Green Tomato Salsa

yet another recipe for me to try...

Farmgirl Susan's No Sugar Green Tomato Relish 
Makes about 3 pints    Recipe may be doubled; increase cooking time by 10-15 minutes

2 lb. green tomatoes, cored and chopped
1 lb. white or yellow onions, chopped
3/4 lb. sweet red peppers, cored and chopped
1/2 lb. tart cooking apples, such as Granny Smith, cored and chopped
6 garlic cloves, finely chopped
1 cup 5% acidic apple cider vinegar (or less, see note below)*
1 Tablespoon kosher or sea salt
4 jalapeno peppers, cored, seeded if desired, and finely chopped
2 Tablespoons chopped cilantro
1 teaspoon ground cumin (optional)

Combine the tomatoes, onions, peppers, apples, garlic, vinegar, and salt in a large, nonreactive pot and bring to a boil. Reduce the heat and simmer, uncovered, stirring occasionally, until thickened, about an hour.

Stir in the jalapenos, cilantro, and cumin and simmer for 5 more minutes. Carefully purée the mixture using a stick immersion blender or in a traditional counter top blender, in batches if necessary, until still somewhat chunky. Don't over mix; you don't want it smooth.

If canning, return the puréed relish to a boil, then ladle the hot mixture into hot jars, leaving 1/4-inch head space. Process 15 minutes in a waterbath canner. Store in a cool, dark place.

Slow Roast Eye of Round

I normally do the high heat method, but Cook's Illustrated disapproves.  I approve of CI, so therefore, I must try my next eye of round this way:

For a 3 1/2- 4 1/2 lb roast, they suggested 4 tsp of kosher salt and for a 2-2 1/2 lb roast 3 tsp. They give a conversion to table salt of 1 1/2 tsp.

To paraphrase the rest of the recipe;

1. Salt the roast, wrap in saran wrap and refrigerate 18-24 hours.
2. Pat dry the roast, rub with 2 tsp of vegetable oil (i used olive oil) and some freshly cracked pepper. Sear in hot skillet on all sides.  about 3 minutes per side in a hot cast iron skillet so it is deeply brown.
3. Add to wire rack in rimmed baking sheet and put in preheated 225 degree oven. Roast until thermometer inserted into center of roast registers 115 degrees for medium-rare, 1 1/4 to 1 3/4 hours, or 125 degrees for medium, 1 3/4 to 2 1/4 hours. Since my roast was smaller (3 lb) and I like my meat closer to rare, I took it out at 112 degrees which took about an hour.
4. Turn oven off, leave roast in oven, without opening door, until meat-probe thermometer or instant-read thermometer inserted into center of roast registers 130 degrees for medium-rare or 140 degrees for medium, 30 to 50 minutes longer. As I said, I took it out at 125 degrees which took about 20 minutes.
5. Rest for 15 min and slice thinly. 

Mustard Pickle

For Helen:

(From Victory Garden Cook Book.)
    1 bunch of celery,
    3 qts. green tomatoes,
    3 qts onions,
    1 cauliflower,
    4-5 green peppers,
    Kosher Salt,
    2 qts vinegar,
    5 TBS.dry mustard,
    2/3 cup of flour
    3/4 tsp.turmeric,
    3-4 cups sugar,
    1 small hot red pepper,
 
 Wash celery,remove leaves and string if necessary, cut into1/2 inch slices.Wash ,core and slice tomatoes.Peel and slice onions.Wash the cauliflower,divide into small flowers,and cut the fleshy parts into small pieces.Wash and clean the peppers and cut into chunks.Make a brine of 1 cup of salt for every 2 qts of water.Put the cut up vegetables in a large stainless steel kettle and cover with brine.Let stand overnight.The following morning heat to boiling point.
    Meanwhile make the sauce by combining the Vinegar,dry mustard,flour,termeric and sugar to taste.Mince the hot pepper.Bring the sauce to the boil and add the hot pepper.Taste and adjust seasonings. Drain the boiling brine from the vegetables.Then combine the hot vegetables and the boiling sauce.Mix thoroughly and ladel into hot jars,leave a 1/4 inch head space. Adjust caps and process for 10 minutes in a boiling water bath. ( makes 16-20 pints) 

Cheddar Pennies

I tried some cheddar pennies at a winery in Prince Edward County and was impressed by their potential.  The ones I bought were actually overcooked and tasted almost burnt, but two or three were not overcooked and those were yummy.  Hence, search for a good recipe for Cheddar Pennies, which taste like shortbread - perhaps because they are shortbread...

