This smoked pepper and eggplant relish, known as ajvar (pronounced EYE-vahr) is a salsa-like staple in southeast European countries including Croatia, Serbia, and Turkey. There are several styles of ajvar, some using red and others using green peppers. Some recipes simply chop and boil the vegetables, while others roast the peppers to bring out spectacular flavor. This recipe uses roasted sweet… …click to read more…
This grilled and pickled eggplant is spicy and well flavored with ginger, garlic, and spices typically used in Indian cooking: cumin, mustard, fenugreek, and turmeric. I find the flavors quite addicting. This eggplant pickle makes a delicious accompaniment to chicken or lamb dishes, or alongside a vegetarian meal of grains and vegetables. If you have no eggplant, use any firm zucchini or… …click to read more…
If you love crunchy pickles, be sure to try this recipe for Half-Sour Pickles, which are extra crisp, refreshing, and not too salty. So why are they called “half sour”? To make pickles by the traditional method, a weak brine of about 6% is used and the cucumbers are allowed to fully ferment, a process that takes 1 to-4 weeks.… …click to read more…
Pickled peppers have a multitude of uses. Pickled pepper rings can go on sandwiches, burgers, and tacos. Sprinkle them over salads or chop them with onion and add to mayonnaise for a quick tartar sauce. Serve them with vegetarian meals (such as rice and beans) to add interest to grain dishes. Or serve them with smoked fish or cheese on… …click to read more…
Once you’ve eaten dried melon, you may be inclined to agree with Marco Polo that it is “sweet as honey”. When you dry slices of watermelon, cantaloupe, honeydew or other melons, the flavors intensify. It certainly tastes better than any candy I’ve ever had. White or light green melon flesh may turn slightly brown when dried, especially if sliced thin and… …click to read more…
Canning relish recipes are a great way to preserve a variety of vegetables at the end of the season. From one basic relish recipe, you can create two different relishes, one red and spicy, the other green and zesty. Tip: Before you harvest or buy the fresh produce for any canning project, check that you have all of the required… …click to read more…
To preserve fruits and vegetables at their peak, it helps to understand the difference between maturity and ripeness. Maturity means the produce will ripen and become ready to eat after you pick it. Ripeness occurs when the color, flavor, and texture is fully developed. Once it is fully ripe, fresh produce begins the inevitable and declining spoilage process. Here’s a… …click to read more…
Clostridium botulinum is a common, everyday bacterium found in soil and on food. Only under certain conditions does it become harmful. In the absence of air, such as in canned foods, C. botulinum may produce botulin, the toxin that causes botulism poisoning. Historical perspective on botulism poisoning A century ago, botulism poisoning was a problem in improperly processed foods canned at… …click to read more…
A rumtopf is a German tradition that layers fruit with rum and sugar. The traditional recipe uses a mixture of fruit, beginning with berries and cherries in spring or early summer and ending with stone fruits like peaches and apricots in early fall. Left to marinate until December, the rumtopf is consumed during the Christmas and New Year holidays. This… …click to read more…
When canning tomatoes safely at home, be sure to use tested canning recipes that add citric acid, vinegar or lemon juice. Tomatoes are a medium-acid food with a pH in the range of 4.5–5.2. You must use a tested canning recipe that has determined the amount of acid to add in order to increase the acidity by lowering the pH… …click to read more…
