranberry Honey Mustard
CRANBERRY HONEY MUSTARD
By BumbleBeeBoogie
1/2 cup dried cranberries, finely chopped
2 tablespoons honey
1 tablespoon dried ground orange or lemon peel
8-ounce jar Dijon mustard
4 (4-ounce) decorative jelly jars
In an electric food processor bowl fitted with the steel blade, pulse one-half of the dried cranberries until they are finely chopped, but not mushy. Repeat with the remaining one-half of the dried cranberries.
In a small microwave-safe bowl, combine the cranberries, honey, ground peel, and 1 tablespoon of the mustard; mix well.
Microwave on high for 45 to 60 seconds, or until the mixture becomes hot. Cool 2 minutes.
Stir in the remaining mustard.
Divide the mixture evenly into the 4 warm sterilized jars; cover. Store, covered, in the refrigerator. Makes 1-1/2 cups of mustard. A grand holiday gift.
Wow, BBB, they all sound good!