Ingredients
wild shrimp, cooked
Directions
Temperature: 135 F
Time: 7 hours + more (if the shrimp isn't completely dried out)
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| The Foodening Blog - Ninja Foodi Dehydrated Pacific Shrimp |
Showing posts with label preserved. Show all posts
Showing posts with label preserved. Show all posts
Ninja Foodi Dehydrated: Wild Pacific Shrimp
Ninja Foodi dehydrated umami bombs.. dried shrimp. In my first batch, 10 oz cooked = 2 oz dehydrated. Except, by doing it myself, there are no preservatives (other than salt) and no food dyes. A win! Dried shrimp 🦐 are a key component of Chinese cuisine, such as turnip cake. This package of wild pacific shrimp comes pre-cooked and salted. Found it in the freezer aisle at my local Costco. At $15 per 2 lb package, I can probably make 6 oz of dried shrimp from this. It is on par with the cost for dried shrimp that you can get from an Asian grocery store. If only I knew how to catch shrimp in the wild. Also, WA state pink shrimp is harvested at the far northern side of the state in the San Juan de Fuca strait in the Puget Sound area. If I retired some day to one of the cities in the northern part of the Olympic Peninsula, I could take advantage of the annual shellfish/seaweed license.
Ingredients
wild shrimp, cooked
Directions
Temperature: 135 F
Time: 7 hours + more (if the shrimp isn't completely dried out)
Ingredients
wild shrimp, cooked
Directions
Temperature: 135 F
Time: 7 hours + more (if the shrimp isn't completely dried out)
Kitchen Notes: Canning Unsweetened Fruit Juice
I thought about making a mixed berry jam using the berries that have been in the freezer; but my pantry currently suffers from a glut of uneaten jams. To convert this into the base of a drink spritzer, take an equal amount of a basic sugar syrup (1:1 ratio of sugar to water, boiled together and volume reduced by half) and add it to the juice. Then add up to a 1/4 c of the juice mixture to a glass with ice and sparkling water (or sparkling wine).
I just needed to free up some freezer space for my dumplings. Anyhow. Onto the process.
This batch had a lot of seeds! OMG. So many tiny seeds to filter out. I batch strained the solids 2-3 times (the -3rd time was the thick goo leftover in the strainer and I let it drip out overnight in the fridge in a bowl).
1/2 lb boysenberries, from the farmers market - big, ripe and not really sweet
1 lb strawberries - uhh, I froze them whole so the stems were still there
1 qt blueberries - these have been in the freezer for a while, a couple years; picked at Majestic Farm Blueberries a few miles away
I am not sure why I tossed in the remainder of an opened jar of Fonseco port, but a bit more than a cup of port is also in this "juice".
Crock it all together in a slow cooker for a few hours on LOW.
Made: 5 half pints
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| TheFoodening Blog - Unsweetened Mixed Berry Juice |
I just needed to free up some freezer space for my dumplings. Anyhow. Onto the process.
This batch had a lot of seeds! OMG. So many tiny seeds to filter out. I batch strained the solids 2-3 times (the -3rd time was the thick goo leftover in the strainer and I let it drip out overnight in the fridge in a bowl).
1/2 lb boysenberries, from the farmers market - big, ripe and not really sweet
1 lb strawberries - uhh, I froze them whole so the stems were still there
1 qt blueberries - these have been in the freezer for a while, a couple years; picked at Majestic Farm Blueberries a few miles away
I am not sure why I tossed in the remainder of an opened jar of Fonseco port, but a bit more than a cup of port is also in this "juice".
Crock it all together in a slow cooker for a few hours on LOW.
Made: 5 half pints
Plum Jam with Whiskey and Ginger
In this batch, I set aside two 8 oz freezer jars to see what this stuff tastes like on toast and/or pbj sandwiches. The jam didn't set in the water bath and spreads easily enough after being refrigerated. And no, pectin was not used. And no, it didn't set like a normal jam where equal portions of sugar and fruit purée were used. If I made this again, I'd omit the whiskey/bourbon. It tastes good with peanut butter without the whiskey. The ingredient ratio comes from the My Friday Food Swings blog.
3 lbs Italian plums (dark purple skin, yellow flesh), pit removed
2 1/2 c organic granulated sugar
2 tsp kosher salt
1/4 c fresh lemon juice
2 tbsp ground ginger
1/2 c whiskey or bourbon, any plain variety
Directions
1. Wash and quarter the plums, removing the pits. Place plums in a large bowl and mix with 1/2 c sugar, salt, and lemon juice. Store in refrigerator overnight.
2. Cook plums, its juices, and remaining sugar in a heavy-bottomed pot over medium heat for 15 minutes. If you're going to strain out the skins, do so at this point, otherwise use an immersion blender and purée it all smooth. Stir frequently or the jam will burn. Add ginger powder and cook for an additional 15 minutes.
As you boil the plums with the sugar, don't be alarmed by the not-red color this produces before using the immersion blender.
At this point, I reserved a cup of jam, letting it cool in a bowl before transferring it to a freezer jar.
3. Add the whiskey, if using, and boil for an additional 3 minutes.
4. Process using hot jam in hot sterilized jars/bands/lids in a hot water bath for 15 minutes.
Made: 2 half-pint freezer jars + 4 half-pint jars
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| TheFoodening Blog: plum ginger jam ready to eat |
3 lbs Italian plums (dark purple skin, yellow flesh), pit removed
2 1/2 c organic granulated sugar
2 tsp kosher salt
1/4 c fresh lemon juice
2 tbsp ground ginger
1/2 c whiskey or bourbon, any plain variety
Directions
1. Wash and quarter the plums, removing the pits. Place plums in a large bowl and mix with 1/2 c sugar, salt, and lemon juice. Store in refrigerator overnight.
2. Cook plums, its juices, and remaining sugar in a heavy-bottomed pot over medium heat for 15 minutes. If you're going to strain out the skins, do so at this point, otherwise use an immersion blender and purée it all smooth. Stir frequently or the jam will burn. Add ginger powder and cook for an additional 15 minutes.
As you boil the plums with the sugar, don't be alarmed by the not-red color this produces before using the immersion blender.