Spicy Cheddar Shortbread
makes about 30 cookies  (as pub. in Eat In Eat Out, with correction and no pecans)
oven: 350
cream together
1/2 cup (1 stick) of unsalted butter, room temperature, (or use salted and skip the salt)
1/2 tsp salt
15 grinds black pepper (twee!!  I'm thinking that's about 1/4 - 1/2 tsp)
2 tbls smoked paprika
1 tsp cayenne

then mix in with a wooden spoon:200 grams finely grated sharp cheddar
1 cup unbleached flour
once mixed, use hands to work the dough until it sticks together.  Roll dough into two logs, wrap in parchment paper and stick in fridge for 20 minutes or freeze for later.

Slice rounds 1/4" thick, arrange on cookie sheet, brush with 1 egg white and 1 tsp water mix, salt wth fleur de sel or coursely ground kosher, then bake for 15 minutes (until slightly golden, and don't overbake).

Mark Bittman's version

• 8 tablespoons (1 stick) cold butter, plus more for greasing the pan

• 2 cups grated cheddar cheese

• 1 1/2 cups all-purpose flour

• 1 egg, lightly beaten

• 1/2 teaspoon salt

• 1/2 teaspoon cayenne

• 
  

• Directions

• Heat the oven to 400°F. Cut the stick of butter into chunks. Grease a baking sheet with more butter. Put all the ingredients in a food processor and pulse several times; as soon as the mixture resembles coarse meal, stop. Turn the dough onto a sheet of plastic, wrap it, and press it gently into a ball. Refrigerate the dough for at least 20 minutes or up to several hours.   (Mixing Shortbread Pulse all the ingredients until the dough is evenly colored and textured; there should be no big lumps. The dough may crumble, but use the plastic wrap to press it into shape. If you pulse to the point where the dough starts to come together, you’ve gone too far.)

• 
  

• Pinch off heaping tablespoon-sized pieces of the dough and roll them into 1-inch balls with your hands. (Rotate your hands in opposite directions, using gentle pressure to roll pinches of dough into a ball shape.) Put the balls on the prepared pan, leaving 2 inches between them. Press down on each ball with your fingers to flatten it to 3/4 inch thick. (For a more uniform look, grease the bottom of a drinking or shot glass and use that.) If there is dough left over when the sheet is filled, wait and cook a second batch.

• 
  

• Bake for 10 to 12 minutes, until the shortbreads are puffed and golden brown. When they’re cool enough to handle, transfer them to a wire rack and bake the remaining dough. Serve right away or store covered at room temperature for up to 1 day.

• 
  

Bon Appetit version

1/2 cup (1 stick) unsalted butter, at room temperature

• 1/2 teaspoon salt

• 1/4 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper

• Pinch of cayenne pepper

• 8 ounces extra-sharp white Cheddar cheese, finely shredded

• 1 cup unbleached all-purpose flour

Using electric mixer fitted with whisk attachment, beat together butter, salt, black pepper, and cayenne at low speed just until blended. Add Cheddar and flour and mix at low speed just until smooth (do not overmix). Shape dough into disk, wrap in plastic wrap or waxed paper, and chill 30 minutes.

Arrange racks in upper and lower thirds of oven and preheat to 350°F. Line 2 large baking sheets with parchment paper.

