Food in Jars (17 page)
Authors: Marisa McClellan
I
DREAMED UP THIS CHUTNEY ONE FALL WHEN MY
community garden tomato plants were heavy with green fruit and the days were rapidly getting shorter. My parents tend to harvest their green tomatoes and slowly let them ripen in cardboard boxes in their garage. However, living in a 1,100 square foot apartment means I don't have the same luxury of space. So, after reading every chutney recipe I had, I cobbled this one together. It's good with cheddar cheese and great alongside scrambled eggs.
6 cups chopped green tomato (about 3 pounds/1.4 kg)
1¼ cups/200 g chopped yellow onion
1 cup/240 ml apple cider vinegar
1½ cups/300 g (packed) brown sugar
2 teaspoons ground ginger
1 teaspoon sea salt
½ teaspoon ground cloves
¼ teaspoon red pepper flakes
2 cinnamon sticks
3 whole star anise
2 tablespoons finely chopped crystallized ginger
Prepare a boiling water bath and 2 regular-mouth 1-pint/500 ml jars according to the process on page 10. Place the lids in a small saucepan, cover them with water, and simmer over very low heat.
Combine all ingredients except the crystallized ginger in a large pot and bring to a boil. Reduce the heat and simmer, stirring regularly, until the chutney is thick and any remaining liquid looks syrupy, not watery, about 1 to 1
½
hours.
When the chutney is finished cooking, stir in the chopped crystallized ginger. Ladle the chutney into the prepared jars, leaving
½
inch/12 mm of headspace. Wipe the rims, apply the lids and rings, and process in a boiling water bath for 15 minutes (see
page 11
).
T
HIS CHUTNEY IS LOOSELY BASED ON THE PEACH
chutney that my friend Audra has been making for years. In the summer of 2009, she posted it on her wonderful blog, Doris and Jilly Cook. Her original peach version is so spectacular that I made this version featuring fall fruit. I think it's the whole chopped lemon that makes it so special.
3 pounds/1.4 kg apples (about 8 to 10 apples)
2 pounds/910 g thin-skinned pears, such as Bartlett or Anjou (about 5 to 6 pears)
3 cups/510 g dark raisins
2 cups/320 g chopped yellow onion (about 2 medium onions)
1 lemon, seeded and finely minced with peel
2½ cups/600 ml apple cider vinegar
4 cups/800 g (packed) light brown sugar
2 tablespoons mustard seed
3 whole cloves
2 cinnamon sticks
2 teaspoons red pepper flakes
5 garlic cloves, chopped
1 (3-inch/7.5 cm) piece fresh ginger, peeled and grated
Combine all ingredients in a large pot, stir to combine, and bring to a vigorous boil. Reduce the heat to medium and cook, stirring often, until the mixture has reduced and developed a thick, spreadable consistency, about 2 hours.
After the chutney has cooked for approximately 1
½
hours, prepare a boiling water bath and 4 regular-mouth 1-pint/500 ml jars. Place the lids in a small saucepan, cover them with water, and bring to a simmer over very low heat.
When the chutney is finished cooking, remove the cinnamon sticks and discard. Ladle the chutney into the prepared jars, leaving
½
inch/12 mm of headspace. Wipe the rims, apply the lids and rings, and process in a boiling water bath for 15 minutes (see
page 11
).
I
F YOU ARE A KETCHUP LOVER, I HIGHLY RECOMMEND
taking a stab at making your own. If nothing else, it will give you an appreciation for just how many tomatoes go into every puddle of ketchup you squirt on a burger or plate of french fries. It will also give you a chance to customize it to your liking so that whether you're looking to increase the heat or decrease the sweetness, you can do it with ease.
8 pounds/3.6 kg chopped Roma or paste tomatoes
1 cup/160 g chopped yellow onion (about 1 medium onion)
½ cup/75 g chopped red bell pepper (about ½ pepper)
2 cups/480 ml cider vinegar
¾ cup/150 g (packed) light brown sugar
1 teaspoon celery seed
¼ teaspoon cayenne pepper
1 teaspoon whole cloves
1 teaspoon mustard seed
1 teaspoon whole allspice
1 cinnamon stick, crushed
Prepare a boiling water bath and 6 half-pint/250 ml jars according to the process on page 10. Place the lids in a small saucepan, cover them with water, and simmer over very low heat.
Combine the tomatoes, onion, and red bell peppers in a large pot. Bring to a boil and then reduce temperature to medium. Cook until the vegetables are completely soft, about 30 minutes.
Position a sieve or food mill over a large bowl and press the tomato mixture through it. Discard the seeds and skins in the sieve and return the pulp to the pot.
Add the cider vinegar, brown sugar, celery seed, and cayenne pepper to the pot. Combine the cloves, mustard seed, allspice, and crushed cinnamon stick in a spice bag or tea ball, or bundle them in a piece of cheesecloth and secure tightly with kitchen twine and add to the pot.
Simmer over medium-low heat, stirring regularly, until the mixture has reduced by half and is quite thick, about 60 to 90 minutes.
When the ketchup is finished cooking, remove the spice bundle and discard. Ladle the ketchup into the prepared jars, leaving ½ inch/12 mm of headspace. Wipe the rims, apply the lids and rings, and process in a boiling water bath for 10 minutes (see
page 11
).
Note:
If you're stumped about how to best crush a cinnamon stick, simply place it in a brown paper bag and fold the top of the bag several times so that it doesn't burst open. Give it several good whacks with a meat tenderizing mallet or rolling pin. It should break the cinnamon up into bits and pieces.
B
ACK IN THE DAYS BEFORE BIG COMPANIES RAN
our food system, ketchup was made from of all manner of fruit. It's only in the last few generations that tomatoes won out as the primary ingredient. However, I've found that it's valuable to explore some of the older variations, even if just to appreciate the creativity of days gone past. If you tackle this recipe be warned that it won't taste exactly like your beloved Heinz. It's closer to barbecue sauce and I've often used it on pulled pork or brushed on grilled chicken legs.
3 pounds/1.4 kg seedless red grapes (see
note
)
3 cups/720 ml apple cider vinegar
6 cups/1.2 kg granulated sugar
2 tablespoons ground cinnamon
2 teaspoons ground cloves
1 teaspoon dry mustard
¼ teaspoon cayenne pepper
Prepare a boiling water bath and 3 regular-mouth (1-pint/500 ml) jars according to the process on page 10. Place the lids in a small saucepan, cover them with water, and
simmer over very low heat.
In a large pot, combine the grapes, cider vinegar, and sugar and bring to a boil. Reduce the heat to a bare simmer and cook for 30 minutes. After 30 minutes, check on the grapes and if there are some that have not broken down, mash them against the side of pot with a wooden spoon.
Add the cinnamon, cloves, dry mustard, and cayenne pepper and continue to cook for another 30 to 45 minutes, until the ketchup is thick and spreadable.
When the ketchup is finished cooking, ladle it into the prepared jars, leaving
½
inch/12 mm of headspace. Wipe the rims, apply the lids and rings, and process in a boiling water bath for 10 minutes (see
page 11
).
Note:
Because of availability, I use conventional, seedless grapes to make this recipe. However, it can be made with seedy backyard grapes. If you choose to use them, simmer the grapes with the vinegar and sugar as instructed. Once they've softened, position a food mill over a large bowl and press the grapes through, so that you separate the flesh of the grapes from the skins and seeds. Return the grape pulp to the pot, add the spices and proceed with the rest of the recipe.