3. Add the whiskey, if using, and boil for an additional 3 minutes.
4. Process using hot jam in hot sterilized jars/bands/lids in a hot water bath for 15 minutes.
Made: 2 half-pint freezer jars + 4 half-pint jars
Hatch Chile Salsa, version 2
Can't say I've been making or trying out new things this year in the kitchen. Life, the universe, and everything has been busy. I've stopped making the crockpot apple butter because it simply yields more jars than I can reasonably give away as gifts. Besides all the hassle of making the apple butter, nobody is eating it. Bummer. Anyhow.
Homemade salsa is always a winner. There is more to it than just eating it with chips, tacos, or nachos. Salsa goes into a variety of recipes. In July I did a control batch of salsa; basically the heat base is from a dozen green jalapenos and two red jalapenos. It is surprisingly mild; though, probably has a little more heat than the hatch chile salsa.
This season, I've altered the hatch chile salsa ingredient ratio that I used in the previous year. It currently includes:
4 large green jalapenos, seeded and stemmed, then diced
12 tomatillos, quartered
5# red tomatoes, stemmed, chopped
1 bunch fresh cilantro. finely chopped
2 heads of garlic, peeled and chopped
1.5 lbs prepared hatch chiles (picked this up from Trader Joes)
12 fresh hatch chiles, prepared (roasted, peeled, seeded, chopped) -- this surprisingly only made 1 cup of prepared chiles
1 green bell pepper, stemmed/seeded, then diced
2 tbsp sea salt
1/4 c fresh lime juice
This batch made 7 pints total: 6 pints plus 2 half pint jars
I'm sure that omitting the red tomatoes would have just made it a salsa verde (or green salsa) but I like the sweetness that tomatoes bring to salsa.
Yeah, the processing was different too. Because it took so long to prep all the ingredients, I ended up only boiling the ingredients together (except for the jalapenos, cilantro, green bell pepper, salt. and lime juice) for 1.5 hrs. Then I let it all cool down and stuck the pot into the refrigerator until I could complete the recipe. Fact of it is, I didn't have fresh limes on hand. Ooops.
By the end of the week (today), I managed to get around to preparing and adding the rest of the ingredients. Before adding the remaining ingredients, I tasted the salsa. A little bland, but what did I expect, I hadn't salted it. Also, it lacked the spicy heat of chiles, even though more than two pounds of processed hatch chile peppers went into the batch. I also pureed it to a not-chunky consistency with the immersion blender.
For texture, I diced the green jalapenos and green bell pepper at this stage.
The salsa pot might have been simmering on the stove for an hour more or so; then I added the jalapenos, bell pepper, cilantro, salt, and lime juice and cooked the batch for a half hour more to help preserve the color of the bell pepper and cilantro.
I did not blend the salsa before putting these into prepared jars and into a 15-minute boiling water bath.
Homemade salsa is always a winner. There is more to it than just eating it with chips, tacos, or nachos. Salsa goes into a variety of recipes. In July I did a control batch of salsa; basically the heat base is from a dozen green jalapenos and two red jalapenos. It is surprisingly mild; though, probably has a little more heat than the hatch chile salsa.
This season, I've altered the hatch chile salsa ingredient ratio that I used in the previous year. It currently includes:
4 large green jalapenos, seeded and stemmed, then diced
12 tomatillos, quartered
5# red tomatoes, stemmed, chopped
1 bunch fresh cilantro. finely chopped
2 heads of garlic, peeled and chopped
1.5 lbs prepared hatch chiles (picked this up from Trader Joes)
12 fresh hatch chiles, prepared (roasted, peeled, seeded, chopped) -- this surprisingly only made 1 cup of prepared chiles
1 green bell pepper, stemmed/seeded, then diced
2 tbsp sea salt
1/4 c fresh lime juice
This batch made 7 pints total: 6 pints plus 2 half pint jars
I'm sure that omitting the red tomatoes would have just made it a salsa verde (or green salsa) but I like the sweetness that tomatoes bring to salsa.
Yeah, the processing was different too. Because it took so long to prep all the ingredients, I ended up only boiling the ingredients together (except for the jalapenos, cilantro, green bell pepper, salt. and lime juice) for 1.5 hrs. Then I let it all cool down and stuck the pot into the refrigerator until I could complete the recipe. Fact of it is, I didn't have fresh limes on hand. Ooops.
By the end of the week (today), I managed to get around to preparing and adding the rest of the ingredients. Before adding the remaining ingredients, I tasted the salsa. A little bland, but what did I expect, I hadn't salted it. Also, it lacked the spicy heat of chiles, even though more than two pounds of processed hatch chile peppers went into the batch. I also pureed it to a not-chunky consistency with the immersion blender.
For texture, I diced the green jalapenos and green bell pepper at this stage.
The salsa pot might have been simmering on the stove for an hour more or so; then I added the jalapenos, bell pepper, cilantro, salt, and lime juice and cooked the batch for a half hour more to help preserve the color of the bell pepper and cilantro.
I did not blend the salsa before putting these into prepared jars and into a 15-minute boiling water bath.
Homemade Pickled Ginger / Gari
Young ginger is a summer season ingredient; so it's best to pick it up fresh at your local Asian grocery store that has it before summer ends. I picked this up from Portland's Fubonn Asian supermarket on the southeast side of the metro. Inexpensive, for what it is. Though, I'm not going to break even on cost with preparing it into pickled ginger compared to what it costs already prepared. At least it won't have any of that nasty pink food coloring.
I made it from this recipe ratio from Just One Cookbook and let's just say that I'm very disappointed in the thinness that a Cook's Illustrated top recommended mandoline has done with these ginger slices. I could have sliced them thinner with a knife. They taste OK, though, more like ginger pickles than the pickled ginger you'd eat with sushi. There was no pink to the young ginger to begin with, so these didn't turn a shade of pink while fermenting. In fact, they are of a light brown color.
I made it from this recipe ratio from Just One Cookbook and let's just say that I'm very disappointed in the thinness that a Cook's Illustrated top recommended mandoline has done with these ginger slices. I could have sliced them thinner with a knife. They taste OK, though, more like ginger pickles than the pickled ginger you'd eat with sushi. There was no pink to the young ginger to begin with, so these didn't turn a shade of pink while fermenting. In fact, they are of a light brown color.
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| TheFoodening Blog: pickled ginger, ready to eat |
Kitchen Notes: Preserving the Harvest
I realize now that making a case of salsa (12 pints) for the year was excessive, so I only made five more pints to go with the five pints leftover from last year's canned batch. Although, now that I am eating the stuff that didn't make it into the jar, this recipe ratio is really good. Slightly sweeter than the default batch. What a difference ripe tomatoes and sweet peppers make.