On lightly floured surface, roll out dough to 1/4- to 1/8-inch-thick round. Using 1 1/2- to 2-inch round cutter, cut out rounds and arrange 1 1/2 inches apart on baking sheets. Reroll scraps if desired (rerolled scraps will be tougher).

Bake shortbread until lightly golden and beginning to brown on edges, about 13 to 15 minutes. Cool on sheets 5 minutes, then transfer to racks to cool completely.

Roasted Nectarine Chutney

I'm not really crazy about how this turned out.  I think next time I'd try a different recipe, but this is good for a change.  I'd increase the rosemary and finely chop the onions instead of slicing.  The lemons could probably be finely sliced and then diced, or perhaps zested first, then have the pith peeled off, then chopped.  Anyway, still worth trying if you want a change from the usual chutney. 

1.1kg (21/2lb) nectarines, (10 - 12) stoned and quartered (can sub apples or plums)
675g (11/2l lb) red onions, finely sliced
4 cloves garlic, roughly chopped
1 lemon, halved, pips removed and finely sliced
2 tbsp rosemary leaves
1 tsp cumin seeds
1 tsp fennel seeds
250ml (9fl oz) cider vinegar
500g (1lb 2oz) demerara sugar

 Oven at 375ºC

Put all the ingredients except the sugar into a large roasting tin. Mix well and roast for 45 minutes, stirring occasionally.

Continue cooking for about another 30 minutes. When the mixture starts to reduce and colour, add the sugar. Cook for a further 30 minutes, stirring twice during this time.

The chutney should be fairly dry and any liquid should be quite syrupy and jam-like. The fruit should still be discernible in shape. Take care not to allow the mixture to burn as it starts to caramelise.

Spoon into cooled, sterilised jars and cover with vinegar-proof lids. Label and store. This chutney can be used straight away but the flavour will mature with keeping.

Cauliflower

Sometimes I astonish myself.

Grated 9 cauliflower today.  Yes, 9.  I was stocking up because they were beautiful, on sale, and a fairly large part of our diet at times.  So 9 grated cauliflower, bagged and into the freezer.  I grated the central stem of each cauliflower with the florets because it cooks just the same.

Which left the leaves of 9 cauliflower.  I discarded all the dried, cut off ends and any blemished leaves or stalks.  I ended up with about 3 cups of waste, including all the crumbs and things from the grating process.  That went in the compost bin.  The leaves and stems I ran through the food processor on slice and turned them into a bit of a braise, cooking them in some pork fat until tender, then combining with some cooked slices of onions.  For dinner, I added some shredded pork, two diced tomato in an Indian flavoured dish (seasoned with garlic, chilli, ginger, green curry paste, yellow curry powder).  I served some of this for lunch today and there's enough left over to have as a side dish tonight.

That left me with about 4 cups of the sliced, pork fat and onion seasoned, cooked cauliflower stalks.  Hmmmm.  Into the food blender for cauliflower soup with a vegetable bouillon cube and a bit of milk.  Great, except a little fibrous. So, through a strainer.  Great soup.  So finally, I was left with about 2 cups of cooked, somewhat chewy, flavoured but pressed dry cauliflower stalks which I mixed with an egg and a cup of mozzaralla and baked at 450 in a pizza shape to give me a low-carb pizza bread for lunch tomorrow.

The only stuff I threw out was stuff that was either bad, completely dried out, or yellow.
Take that, hunger challenge.

Swiss Chard

It never ends...the leaves get away on me and I feel overwhelmed... until I actually cook this, and then I remember how yummy Swiss chard can be.

Caramelize two med/large yellow onions, hopefully in some yummy fat
After the onions begin to turn, make a space in the centre and add about 3 slices of bacon, slivered into 1/2 inch pieces, and let them cook in the centre until they are almost crisp.  This is all being done on a med. low heat, btw.

Once bacon is ready, add in about 1 pound of swiss chard leaves, washed, stemmed, and sliced into 1 inch wide strips.  I generally just fold the leaf over to destem it, and then continue the slicing on up to end up with 2 1/2 leaves before 1 cut a big pile into strips.  Let the swiss chard cook down gently in the onion mixture and after about 10 minutes, add in some finely chopped garlic and a few dashes of hot pepper sauce or flakes as per your preference.

