Category Archives: Vegetarian

January 3, 2012 · 5:23 pm

Concord Grape Jelly

Two years ago I packed up my belongings and moved out.  I said farewell to a mushroom-growing dirt basement floor, 250 year-old drafty peg windows, and a glorious concord grapevine.  I never realized just how much I would miss those grapes!

While strolling though my favorite farmers’ market last September, I came across a stand that had fresh, locally grown concord grapes.  Knowing just how amazing homemade grape jelly is (it is the only jelly I will eat) I had to buy them!  Besides, if my brother found out I passed up an opportunity to make his all-time favorite jelly, I’d probably never see my niece again!!

Concord Grape Jelly – yields 7 half-pints

5-1/2 cups grape juice.  A good rule-of-thumb is one pound of grapes will yield one cup of juice.

3-1/2 cups granulated sugar

2 cups water

3 Tbsp low-sugar flex batch pectin

Place washed, de-stemmed grapes into a stainless-steel pot with 2 cups of water and bring to a boil.  Here is a little insider tip: freeze the grapes before making your jelly.  Why you ask?  When you freeze fruit it breaks their cell structure, which aids in releasing juice.  This is also a good way to store in-season fruit for jam/jelly making later in the season, which is what I did.  Once the grapes have begun to boil reduce the heat, cover, and simmer for 10-15 minutes.  While the grapes are cooking I gently mash them with a potato masher.

When your grapes have finished simmering, carefully pour them into a jelly bag and allow the juice to drip into a large bowl.  It may take several hours for all 5-1/2 cups to be extracted.  Should you find yourself becoming impatient, you can speed the process along by gently squeezing the bag; however, this will most likely result in a cloudy jelly.  Place the juice on the stove over med-high heat.  Mix 1/4 cup of the sugar with the pectin and add it to the juice; bring the jelly mixture to a hard boil.  Add the remaining sugar, stir, and boil hard for one minute.  Ladle jelly into hot, sterilized half-pint jars, wipe rims and adjust two-piece lids to fingertip-tight.  Process in a boiling-water bath for 10 minutes.  Allow jars to cool, undisturbed, on a wire rack for 12-24 hours.

Images and content copyright © 2009-2012 Danielle R Limoge.

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December 14, 2011 · 1:49 pm

White Grape Tea-Infused Peach Jelly

When peaches were plentiful I canned them by the bushel!  Then, I started making spicy salsas and boozy jams.  I even puréed them into various fruit butters.  Eventually, only a few were remaining, and that was when I realized I had yet to make them into jelly.  Ever.

Typically, my jelly making adventures remain boring and predictable; I stick with grape.  If it weren’t for having a glorious grape-vine in the backyard of my last house, I probably would have never made jelly at all.  Honestly, I’m just not a fan.  I prefer spreading chunks of fruit on my toast, not congealed fruit juice.  But I will admit, homemade grape jelly from homegrown concord grapes is amazing.  Like really amazing!

One of the blogs I closely follow is Food in Jars.  Marisa is a wealth of knowledge and her recipes are inspiring!  The Food in Jars cookbook will be available Spring of 2012, and I can’t wait to flip through those delicious pages!  Marisa also offers canning classes at the Indy Hall kitchen, in Philly, which is a hop-skip-and-a-jump from me!  Early last Fall, I came across a post for tea-infused peach jelly.  It just so happened that I had a handful of white peaches in need of preserving!

White Grape Tea-Infused Peach Jelly

2 cups sugar

2 cups water

3 bags White Grape tea

4 large peaches, sliced

2 tbsp flex-batch pectin

In a large pot, simmer sugar and water; stir frequently ’til the sugar has dissolved.  Add tea bags and continue simmering for an additional 5 minutes.  **Marisa used 5 tea bags in her jelly.  Since the tea I selected is quite flavorful, I did not want it to overpower the peaches, so I used three.

Add sliced peaches and simmer for another 10 minutes.  It is a good idea to taste the mixture regularly so you can monitor flavor intensity.  Once the flavors have melded to your satisfaction, strain the mixture through a jelly bag or fine mesh sieve.  Gently press down on the peaches to remove as much juice as possible.

Place the fruit syrup back into the pot and add pectin.  Bring to a hard boil and continue boiling ’til the jelly liquid reaches approximately 220°F.

Remove pot from heat and ladle into hot, sterilized jars.  Wipe rims, adjust two-piece lids to fingertip-tight, and process in a boiling-water canner for 10 minutes.

Allow jars to cool, undisturbed, on a wire rack for 12-24 hours.  Test seals and any jars that did not set should be placed in the fridge and used within a week.  Store sealed jars in a cool, dark, dry place for up to a year.

Recipe yields two 1/2 pint jars and one 1/4 pint jar.

Images and content copyright © 2009-2011 Danielle R Limoge. Recipe adapted from Food in Jars.

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December 1, 2011 · 1:50 pm

Malibu Peach Jam

I miss Summer.  Like, really miss Summer.  I long for the days of sun-kissed skin and endless sunshine.  The blissful aroma of lavender and chamomile wafting through the air.  I want to chase butterflies and dig in the dirt.

When blustery winds and afternoon darkness wreak havoc on my serotonin levels, I turn to my canning pantry for comfort.  Hidden behind those double doors is a cornucopia of Summer’s bounty preserved in jars.  I’m  not sure why, but nothing radiates warm weather and sunshine like peaches and coconut.  They’re truly mascots of Summer!