And the best part? No onions.
Makes: 5 pints + 1 cup
Heat: mild
Ingredient Ratio
1 green bell pepper, small dice
1 red bell pepper, small dice
1 orange bell pepper, small dice
12 tomatillos, washed/peeled, quartered
12 green jalapenos, stemmed/seeded
2 red Fresno chiles, stemmed/seeded
2 heads of garlic, cloves peeled and roughly chopped
5 lbs ripe vine tomatoes, quartered
1 bunch cilantro, finely chopped
juice of 2 fresh limes
2 tbsp kosher salt
Add all to a stockpot and bring to a boil. Cook for 1.5 hours.
I ended up having to cook this on a simmer heat for an additional hour to get to a salsa consistency (not watery and thick enough to be held on a tortilla chip). I also used a slotted spoon to fill the jars and I had more than a pint of 'salsa water' leftover, which I haven't used for anything.
The garlic got a rough chop in the food processor.
These items got pureed together: tomatillos, jalapenos, red Anaheim chiles
I also used an immersion blender, but didn't blend the whole batch. Though, the sauce wouldn't be in the chunky category for salsa.
I've been sterilizing washed jars in the oven at 170 F (lowest the oven can go) for 30 minutes.
The lids and bands, get the boiling water treatment. I have yet to get food poisoning using these methods.
Processed in a boiling water bath for 30 minutes. Really, canning time is just under an hour since after you add the jars to the water, it has to come back up to temperature, even though everything is already hot.
Remove from heat and set on racks to cool. Tap on lids after jars have cooled for an hour to check seals. Leave to cool completely for 24 hours. Once you're sure that the jars are sealed properly, you can store the jars with or without the metal band.
And the best part? No onions.
Makes: 5 pints + 1 cup
Heat: mild
Ingredient Ratio
1 green bell pepper, small dice
1 red bell pepper, small dice
1 orange bell pepper, small dice
12 tomatillos, washed/peeled, quartered
12 green jalapenos, stemmed/seeded
2 red Fresno chiles, stemmed/seeded
2 heads of garlic, cloves peeled and roughly chopped
5 lbs ripe vine tomatoes, quartered
1 bunch cilantro, finely chopped
juice of 2 fresh limes
2 tbsp kosher salt
Add all to a stockpot and bring to a boil. Cook for 1.5 hours.
I ended up having to cook this on a simmer heat for an additional hour to get to a salsa consistency (not watery and thick enough to be held on a tortilla chip). I also used a slotted spoon to fill the jars and I had more than a pint of 'salsa water' leftover, which I haven't used for anything.
The garlic got a rough chop in the food processor.
These items got pureed together: tomatillos, jalapenos, red Anaheim chiles
I also used an immersion blender, but didn't blend the whole batch. Though, the sauce wouldn't be in the chunky category for salsa.
I've been sterilizing washed jars in the oven at 170 F (lowest the oven can go) for 30 minutes.
The lids and bands, get the boiling water treatment. I have yet to get food poisoning using these methods.
Processed in a boiling water bath for 30 minutes. Really, canning time is just under an hour since after you add the jars to the water, it has to come back up to temperature, even though everything is already hot.
Remove from heat and set on racks to cool. Tap on lids after jars have cooled for an hour to check seals. Leave to cool completely for 24 hours. Once you're sure that the jars are sealed properly, you can store the jars with or without the metal band.
Small Batch Bread and Butter Pickles
Did you know that if you chopped these up in a food processor, you can make sweet relish?
As far as pickle recipes go, this is really easy. The secret to a crunchy pickle is the salt brine, or letting the cucumber's excess moisture drain out by using salt. This recipe ratio comes from the TasteofSouthern.com blog. I omitted the onion, of course. Also, my pickle slices are thicker because I don't like wafer thin, transparent pickles. It's a blue ribbon recipe so by default it should turn out great. :)
Ingredients
3 lbs pickling cucumbers, ends trimmed
1/4 c kosher or sea salt
2 c white vinegar
2 c sugar
1/2 c water
1 tbsp mustard seeds
2 tsp celery seeds
2 tsp pickling spice mix
1 tsp turmeric powder
Directions
1. Slice cucumbers and place in a large bowl and toss with salt. Let stand for 1-2 hours or overnight in the refrigerator (I did the latter for this batch).
2. Rinse the cucumbers and let drain in a colander until ready to use. Place as many as will fit into half-pint or pint jars.
3. In a large saucepan, combine vinegar, water, sugar, mustard seeds, celery seeds, and turmeric. Heat to a boil.
4. Pour vinegar mixture over cucumbers in jars.
If canning, process in a boiling water bath for 20 minutes.
If using as refrigerator pickles, cover with sterilized lids and bands. Let this cure in the fridge for several days before using.
As far as pickle recipes go, this is really easy. The secret to a crunchy pickle is the salt brine, or letting the cucumber's excess moisture drain out by using salt. This recipe ratio comes from the TasteofSouthern.com blog. I omitted the onion, of course. Also, my pickle slices are thicker because I don't like wafer thin, transparent pickles. It's a blue ribbon recipe so by default it should turn out great. :)
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| TheFoodening Blog - Bread & Butter Pickles |
3 lbs pickling cucumbers, ends trimmed
1/4 c kosher or sea salt
2 c white vinegar
2 c sugar
1/2 c water
1 tbsp mustard seeds
2 tsp celery seeds
2 tsp pickling spice mix
1 tsp turmeric powder
Directions
1. Slice cucumbers and place in a large bowl and toss with salt. Let stand for 1-2 hours or overnight in the refrigerator (I did the latter for this batch).
2. Rinse the cucumbers and let drain in a colander until ready to use. Place as many as will fit into half-pint or pint jars.
3. In a large saucepan, combine vinegar, water, sugar, mustard seeds, celery seeds, and turmeric. Heat to a boil.
4. Pour vinegar mixture over cucumbers in jars.
If canning, process in a boiling water bath for 20 minutes.
If using as refrigerator pickles, cover with sterilized lids and bands. Let this cure in the fridge for several days before using.
Kitchen Notes: Salsa
Last year I forgot to write up the ingredient ratios for salsa. It was a really tasty batch too. This year, my local produce market had vine tomatoes on sale for $0.69/lb. I haven't seen prices like that since the early 2000s in southern California. Plus, Kerr jars were on sale as well and I picked up five cases of jars. Crazy huh?