Finally, place some meat on top of this.  Several options - tinned sardines and pine nuts, cooked sausages and mozzarella, cooked chicken breast and feta.  Sort of up to you and depending what's in your cupboard.  Serve warm or hot.  Actually, chicken, sausage, feta, and spinach is my favourite pizza combination, so that would work too.  Off to try that now.

Still haven't found an absolutely delicious stalk recipe.  I've found several fine ones, roasted with Parmesan, boiled with parsley, but nothing worth writing down.  A gratin or a bechamel sauce is just cheating.  Cardboard tastes yummy cooked that way, so I'll keep trying.

Savoury Biscotti

Going up to buy some white port, and I thought I'd stash this recipe for when I have it...plus the savoury cheddar one too.

Stilton and Walnut Biscotti

• 2 large eggs
• 100 g (1 cup) crumbled Stilton cheese
• 150 g (1 cup plus 2 TB) all-purpose flour
• 1/2 tsp salt
• 1/2 tsp baking powder
• 50 g (1/2 cup) chopped walnut pieces

Preheat your oven to 350F.

With the eggs and cheese in the bowl of your food processor let it run for about a minute. The cheese will thicken the eggs and the texture should become fairly smooth.

Add the flour, salt, and baking powder and pulse three or four times. Don't overwork the flour, you just want to integrate it. The dough should entirely come together because once you turn it out onto a counter you want to be able to spread the chopped nuts over top, gently knead it, and then form it into a roughly-shaped log with the nuts distributed throughout.  The two smallest dimensions of your piece of dough should be about an inch and three inches, respectively.

Transfer the dough to a baking sheet lined with a silicon mat or parchment paper and bake for twenty to twenty-five mintues. After ten minutes of cooling on a wire rack slice the once-baked dough into half-inch slices and bake again for thirty minutes, flipping the slices halfway through.

Bittman's savoury cheddar

2 eggs

1 cup grated Cheddar cheese

1 cup plus 2 tablespoons all-purpose flour, plus more as needed

1/2 teaspoon baking powder

3/4 teaspoon salt

1/4 teaspoon cayenne, or to taste.

1. Heat the oven to 350 degrees and line a baking sheet with parchment paper. Put the eggs and cheese in a food processor and process until yellow and thick, about a minute. Add the flour, baking powder, salt and cayenne and pulse three or four times, just to integrate the dry ingredients; you don’t want to overwork the gluten in the flour.

2. Turn the dough out onto a lightly floured surface and gently knead it until it holds together — it may be a bit crumbly at first. Shape the dough into an 8- to 10-inch log, transfer to the prepared baking sheet and gently flatten.

3. Bake until the log begins to color and is firm to the touch, 20 to 25 minutes. Cool for about 10 minutes, then cut on the bias into half-inch slices. Lay the biscotti flat on the baking sheet and bake until crisp and toasted, 15 minutes; turn and toast the second side for another 10 to 15 minutes. Cool completely before serving.

Yield: About 16 biscotti.

Brownies

Just filing recipes for recall - haven't tried any of these.

Baked Fudge Brownies

Ingredients:

• 1 1/4 cups flour
• 1 teaspoon salt
• 2 Tablespoons dark cocoa powder
• 11 ounces quality dark chocolate (60-72%), chopped coarsely
• 8 ounces butter (2 sticks), cut into 1 inch cubes
• 1 tsp instant espresso powder
• 1 ½ cups sugar
• ½ cup light brown sugar
• 5 large eggs, room temperature
• 2 teaspoons vanilla extract

Method:

