Food in Jars (30 page)
Authors: Marisa McClellan
B
LUEBERRIES GROW REALLY WELL IN MY NEIGHBORING
state of New Jersey. Because they're so cheap and good, I go a little crazy each summer and buy far more than I can possibly eat before they go bad. I make Blueberry Jam (page 41), Blueberry Butter (page 56), and put some up whole in syrup. Canning them whole in syrup gives you a world of options beyond toast, pancakes, and yogurt. I like to stir them into muffin batter or bake them in a freeform pie for Thanksgiving or Christmas.
1 cup/200 g granulated sugar
4 pounds/1.8 kg blueberries
Prepare a boiling water bath and 4 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 saucepan, combine the sugar with 3 cups/720 ml water and bring to a simmer.
Bring a large pot of water to a boil and blanch the blueberries for 30 seconds. Drain them well and pour the berries into the saucepan with the syrup. Stir to combine.
Ladle the fruit and syrup into the prepared jars, leaving ½ inch/12 mm of headspace. Make sure that the fruit is submerged in the syrup. Gently tap the jars on a towel-lined countertop to help loosen any bubbles before using a wooden chopstick to dislodge any remaining bubbles and add additional syrup, if necessary.
Wipe the rims, apply the lids and rings, and process in a boiling water bath for 15 minutes (see
page 11
).
MAPLE PECAN GRANOLA WITH BLUEBERRIES
W
HEN I WAS IN THE FIFTH GRADE, I DECIDED THAT
I was done with sandwiches. My mother did not take the news well, as she depended on a rotating schedule of turkey with cheddar and peanut butter and honey to keep me fed during the school day. After much negotiation and a few tears (entirely on my part), we settled on a new lunchtime staple: a cup of yogurt, topped with a nutty granola.
While the yogurt rarely changed (Tillamook Creamery's vanilla bean), I was willing to mix it up when it came to the granola. If my mom had time to make it, I'd have Melinda's GORP (see
page 198
). Other days, I'd opt for the maple granola that came from the bulk bins at Food Front in northwest Portland.
To this day, my capacity for eating granola is fairly unlimited. I always have at least one batch on my kitchen counter, stashed in a half-gallon Ball jar. I appreciate how versatile it is (eat it with yogurt, milk, applesauce, or straight from your palm) and how easy it is to make from scratch (and oh so much cheaper than buying it!).
As you tackle your own granola projects, keep in mind that these recipes are really just starting places. Feel free to make adjustments, so that you end up with a finished product that you love.
Note:
There are a couple of ways to get those crunchy granola clusters we all crave. One method is to mix in a couple of lightly beaten egg whites to your batch prior to baking. Another option: After baking, scrape all the granola to the center of your baking sheet and press it down with your spatula. Whichever method you use, let the granola sit undisturbed until completely cool and clustery.
W
HOLE FOODS USED TO CARRY A GINGER GRANOLA
in their bulk section that my husband loved. Then one day, it just wasn't there anymore. So I set out to recreate a version as close to it as I could get. He quickly changed allegiances to this recipe and now we nearly always have a jar on the counter for morning meals and snacks.
4 cups/340 g old-fashioned rolled oats
1½ cups/170 g chopped raw walnuts
1 teaspoon ground ginger
¼ teaspoon sea salt
¼ cup/60 ml sunflower oil (or other neutral oil)
½ cup/120 ml cane syrup (such as Lyle's Golden Syrup or Steen's) or agave nectar
2 egg whites, beaten until frothy
1 cup/140 g finely chopped crystallized ginger
Preheat oven to 325°F/165°C/gas 3.
In a large mixing bowl, combine the oats, walnuts, ground ginger, and salt. Use your hands to toss together. Pour the sunflower oil into a glass measuring cup and swirl it around before adding it to the oat mixture. Using the same, unwashed cup measure the cane syrup. The residual oil will help the syrup exit the cup.
Use a silicone spatula to work the oil and cane syrup into the oats and nuts. When it is well integrated, add the beaten egg whites and toss to coat. The egg white helps the granola form clusters, a key element to an appealing, crunchy granola.
Spread the granola out on a rimmed baking sheet and place in the oven. Bake the granola until it is golden brown, about 30 to 35 minutes, stirring the granola every 10 minutes so that it bakes evenly.
Remove the granola from the oven. Sprinkle the crystallized ginger over the hot granola and quickly stir it in. Leave the granola to cool for several hours, or even overnight, so that the crunchy clusters have plenty of time to set up.
When the granola is completely cool, break it up into small clusters and store it in an airtight container. It will keep for a week to 10 days.
(GOOD OLD RAISINS AND PEANUTS)
B
ACK IN THE EARLY 1970S, MY MOM'S FRIEND MELINDA
had a small business making GORP, a most beloved hippie food. One day, on her way home with a month's worth of ingredients in her VW Beetle, Melinda was rear-ended. The force of the impact sent oats, nuts, raisins, oil, and honey flying all over the interior of the car. Even after the repairs were completed, the car was never the same. She stopped making her GORP soon after that, but shared the recipe with my mother before hanging up her spatula for good.
2 cups/170 g old-fashioned rolled oats
1 cup/150 g raw, unsalted peanuts
¼ cup/35 g sesame seeds
½ cup/55 g raw sunflower seeds
½ cup/40 g unsweetened dried flaked coconut
¼ cup/30 g wheat germ
¼ cup/60 ml sunflower oil (or other neutral oil)
½ cup/120 ml honey
1 cup raisins/170 g
Preheat oven to 325°F/165°C/gas 3.
In a large bowl, combine the oats, peanuts, sesame seeds, sunflower seeds, flaked coconut, and wheat germ. Pour the sunflower oil into a glass measuring cup and swirl it around before adding it to the bowl. Using the same, unwashed cup, measure the honey and add it to the bowl. The residual oil will help the honey exit the cup. Using a silicone spatula stir everything together until evenly coated and then spread the mixture out on a rimmed baking sheet.
Bake the granola for 30 minutes, turning it with a spatula every 10 minutes so that it browns evenly. It is done when nuts are deeply toasted. Remove the baking sheet from the oven and return the granola to the mixing bowl. Add the raisins and stir to combine. Stir gently several times as it cools, so that it doesn't clump.
When the granola is completely cool, store it in an airtight container.
WITH BLUEBERRIES
T
HIS GRANOLA IS MY ANSWER TO A SECRET DESIRE
to eat oatmeal cookies for breakfast. Because there are so few ingredients, the flavor of the butter really shines through so make sure yours is fresh. In addition to all the usual uses for this granola, I like to sprinkle it on top of warm applesauce to mimic the flavor of a freshly baked fruit crisp.
¼ cup/55 g unsalted butter, melted and cooled
3 cups/255 g old-fashioned rolled oats
1 cup/115 g chopped pecans
¼ teaspoon sea salt
½ teaspoon freshly grated nutmeg
½ cup/120 ml real maple syrup
½ cup/75 g dried unsweetened blueberries
Preheat oven to 325°F/165°C/gas 3.
Heat the butter just until it melts and set aside.
In large bowl, combine the oats, pecans, salt, and nutmeg. Add the melted butter and maple syrup and stir to combine. Spread the granola mixture out on a rimmed baking sheet and bake until the nuts in the granola are a deep brown, about 25 to 30 minutes, stirring 2 to 3 times during baking to ensure even browning.