The only thing I remember from last year's ratio was that I had more tomatoes than jalapenos which was my primary deviation from Harold Shifflett's video recipe. I also halved the salt.
Also last year, I made salsa with roasted hatch chilies. It was so tasty that it never got to the canning process. I ate it all. Whoops.
Batch #1 yield: 5 pints, one half-pint
The only thing I remember from last year's ratio was that I had more tomatoes than jalapenos which was my primary deviation from Harold Shifflett's video recipe. I also halved the salt.
Also last year, I made salsa with roasted hatch chilies. It was so tasty that it never got to the canning process. I ate it all. Whoops.
Batch #1 yield: 5 pints, one half-pint
Kitchen Notes: Canning 2016
Canning started early this year, mostly because I thought I might try to make strawberry jam instead of just eating the strawberries fresh. This is what has been made so far. I am down to one pint jar of salsa (from 6 pints) from last year's canning and also one pint jar of pickled beets with whole cloves.
To do wish list
tomato salsa with hatch chiles
tomato salsa with tomatillos and jalapenos
peach bourbon jam
harissa with fresh chiles
harissa with dried chiles
pickled beets with cloves (very tasty, imho)
dill pickle spears
May
apricot-pineapple preserves: 1 pint, 3 half-pints, 1 four-oz jar
apricot-rosemary preserves: 3 half-pints, 4 four-oz jars
strawberry-basil preserves: 4 half-pints plus 8 oz in the fridge
strawberry port wine jam: 5 half-pints plus 8 oz in the fridge
To do wish list
tomato salsa with hatch chiles
tomato salsa with tomatillos and jalapenos
peach bourbon jam
harissa with fresh chiles
harissa with dried chiles
pickled beets with cloves (very tasty, imho)
dill pickle spears
May
apricot-pineapple preserves: 1 pint, 3 half-pints, 1 four-oz jar
apricot-rosemary preserves: 3 half-pints, 4 four-oz jars
strawberry-basil preserves: 4 half-pints plus 8 oz in the fridge
strawberry port wine jam: 5 half-pints plus 8 oz in the fridge
Apricot Pineapple Preserves
Among the jams sampled from this spring, the strawberry port wine jam is a definite keeper. Slightly boozy and very strawberry flavored, it's a fine complement to unsweetened herbal teas and crackers. The strawberry basil jam tasted just like strawberry jam. The green flecks of basil in the jam doesn't do anything for the jam other than change the visual aesthetics. And, the apricot rosemary preserves came out a little runny after processing in a hot water bath and it is because of that I added a tablespoon of low-sugar pectin to this batch of apricot preserves.
Cost-wise, it's slightly more expensive to preserve apricots than other fruits; even though I got these fresh at $0.99/lb. The fruits were much smaller than what you'd typically find at a southern California farmers market. Though, it is possibly this was an early harvest due to our wacky spring weather where we hit a high of 99 F in April in the Pacific Northwest). I plan to use the apricot preserves as an added condiment to other desserts. I love apricot tarts and pastries.
This batch came out tasting as expected, a little sweet and a little tart with mixed apricot and pineapple flavors. Visually, it looks unremarkable like it is just another jar of apricot jam.
Ingredients
1 lb 12 oz fresh apricots, pitts removed and halved
1.25 c organic granulated sugar
One 20 oz can diced pineapple (or 1 1/2 c fresh diced pineapple, if available)
2 tbsp fresh lemon juice
1-2 tbsp low-sugar pectin (powdered)
zest of 1 lemon
Directions
In a large 4-quart heavy-bottomed saucepan, add apricots, pineapple, sugar, and lemon zest. Mash together and let sit covered for up to 24 hours in the refrigerator.
Prepare lids and jar bands by immersing in a bowl of hot boiled water. In an oven, preheat oven to lowest temperature setting (my oven goes to 170 F), place washed jars onto a baking tray and bake for 20 minutes. Leave jars in oven until ready to fill.
Over low-medium heat, bring mixture to a boil. When the sugar has dissolved and the mixture has risen to 200-220 F, add the pectin and stir until combined.
(optional) Taste. If at this point the jam needs sugar, add more and stir the mixture over low-medium heat until the sugar dissolves.
When the preserves look reasonably thickened (use the spoon or chilled plate test), remove from heat, stir in lemon juice and then fill jars.
Process in a hot water bath for 10 minutes.
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| The Foodening Blog - Apricot Pineapple Preserves |
This batch came out tasting as expected, a little sweet and a little tart with mixed apricot and pineapple flavors. Visually, it looks unremarkable like it is just another jar of apricot jam.
Ingredients
1 lb 12 oz fresh apricots, pitts removed and halved
1.25 c organic granulated sugar
One 20 oz can diced pineapple (or 1 1/2 c fresh diced pineapple, if available)
2 tbsp fresh lemon juice
1-2 tbsp low-sugar pectin (powdered)
zest of 1 lemon
Directions
In a large 4-quart heavy-bottomed saucepan, add apricots, pineapple, sugar, and lemon zest. Mash together and let sit covered for up to 24 hours in the refrigerator.
Prepare lids and jar bands by immersing in a bowl of hot boiled water. In an oven, preheat oven to lowest temperature setting (my oven goes to 170 F), place washed jars onto a baking tray and bake for 20 minutes. Leave jars in oven until ready to fill.
Over low-medium heat, bring mixture to a boil. When the sugar has dissolved and the mixture has risen to 200-220 F, add the pectin and stir until combined.
(optional) Taste. If at this point the jam needs sugar, add more and stir the mixture over low-medium heat until the sugar dissolves.
When the preserves look reasonably thickened (use the spoon or chilled plate test), remove from heat, stir in lemon juice and then fill jars.
Process in a hot water bath for 10 minutes.
Strawberry Port Wine Jam
This was the first jam of the year. I'm still learning the differences between jams, preserves, and compotes. I prepped the entire half-flat of strawberries from the farmers market and decided to make two different strawberry jams since this recipe only called for 2.5 cups of prepped strawberries.
I should also note that I tried to be extra clever and put a teaspoon of fresh strawberries into the hot jam, hoping for some texture; but alas, nature has thwarted my efforts. The jar with fresh strawberries added did not set properly and looks a tad runny when I tilt the jar. All other jars have set firmly, well, as firm as pectin-laced jam can get. And, because I only prepped six half-pint jars, the seventh cup is in the fridge.