1. Preheat oven to 350 degrees.
2. Butter the sides and bottom of a glass or light colored metal pan 9x13x2 pan.
3. In a medium bowl, whisk together the flour, the salt, and cocoa powder.
4. Configure a large sized double boiler. Place the chocolate, the butter, and the instant espresso powder in the bowl of the double boiler and stir occasionally until the chocolate and butter are completely melted and combined. Turn off the heat, but keep the bowl over the water of the double boiler and add both sugars. Whisk the sugars until completely combined and remove the bowl from the pan. Mixture should be room temperature.
5. Add three eggs to the chocolate/butter mixture and whisk until just combined. Add the remaining eggs and whisk until just combined. Add the vanilla and stir until combined. Do not over beat the batter at this stage or your brownies will be cakey.
6. Sprinkle the flour/cocoa/salt mix over the chocolate. Using a spatula (DO NOT USE A WHISK) fold the dry into the wet until there is just a trace amount of the flour/cocoa mix visible.
7. Pour the mixture into the pan and smooth the top with your spatula. Bake the brownies for 30 minutes (rotate the pan half-way through baking) and check to make sure the brownies are completely done by sticking a toothpick into the center of the pan. The brownies are done when the toothpick comes out with a few moist crumbs.
8. Cool the brownies completely before cutting and serving.

Baked Sweet and Salty Brownies

Ingredients:

For the caramel filling:

• 1 cup sugar
• 2 tablespoons light corn syrup
• 1/4 cup water
• 1/2 cup heavy cream
• 1 teaspoon Fleur de Sel
• 1/4 cup sour cream

For the brownie:

• 1 1/4 cups all-purpose flour
• 1 teaspoon salt
• 2 tablespoons dark unsweetened cocoa powder
• 11 ounces quality dark chocolate (60 to 72%), coarsely chopped
• 1 cup unsalted butter, cut into 1-inch cubes
• 1 1/2 cups sugar
• 1/2 cup firmly packed light brown sugar
• 5 large eggs, at room temperature
• 2 teaspoons vanilla extract

Method:

1. For the caramel filling, combine the sugar and corn syrup with 1/4 cup of water in a medium saucepan, stirring carefully so as not to splash the sides of the pan. Cook over high heat until an instant-read thermometer reads 350℉ or until the mixture is dark amber in color, 6 to 8 minutes. Remove from the heat, and slowly add the cream, and then the Fleur de Sel. Whisk in the sour cream and set aside to cool.
2. For the brownie, preheat the oven to 350℉.
3. Butter the sides and bottom of a glass or light colored metal 9 x 13 inch pan. Line the bottom with a sheet of parchment paper, and butter the parchment.
4. In a medium bowl, whisk together the flour, salt and cocoa powder.
5. Place the chocolate and butter in the bowl of the double boiler set over a pan of simmering water, and stir occasionally until the chocolate and butter are completely melted and combined. Turn off the heat, but keep the bowl over the water of the double boiler, and add both sugars. Whisk until completely combined and remove the bowl from the pan. The mixture should be at room temperature at this point.
6. Add three eggs to the chocolate mixture and whisk until just combined. Add the remaining two eggs and whisk until just combined. Add the vanilla and stir until combined. Do not overbeat the batter at this stage, or your brownies will be cakey.
7. Sprinkle the flour mixture over the chocolate. Using a spatula, fold the dry ingredients into the wet ingredients until there is a just a trace amount of the flour mixture visible.
8. To assemble the brownie, pour half of the brownie mixture into the pan and smooth the top with a spatula. Drizzle about 3/4 cup of the caramel sauce over the brownie layer in a zigzag pattern, taking care to make sure the caramel does not come in contact with the edges of the pan or it will burn. Use your offset spatula to spread the caramel evenly across the brownie layer. 
9. Put this in the fridge to let the caramel set so that it doesn't bubble up around the top layer.
10. In heaping spoonfuls, scoop the rest of the brownie batter over the caramel layer. Smooth the brownie batter gently to cover the caramel layer.
11. Bake the brownies for 30 minutes, rotating the pan halfway through the baking time, and check to make sure the brownies are completely done by sticking a toothpick into the center of the pan. The brownies are done when the toothpick comes out with a few moist crumbs.
12. Remove the brownies from the oven and sprinkle with an extra 1 1/2 teaspoons Fleur de Sel and 1 teaspoon coarse sugar.

