Nourishing Traditions: The Cookbook That Challenges Politically Correct Nutrition and The... (33 page)

SALSA

Makes 1 quart

4 medium tomatoes, peeled, seeded and diced

2 small onions, finely chopped

¾ cup chopped chile pepper, hot or mild

6-8 cloves garlic, peeled and finely chopped (optional)

1 bunch cilantro, chopped

1 teaspoon dried oregano

juice of 2 lemons

1 tablespoon sea salt

4 tablespoons whey (
Whey and Cream Cheese
) (if not available, use an additional 1 tablespoon salt)

¼ cup filtered water

To peel tomatoes, see
Kitchen Tips & Hints
. Mix all ingredients and place in a quart-sized, wide-mouth mason jar. Press down lightly with a wooden pounder or a meat hammer, adding more water if necessary to cover the vegetables. The top of the vegetables should be at least 1 inch below the top of the jar. Cover tightly and keep at room temperature for about 2 days before transferring to cold storage.

MUSTARD

Makes 2 cups

1½ cup (12 ounces) ground mustard

½ cup filtered water

2 tablespoons whey (
Whey and Cream Cheese
)

2 teaspoons sea salt

juice of 1 lemon

2 cloves garlic, mashed (optional)

1 tablespoon honey (optional)

2 tablespoons whole mustard seeds (optional)

Mix all ingredients together until well blended, adding more water if necessary to obtain desired consistency. Place in a pint-sized jar or two 8-ounce jars. The top of the mustard should be at least 1 inch below the top of the jar. Cover tightly and keep at room temperature for about 3 days before transferring to cold storage.

Use of mustard seed dates back to antiquity, both for its epicurean and medicinal properties. A member of the brassica family, related to broccoli and cabbage, mustard is valued for its seed, which contains a compound called sinigrin. During grinding, enzymatic action liberates the pungent principle from the sugar molecule to which it is attached. Sulphur compounds and oils are also released. These compounds have a penetrating odor and an irritating effect on the skin and mucous membranes. Paradoxically, mustard compounds have been used throughout the world for the treatment of diseases of the lungs and sinuses. During the Tang Dynasty in China, mustard was used as a treatment for pulmonary diseases. The Egyptians recommended mustard in respiratory therapy, and in the Middle Ages mustard was used against asthma, coughs and chest congestion. The English physician Herberden also recommended mustard seed to treat asthma. SWF

KETCHUP

Makes 1 quart

3 cups canned tomato paste, preferably organic

¼ cup whey (
Whey and Cream Cheese
)

1 tablespoon sea salt

½ cup maple syrup

¼ teaspoon cayenne pepper

3 cloves garlic, peeled and mashed

½ cup homemade fish sauce or commercial fish sauce (
Fermented Fish Sauce
)

Mix all ingredients until well blended. Place in a quart-sized, wide-mouth mason jar. The top of the ketchup should be at least 1 inch below the top of the jar. Leave at room temperature for about 2 days before transferring to refrigerator.

Ketchup provides us with an excellent example of a condiment that was formerly fermented and therefore health promoting, but whose benefits were lost with large scale canning methods and a reliance on sugar rather than lactic acid as a preservative.

The word "ketchup" derives from the Chinese Amoy dialect
ke-tsiap
or pickled fish-brine or sauce, the universal condiment of the ancient world. The English added foods like mushrooms, walnuts, cucumbers and oysters to this fermented brew; Americans added tomatoes from Mexico to make tomato ketchup.

Writing in 1730, Dean Swift mentions ketchup as one of several fermented foods favored by the English. "And for our home-bred British cheer, Botargo (fish roe relish), catsup and cabiar (caviar)."

Americans consume one-half billion bottles of ketchup per year. The chief ingredient of the modern version, after tomatoes, is high fructose corn syrup. A return to ancient preservation methods would transform America's favorite condiment from a health liability (produced in huge factories) to a beneficial digestive aid (produced as an artisanal product in farming communities). SWF

MINT CHUTNEY

Makes 3 cups

2 cups fresh mint leaves

1 medium onion, peeled and coarsely chopped

4 cloves garlic, peeled and coarsely chopped

4 jalapeno chiles, seeded and chopped

2 teaspoons cumin seeds, toasted in oven

²
/
₃
cup
Crispy Almonds
, chopped

1 tablespoon sea salt

4 tablespoons whey (
Whey and Cream Cheese
)

1 cup filtered water

Place all ingredients except salt, whey and water in food processor and pulse a few times until finely chopped but not paste-like. Place in a quart-sized, wide-mouth mason jar and press down lightly. Mix salt and whey with water and pour into jar, adding more water if necessary to cover the chutney. The top of the chutney should be at least 1 inch below the top of the jar. Cover tightly and keep at room temperature for 2 days before transferring to refrigerator. This should be eaten within 2 months.

CHERRY CHUTNEY

Makes 1 quart

4 cups ripe cherries, pitted and quartered

½ teaspoon coriander seeds

½ teaspoon whole cloves

grated rind and juice of 1 orange

¹
/
₈
cup Rapadura (see
Guide to Natural Sweeteners
)

¼ cup whey (
Whey and Cream Cheese
)

2 teaspoons sea salt

½ cup filtered water

Mix cherries with spices and orange rind, place in a quart-sized, wide-mouth mason jar and press down lightly. Mix remaining ingredients and pour into jar, adding more water if necessary to cover the cherries. The top of the chutney should be at least 1 inch below the top of the jar. Cover tightly and keep at room temperature for 2 days before transferring to refrigerator. This should be eaten within 2 months.

FRUIT CHUTNEY

Makes 1 quart

3 cups fresh peaches, pears, apples, mango or papaya

½ cup filtered water

grated rind of 2 lemons

juice of 2 lemons

¹
/
₈
cup Rapadura (see
Guide to Natural Sweeteners
)

2 teaspoons sea salt

¼ cup whey (
Whey and Cream Cheese
)

½ cup
crispy pecans
, chopped

½ cup dark raisins

1 teaspoon ground cumin

½ teaspoon red pepper flakes

½ teaspoon dried green peppercorns, crushed

½ teaspoon dried thyme

1 teaspoon fennel seeds

1 teaspoon coriander seeds

Mix water, lemon juice, lemon rind, Rapadura, salt and whey. Peel fruit and cut up into lemon juice mixture. Mix with nuts, raisins, herbs and spices and place in a quart-sized, wide-mouth mason jar. Press down lightly with a wooden pounder or a meat hammer, adding more water if necessary to cover the fruit. The mixture should be at least 1 inch below the top of the jar. Cover tightly and keep at room temperature for 2 days before transferring to refrigerator. This should be eaten within 2 months.

PINEAPPLE CHUTNEY

Makes 1 quart