The recipe ratio is from Southern Living magazine, June 2003 issue; but my inspiration for making this came from the A Flock in the City blog. I chopped the entire batch of strawberries in a food processor. Maybe this is why the strawberries disintegrated into liquid when I cooked them.
Makes 7 half-pint jars
Optional equipment: candy thermometer, food processor
Ingredients
2.5 c fresh strawberries, de-stemmed and chopped
1 1/2 c port wine
zest of 1 lemon
1/2 tsp ground nutmeg
1 package powdered pectin (1.75 oz)
4 c organic granulated sugar
Directions
In a large saucepan, stir together strawberries, port, lemon zest, nutmeg, and pectin.
Bring mixture to a boil and cook for 1 minute. Gradually add in sugar and stir constantly until the sugar dissolves. Bring this back up to a rolling boil (bubbles don't go away when stirred) and boil for an additional minute.
(optional) I used a candy thermometer and brought the mixture up to 220 F. This is just shy of the temperature needed to make candied syrup threads.
Remove from heat and skim off the foam.
Fill jam into hot, sterilized jars. Wipe the rim with a paper towel moistened with hot water. Place lids and secure the bands.
Process in a hot water bath for 10 minutes. (Meaning, after you put the jars in the water needs to come up to a full boil again and then start the 10-minute timer).
I should also note that I tried to be extra clever and put a teaspoon of fresh strawberries into the hot jam, hoping for some texture; but alas, nature has thwarted my efforts. The jar with fresh strawberries added did not set properly and looks a tad runny when I tilt the jar. All other jars have set firmly, well, as firm as pectin-laced jam can get. And, because I only prepped six half-pint jars, the seventh cup is in the fridge.
The recipe ratio is from Southern Living magazine, June 2003 issue; but my inspiration for making this came from the A Flock in the City blog. I chopped the entire batch of strawberries in a food processor. Maybe this is why the strawberries disintegrated into liquid when I cooked them.
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| Strawberry Port Wine Jam made with Fonseca Port |
Makes 7 half-pint jars
Optional equipment: candy thermometer, food processor
Ingredients
2.5 c fresh strawberries, de-stemmed and chopped
1 1/2 c port wine
zest of 1 lemon
1/2 tsp ground nutmeg
1 package powdered pectin (1.75 oz)
4 c organic granulated sugar
Directions
In a large saucepan, stir together strawberries, port, lemon zest, nutmeg, and pectin.
Bring mixture to a boil and cook for 1 minute. Gradually add in sugar and stir constantly until the sugar dissolves. Bring this back up to a rolling boil (bubbles don't go away when stirred) and boil for an additional minute.
(optional) I used a candy thermometer and brought the mixture up to 220 F. This is just shy of the temperature needed to make candied syrup threads.
Remove from heat and skim off the foam.
Fill jam into hot, sterilized jars. Wipe the rim with a paper towel moistened with hot water. Place lids and secure the bands.
Process in a hot water bath for 10 minutes. (Meaning, after you put the jars in the water needs to come up to a full boil again and then start the 10-minute timer).
Strawberry Basil Preserves
I picked up a basil plant from Trader Joe's about a week ago and its tall stems were flopping over. Originally, I wanted to use the fresh basil to make margherita pizza (basil, tomato, mozzarella); but our weather has turned back to the Pacific Northwest norm of below 60 degrees F and not enough sun (not good for making pizza dough). Basil seems to go well with red fruits and this is to see if basil goes well with strawberries.
The basil might overpower the strawberry flavor in this batch, as I used more than 1/4 c of basil leaves. I added a few more whole strawberries to the remainder of the prepped half-flat to bring the total fresh weight to 2 lbs.
One jar didn't seal properly so it is in the fridge. Now I have two cups of jam to eat. Do you know what that means? More exercise.
Makes: 5 half-pints
Ingredients
2 lbs fresh strawberries, de-stemmed and chopped
1/2 c filtered water
2 tbsp fresh lemon juice (from 1 lemon)
1 c organic granulated sugar
1/4 c roughly chopped fresh basil leaves
Directions
In a large saucepan, add strawberries and water. Bring to a boil. Cover and reduce to medium heat and continue to boil for 10 minutes, stirring occasionally.
In a food processor, combine sugar and fresh basil leaves. Whirl together until no large bits of basil remain and the sugar turns to a pale green color. Set aside.
Remove lid from the saucepan and stir in lemon juice. Add sugar gradually, stirring to incorporate. Boil for 5 more minutes. Skim off any foam that rises.
The jam is ready for jars when the volume of liquid has reduced and the jam has thickened.
Pour jam into hot, sterilized jars with a 1/4" headspace. Wipe the rims, lid and tighten bands on jars before processing in a hot water bath for 10 minutes.
The basil might overpower the strawberry flavor in this batch, as I used more than 1/4 c of basil leaves. I added a few more whole strawberries to the remainder of the prepped half-flat to bring the total fresh weight to 2 lbs.
One jar didn't seal properly so it is in the fridge. Now I have two cups of jam to eat. Do you know what that means? More exercise.
 |
| Strawberry Basil Jam, ready for its hot water bath |
Ingredients
2 lbs fresh strawberries, de-stemmed and chopped
1/2 c filtered water
2 tbsp fresh lemon juice (from 1 lemon)
1 c organic granulated sugar
1/4 c roughly chopped fresh basil leaves
Directions
In a large saucepan, add strawberries and water. Bring to a boil. Cover and reduce to medium heat and continue to boil for 10 minutes, stirring occasionally.
In a food processor, combine sugar and fresh basil leaves. Whirl together until no large bits of basil remain and the sugar turns to a pale green color. Set aside.
Remove lid from the saucepan and stir in lemon juice. Add sugar gradually, stirring to incorporate. Boil for 5 more minutes. Skim off any foam that rises.
The jam is ready for jars when the volume of liquid has reduced and the jam has thickened.
Pour jam into hot, sterilized jars with a 1/4" headspace. Wipe the rims, lid and tighten bands on jars before processing in a hot water bath for 10 minutes.