Cool the brownies completely before cutting and serving. Store wrapped tightly in plastic wrap for up to 4 days.

yield | 12 large brownies or 24 small brownies

"Ad Hoc" Brownies

by: Thomas Keller

(Print Friendly Version)

Ingredients:

• 3/4 cup all-purpose flour

• 1 cup unsweetened alkalized cocoa powder
 (we use valhrona)
• 3/4 pound (3 sticks) unsalted butter, cut into 1-tablespoon pieces

• 1 teaspoon kosher salt

• 3 large eggs

• 1 3/4 cups granulated sugar

• 1/2 teaspoon vanilla paste
• 
6 ounces 61 to 64% chocolate, chopped into chip-sized pieces ( about 1 1/2 cups)
• Powdered sugar for dusting

Method:

1. Preheat the oven to 350F.
2. At Ad Hoc, they use a 9-inch square silicone mold, because it keeps the edges from overcooking; if you use a metal or glass baking pan, butter and flour it. Set aside.
3. 
Sift together the flour, cocoa powder, and salt; set aside
4. 
Melt half the butter in a small saucepan over medium heat, stirring occasionally. Put the remaining butter in a medium bowl. Pour the melted butter and stir to melt the butter. The butter should look creamy, with small bits of unmelted butter, and be at room temperature.
5. 
In a bowl of a stand mixer fitted with the paddle, mix together the eggs and sugar on medium speed for about 3 minutes, or until thick and very pale. Mix in the vanilla. On low speed, add about one-third of the dry ingredients, then add one-third of the butter, and continue alternating the remaining flour and butter.
6. Add the chocolate and mix to combine. (The batter can be refrigerated for up to 1 week.)

7. Spread the batter evenly in the pan. Bake for 40 to 45 minutes, until a cake tester or wooden skewer poked into the center comes out with just a few moist crumbs sticking to it. If the pick comes out wet, test a second time, because you may have hit a piece of chocolate chip; then bake for a few more minutes longer if necessary.
8. Cool in the pan until the brownie is just a bit warmer than room temperature.
 Run a knife around the edges if not using a silicone mold, and invert the brownie onto a cutting board. Cut into 12 rectangles. Dust the tops with powdered sugar just before serving. (The brownies can be stored in an airtight container for up to 2 days.)


King Arthur Brownies

Ingredients:

1 cup (2 sticks) butter

2 1/4 cups sugar

1 1/4 cups dutch process cocoa powder (use the best you can find, we used Valhrona)

1/2 teaspoon salt (use 1 teaspoon salt if you've used unsalted butter)

1 teaspoon baking powder

1 tablespoon vanilla extract

4 large eggs

1 1/2 cups all-purpose flour (King Arthur brand, bien sur)

2 cups (12 ounce bag) semi-sweet chocolate chips (again, the best you can find)

Method:

Pre-heat the oven to 350 F

Lightly grease a 9x13 pan

In a saucepan over low heat, melt the butter, then add the sugar and stir to combine.  Keep on low heat for a minute or two, stirring constantly to melt some of the sugar, but do not let the mix come to a boil.  The mixture will be shiny looking, but still thick with sugar granules when done.  Transfer the mix to a large mixing bowl.

Add the cocoa, salt, baking powder, and vanilla to the butter/sugar mix, and stir well.  Add the eggs and beat until smooth.  Add the flour and chocolate chips and beat until well combined.

Transfer the batter to the prepared pan and bake on the center rack of the oven for 28-30 minutes, until a cake tester inserted into the center comes out dry.  The brownies should feel set both at the edges and in the center of the pan.

Remove from the oven and place the pan on a cooling rack.  After about 5 minutes, run a table knife around the edges of the brownies to loosen them, then let the brownies cool completely in the pan before cutting and serving.