Canning 2015
I picked Bartlett pears Gravenstein apples for the first time with the Portland Fruit Tree Project at a farm in Hillsboro, OR. That was a fun experience. Volunteers are allowed to take 10# of each type of fruit picked, but is an excessive amount for me to process into something tastier. Gravensteins are eating apples and might be good for cooking, but they are rather sour -- like they're a cross between a honeycrisp for size and water content and a granny smith on the sour and hard texture side.
This year I tried to can hatch chilies. If you keep them in a closed plastic bag in the refrigerator door (warmer part of the fridge), the fresh chilies keep for a few weeks. I made a really good tomato-based salsa with half as many pounds of tomatoes as last year's batch and the same amount of jalapenos; so, extra kick and less added salt. I ate a quart of it before canning.
Here's what I made this year:
6 pints spicy tomato salsa (no onion, no red jalapeno, 2 tbsp less salt)
6.5 pints Gravenstein apple sauce (slightly sour)
4 half pints organic no-sugar added applesauce, yellow delicious - homegrown apples
8 pints apple butter - red winesap apples
Four 4 oz jars green hatch chilies
2 half pints dill pickles
And for the fridge because I ran out of pint jars:
1 quart dill pickles
1 quart organic dill carrots
This year I tried to can hatch chilies. If you keep them in a closed plastic bag in the refrigerator door (warmer part of the fridge), the fresh chilies keep for a few weeks. I made a really good tomato-based salsa with half as many pounds of tomatoes as last year's batch and the same amount of jalapenos; so, extra kick and less added salt. I ate a quart of it before canning.
Here's what I made this year:
6 pints spicy tomato salsa (no onion, no red jalapeno, 2 tbsp less salt)
6.5 pints Gravenstein apple sauce (slightly sour)
4 half pints organic no-sugar added applesauce, yellow delicious - homegrown apples
8 pints apple butter - red winesap apples
Four 4 oz jars green hatch chilies
2 half pints dill pickles
And for the fridge because I ran out of pint jars:
1 quart dill pickles
1 quart organic dill carrots
Preserving Roasted Hatch Chiles
It seems that either canning roasted hot peppers is so commonplace, like making bread, that everyone knows how to do it or doing so without a pressure cooker isn't safe to do so. At any rate, I couldn't find a canning process on the net that actually tell you how to preserve the summer's bounty of hatch chiles. I can't possibly be the only Pacific Northwesterner who enjoys seasonal fruits and vegetables outside of growing seasons. These are great with nachos and cheese.
Wikipedia suggests that the Scoville scale of these peppers ranges from 0 (unlikely!) to 70,000 (more likely). I de-skinned and de-seeded the roasted chiles without gloves and so far no problems. Not like that one time I rubbed my eyes after handling cayenne peppers. Oh the agony!
Prepare the Hatch Chiles (or Anahein, Jalapeno, or whatever hot chile pepper you have)
Wikipedia suggests that the Scoville scale of these peppers ranges from 0 (unlikely!) to 70,000 (more likely). I de-skinned and de-seeded the roasted chiles without gloves and so far no problems. Not like that one time I rubbed my eyes after handling cayenne peppers. Oh the agony!
 |
| 2015-09 Roasted Hatch Chiles |
Salsa
Making salsa is neither hard nor time consuming, but having all the necessary ingredients on hand is the troublesome part. There is certainly some spice to it. And, in early autumn, all of these ingredients are in season. The recipe ratio comes from Harold Shifflett's YouTube video.
Makes 10 pints
Ingredients
10 pounds fresh tomatoes, any variety
8 tomatillos
8 jalapenos
4 red chilis
2 green bell peppers
1 bunch fresh cilantro
2 heads of garlic, cloves removed
4 tbsp lime or lemon juice
4 tbsp kosher salt or sea salt (this tastes salty to me, maybe next time start with 3 tbsp)
Directions
1. Prepare ingredients for the food prep:
Wash and core tomatoes. Slice into wedges and set aside.
Wash and de-stem hot peppers (red chilis and jalapenos). Set aside.
Wash and core the bell pepper. Discard seeds. Roughly chop.
Discard the outer hull of the tomatillos. Wash fruit and set aside.
Peel outer layer then roughly chop the onion(s).
Wash cilantro bunch, remove brown leaves and stems. Roughly chop and set aside.
Peel and trim hard end from garlic cloves. Set aside.
2. Work in batches. Toss everything except the salt and lemon juice into a food prep or blender and puree until no big chunks remain.
3. Pour puree into a large stockpot, add 1 tbsp of salt at a time, add lemon or lime juice. Boil for 1.5 hours or until the salsa reaches a proper consistency (not too watery, not too chunky).
4. Process in a hot water canning bath for 10 minutes.
Makes 10 pints
 |
| Lots of salsa for the winter |
Ingredients
10 pounds fresh tomatoes, any variety
8 tomatillos
8 jalapenos
4 red chilis
2 green bell peppers
1 bunch fresh cilantro
2 heads of garlic, cloves removed
4 tbsp lime or lemon juice
4 tbsp kosher salt or sea salt (this tastes salty to me, maybe next time start with 3 tbsp)
Directions
1. Prepare ingredients for the food prep:
Wash and core tomatoes. Slice into wedges and set aside.
Wash and de-stem hot peppers (red chilis and jalapenos). Set aside.
Wash and core the bell pepper. Discard seeds. Roughly chop.
Discard the outer hull of the tomatillos. Wash fruit and set aside.
Peel outer layer then roughly chop the onion(s).
Wash cilantro bunch, remove brown leaves and stems. Roughly chop and set aside.
Peel and trim hard end from garlic cloves. Set aside.
2. Work in batches. Toss everything except the salt and lemon juice into a food prep or blender and puree until no big chunks remain.
3. Pour puree into a large stockpot, add 1 tbsp of salt at a time, add lemon or lime juice. Boil for 1.5 hours or until the salsa reaches a proper consistency (not too watery, not too chunky).
4. Process in a hot water canning bath for 10 minutes.
Orange Marmalade
After a failed batch of trying to make apple sauce with apples from my Frankenstein tree, I decided to make a marmalade (a citrus jam made from fruit flesh and peel) using Satsuma oranges. I chose these oranges because they have a relatively smooth skin, the peel is bright orange and it has a nice fragrance. They are also very easy to peel after having been peeled with a vegetable peeler. I made candied orange peels earlier in the day.
After having read Ina Garten's recipe on Food Network, I realized that her no-pectin version had water and sugar as a simple syrup ratio. Her two hour simmering time is to reduce the water in the jam liquid. I halved her water/sugar ratio to just four cups each. The Satsuma oranges are really sweet on their own. And, instead of adding whole lemons, I used just the juice of two fresh lemons.
You can make your own liquid pectin from boiling the peel and pith of oranges or lemons, or green apple peels, in water. Read more about homemade citrus pectin on this link.
Ingredients
3 lbs (6 large) Satsuma oranges, peeled and thinly sliced
4 c simple sugar syrup (4 c water + 4 c sugar)
prepared orange peels (from 4 oranges)
4 tbsp fresh lemon juice (2 large lemons)
Directions
1. Prepare orange peels by using a non-serrated vegetable peeler to remove orange part of peel from oranges. Thinly slice peels with a sharp knife. Put peels in a pot and cover it with enough water to cover the peels. Bring to a boil and boil for 20 minutes. Drain water and set peels aside.
2. In a separate pot, combine 4 cups of water with 4 cups of sugar. Bring to a boil and stir so that all the sugar dissolves. Add sliced oranges and simmer on low heat for 2 hours, or until the liquid volume has reduced by half.
The temperature will drop to 180-200 degrees F while it simmers. Stir occasionally and skim off the foam.
3. Add prepared orange peels, bring to a boil and heat the mixture up to 220 degrees F. Cook for 10 minutes. The peels should turn almost translucent at the soft ball stage. Remove from heat and fill sterilized pint or half pint jars.
4. Process in a hot water bath for 10 minutes.
Makes 3 pints or 6 half pints.
After having read Ina Garten's recipe on Food Network, I realized that her no-pectin version had water and sugar as a simple syrup ratio. Her two hour simmering time is to reduce the water in the jam liquid. I halved her water/sugar ratio to just four cups each. The Satsuma oranges are really sweet on their own. And, instead of adding whole lemons, I used just the juice of two fresh lemons.
You can make your own liquid pectin from boiling the peel and pith of oranges or lemons, or green apple peels, in water. Read more about homemade citrus pectin on this link.
Ingredients
3 lbs (6 large) Satsuma oranges, peeled and thinly sliced
4 c simple sugar syrup (4 c water + 4 c sugar)
prepared orange peels (from 4 oranges)
4 tbsp fresh lemon juice (2 large lemons)
Directions
1. Prepare orange peels by using a non-serrated vegetable peeler to remove orange part of peel from oranges. Thinly slice peels with a sharp knife. Put peels in a pot and cover it with enough water to cover the peels. Bring to a boil and boil for 20 minutes. Drain water and set peels aside.
2. In a separate pot, combine 4 cups of water with 4 cups of sugar. Bring to a boil and stir so that all the sugar dissolves. Add sliced oranges and simmer on low heat for 2 hours, or until the liquid volume has reduced by half.
The temperature will drop to 180-200 degrees F while it simmers. Stir occasionally and skim off the foam.
3. Add prepared orange peels, bring to a boil and heat the mixture up to 220 degrees F. Cook for 10 minutes. The peels should turn almost translucent at the soft ball stage. Remove from heat and fill sterilized pint or half pint jars.
4. Process in a hot water bath for 10 minutes.
Makes 3 pints or 6 half pints.
Pickled Kohlrabi
I thought about taking a photo of this batch, but it just looks like some white vegetable in a pickling brine in a jar. It is not terribly exciting. With the bounty of summertime vegetables, the kohlrabi was never at the top of my list of things to buy. It is part of the cabbage family and as such, it will probably cause bloating and gas if you consume a lot of it in one sitting. At the very least, it is very high in fiber. And, for its bulk, it is very low in calories. Compared to other vegetables, it is kind of expensive to buy and not all the grocery stores carry them. They are seasonal and I was surprised to see them on the grocery store shelf during summer. I thought they were an autumn vegetable. Anyhow, onto the pickling...
After peeling the kohlrabi with a vegetable peeler and trimming off the hard, woody part of the stem with a sharp knife, I used the narrow blade disc attachment of the food prep machine to slice all the kohlrabi. With a little prep, I was able to slice a couple pounds of this vegetable in a few minutes. It's a lot easier than slicing the vegetable by hand.
If you have pickling salt, by all means use it. I do not and am using sea salt as a substitute.
Pickling Brine
2 lbs kohlrabi, purple or white (doesn't matter which)
2 c distilled white vinegar (or 1 c distilled white vinegar + 1 c apple cider vinegar)
2 c water
2 tbsp raw honey
2 tbsp sea salt
1 tbsp fresh ginger, peeled and minced
1 garlic clove, minced
1/2 tsp black peppercorns
1/4 tsp red chili flakes
Directions
1. Sterilize jars and lids for canning and set aside until ready to use.
2. Clean and trim kohlrabi. Slice into thin slices with a food processor, mandoline, or with a sharp knife. Divide slices evenly into jars.
3. Combine vinegar, water, honey, sea salt, ginger, garlic, black peppercorns, and chili flakes in a medium saucepan. Bring to a boil. Remove from heat and add brine to jars. Place lids on jars and tighten with jar bands.
4. Process using a hot water bath for 10 minutes.
This batch made 3 pints.
After peeling the kohlrabi with a vegetable peeler and trimming off the hard, woody part of the stem with a sharp knife, I used the narrow blade disc attachment of the food prep machine to slice all the kohlrabi. With a little prep, I was able to slice a couple pounds of this vegetable in a few minutes. It's a lot easier than slicing the vegetable by hand.
If you have pickling salt, by all means use it. I do not and am using sea salt as a substitute.
Pickling Brine
2 lbs kohlrabi, purple or white (doesn't matter which)
2 c distilled white vinegar (or 1 c distilled white vinegar + 1 c apple cider vinegar)
2 c water
2 tbsp raw honey
2 tbsp sea salt
1 tbsp fresh ginger, peeled and minced
1 garlic clove, minced
1/2 tsp black peppercorns
1/4 tsp red chili flakes
Directions
1. Sterilize jars and lids for canning and set aside until ready to use.
2. Clean and trim kohlrabi. Slice into thin slices with a food processor, mandoline, or with a sharp knife. Divide slices evenly into jars.
3. Combine vinegar, water, honey, sea salt, ginger, garlic, black peppercorns, and chili flakes in a medium saucepan. Bring to a boil. Remove from heat and add brine to jars. Place lids on jars and tighten with jar bands.
4. Process using a hot water bath for 10 minutes.
This batch made 3 pints.
Pickled Beets
For this batch of beets, I seem to have undercooked them by just a bit. They boiled for an hour too, but apparently it wasn't long enough. These were small to medium sized beets. Despite some being "fork tender", others still had some crunch. I suppose beets can be eaten raw. I just haven't eaten it that way. I also boiled these whole without removing the stems or roots. Just scrub them clean before cooking.
I've read that the only difference between kosher salt and pickling salt is what else is in it. Table salt cannot be used since it is usually laced with iodine, which can make a cloudy brine. Pickling salt has no added iodine; sea salt has minimal iodine and is an acceptable substitute; and kosher salt has added yellow prussiate of soda (at least the Morton's brand does) which also discolors the brine.
The pickling liquid is enough for 5 pints of beets and can be doubled.
Pickling Liquid
3-5 lbs of raw whole beets
1 c organic granulated sugar
1 tbsp sea salt
1 c apple cider vinegar
1 c distilled white vinegar
whole cloves, 4 per jar
whole peeled garlic cloves, 2 per jar
1 c beet water (water that the beets cooked in)
Directions
1. In a large pot, add raw beets and fill with enough water to cover them. Boil for at least an hour or until the beets are fork tender. Remove from heat and add whole beets to a large bowl filled with ice water. This will help cool the beets down. With the faucet running cold water, peel the beets with a paring knife and trim the stem and root off. Set aside until all the beets are peeled.
2. Using a sharp knife and cutting board, thinly slice the beets.
3. Sterilize jars in the oven (washed and air dried in a 225 degrees F oven for 15 minutes) or boiled for 10 minutes; sterilize lids and jar bands in boiling water.
4. Add to each jar: two peeled garlic cloves and four whole cloves. Add beet slices and fill to the top with pickling liquid with a 1/4" headspace at the top. Secure lid and band to the jar.
5. Process jars in a hot water bath for 15 minutes. Remove jars from water and set onto wood racks or a wood cutting board. As the jars cool down, the lids should each make a loud "pop" noise as the pressure sucks in the lid and seals the jar. Let the jars stand at room temperature for 24 hours.
This batch made 5 pints.
I've read that the only difference between kosher salt and pickling salt is what else is in it. Table salt cannot be used since it is usually laced with iodine, which can make a cloudy brine. Pickling salt has no added iodine; sea salt has minimal iodine and is an acceptable substitute; and kosher salt has added yellow prussiate of soda (at least the Morton's brand does) which also discolors the brine.
The pickling liquid is enough for 5 pints of beets and can be doubled.
Pickling Liquid
3-5 lbs of raw whole beets
1 c organic granulated sugar
1 tbsp sea salt
1 c apple cider vinegar
1 c distilled white vinegar
whole cloves, 4 per jar
whole peeled garlic cloves, 2 per jar
1 c beet water (water that the beets cooked in)
Directions
1. In a large pot, add raw beets and fill with enough water to cover them. Boil for at least an hour or until the beets are fork tender. Remove from heat and add whole beets to a large bowl filled with ice water. This will help cool the beets down. With the faucet running cold water, peel the beets with a paring knife and trim the stem and root off. Set aside until all the beets are peeled.
2. Using a sharp knife and cutting board, thinly slice the beets.
3. Sterilize jars in the oven (washed and air dried in a 225 degrees F oven for 15 minutes) or boiled for 10 minutes; sterilize lids and jar bands in boiling water.
4. Add to each jar: two peeled garlic cloves and four whole cloves. Add beet slices and fill to the top with pickling liquid with a 1/4" headspace at the top. Secure lid and band to the jar.
5. Process jars in a hot water bath for 15 minutes. Remove jars from water and set onto wood racks or a wood cutting board. As the jars cool down, the lids should each make a loud "pop" noise as the pressure sucks in the lid and seals the jar. Let the jars stand at room temperature for 24 hours.
This batch made 5 pints.
Crockpot Pear Butter
This is the first attempt at making pear butter. A new crop of D'anjou pears were on sale at the grocery store so I bought enough to make six pints of fruit butter. For apples and pears, one pound of fruit typically yields one pint. I though this came out too sweet. Two cups of sugar is way too much if the fruit is ripe and sweet.
Ingredients
6 lbs ripe pears, cored and cubed
2 c sugar (need to cut to 1 1/2 c sugar, or less)
1 tsp grated orange zest
1/4 tsp ground nutmeg
1 orange, juiced
Directions
1. Wash, core and cube pears. Mix with the rest of the ingredients. Place all ingredients in a crockpot. Set for 8 hours on LOW.
2. If storing butter for long-term use, process using sterilized jars in a hot water bath for 10 minutes.
Ingredients
6 lbs ripe pears, cored and cubed
2 c sugar (need to cut to 1 1/2 c sugar, or less)
1 tsp grated orange zest
1/4 tsp ground nutmeg
1 orange, juiced
Directions
1. Wash, core and cube pears. Mix with the rest of the ingredients. Place all ingredients in a crockpot. Set for 8 hours on LOW.
2. If storing butter for long-term use, process using sterilized jars in a hot water bath for 10 minutes.
Tangy Lemon Curd
I have eaten lemon curd in tea shops as an accompaniment to scones and shortbread cookies, and in donuts filled with lemon curd. Commercially available lemon curd has always tasted much sweeter than this batch. This batch came out a touch more sour but is just as good. It is ridiculously simple to make.
Yield: about a cup
Ingredients
2 eggs
1/3 c organic granulated sugar
1/4 c unsalted butter, diced
3 tbsp fresh lemon juice
1 1/2 tsp finely grated lemon peel (one lemon)
Directions
Whisk eggs, sugar, and lemon juice together in a heavy saucepan. Add butter and lemon peel and stir over medium heat until butter has melted and a pudding-like consistency appears.
Remove from heat and transfer to a small bowl. Let cool before using.
Yield: about a cup
Ingredients
2 eggs
1/3 c organic granulated sugar
1/4 c unsalted butter, diced
3 tbsp fresh lemon juice
1 1/2 tsp finely grated lemon peel (one lemon)
Directions
Whisk eggs, sugar, and lemon juice together in a heavy saucepan. Add butter and lemon peel and stir over medium heat until butter has melted and a pudding-like consistency appears.
Remove from heat and transfer to a small bowl. Let cool before using.
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