Malibu Peach Jam – yields 7 half-pints

4 cups peaches, peeled

3 cups of sugar

2 Tbsp lemon juice

1/4 cup Malibu rum

Blanch peaches to remove skins.  Discard pits and mash fruit; add sugar and lemon juice.  Over med-low heat, cook mixture ’til sugar is dissolved; continue cooking for 10-12 minutes.  You can test the doneness of your jam by conducting a gelling test.

Once the jam is done, remove it from the heat and carefully stir in your liqueur.  Ladle into hot, sterilized jars, leaving 1/4″ headspace, and process in a boiling-water bath according to your recommended altitude time.  For me it’s 5 minutes.  It may take about two weeks for your jam to reach a firm set.

Images and content copyright © 2009-2011 Danielle R Limoge.

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November 27, 2011 · 9:24 am

Strawberry Maple Banana Bread

I’m always looking for new ways to use what I’ve preserved, especially when it comes to fruit spreads!  Cookies made with jam are nothing new for me, but bread-baked preserves were something I’ve yet to try!

Strawberry Maple Banana Bread

1 cup all-purpose flour

1 cup whole wheat flour

1/4 cup strawberry jam

1/4 cup butter, softened

1/2 cup maple syrup

1 flax egg

2 ripe bananas, mashed

1/2 tsp almond extract

1 tsp baking soda

1/2 tsp baking powder

1/2 tsp salt

1/2 cup chopped walnuts, toasted

Preheat oven to 350°F degrees.  Grease a loaf pan and set aside.  Over medium heat, toast walnuts ’til warm and fragrant, about 2 minutes.  Be sure to keep the nuts moving so they do not burn.  Set walnuts aside.

In a large bowl, combine jam, butter, flax egg, maple syrup, and almond extract.  Add mashed bananas, stir thoroughly.

In a small bowl, sift together both flours, baking soda, baking powder, and salt.

Slowly begin adding the dry ingredients to the wet ingredients, mixing well each time.  Stir in toasted walnuts.

Pour batter into greased loaf pan and bake for 50-55 minutes.  Allow bread to sit for 5 minutes before removing from pan, then transfer to a wire rack to cool completely.

Images and content copyright © 2009-2011 Danielle R Limoge. Recipe adapted from Food in Jars.

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November 25, 2011 · 10:46 am

Vanilla Pear Jam

Over the Labor Day holiday I took a roadtrip with my mom, this also happens to be the same trip where I acquired Harvest.  While out and about we stopped at several local orchards to pick up an assortment of apples, pears, and peaches.  My original plan was to make an apple-pear sauce, then I found the following recipe by Marisa, from Food in Jars!

Vanilla Pear Jam – yields seven half-pints

8 cups chopped pears, I used red bartlett  (there is no need to peel thin-skinned pears)

2 vanilla beans, split lengthwise

4 cups sugar

1 packet liquid pectin

In a large pot, combine pears, sugar, vanilla seeds, and beans; cook over medium heat until the pears are soft enough to be mashed with the backside of a wooden spoon.  Remove the vanilla beans and mash with a potato masher.  You can also use an immersion blender, just be careful to not purée the jam, unless that is the desired consistency you want to achieve.  I like my jam to have pieces of fruit in it!

Add the liquid pectin and bring to a boil, cook for 5 minutes to activate the pectin.

Ladle hot jam into hot, sterilized, half-pint jars; wipe rims and adjust two-piece lids to fingertip-tight.  Process in a boiling-water canner for 10 minutes.  Remove jars from canner and allow to cool, undisturbed, on a wire rack for 12-24 hours.  Check seals (refrigerate any that did not set) and store in a cool, dry, dark place, for up to a year.

Images and content copyright © 2009-2011 Danielle R Limoge.

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November 18, 2011 · 12:57 pm

Cherry Vanilla Bean Jam

I’m guilty of having a draft box full of unfinished posts.  There are times during the year where I have too much going on to sit down and write!  Other times, I’m just too darn tired!  And it’s usually the latter! ;)   Now that the crush-window of my harvest preservation has passed, I’ve found myself reviewing those neglected (but not forgotten) posts.

I try to keep my posts as seasonally appropriate as possible.  Since it is Spring in Australia, cherries will soon be in season.  Forever the optimist, it’s always Summer somewhere!

Cherry Vanilla Bean Jam - yields approximately 5 half-pints

4 cups pitted cherries (I use and prefer sour cherries, but sweet will work just the same.)

1-1/2 cups granulated sugar, divided

1 cup cherry juice

1/4 cup bottled lemon juice **only if you are using sweet cherries**

2 Madagascar vanilla beans

1 tsp pure almond extract

3 Tbsp flex-batch pectin

Pit cherries over a bowl to catch all that wonderfully delicious juice!  If you want to prevent oxidation where the pit was removed, sprinkle on a bit of Fruit Fresh.

Place pitted cherries in a food processor and pulse several times to chop them up; do not purée them.  I first tried to mash them with a potato masher, but found that method to work best with softer fruits, like strawberries and peaches.

Split vanilla beans lengthwise and scrape out the seeds.  In a large stainless steel sauce pot, combine cherries, cherry juice, lemon juice if using sweet cherries, and vanilla seeds.  Reserve 1/4 cup sugar to mix with the pectin (this helps to prevent pectin from clumping when added to the hot fruit), add the remaining 1-1/4 cups to the fruit mixture and stir well.  Bring to a boil over medium heat; stir in almond extract.  Add sugar-pectin mix to fruit and stir to incorporate.  Bring jam to a hard boil, one that cannot be stirred away, and cook for one minute.  Ladle hot jam into hot, sterilized half-pint jars; wipe rims, adjust 2-piece lids to fingertip-tight and process in a boiling-water canner for 15 minutes.  Remove jars and allow to cool, undisturbed, on a wire rack for 12-24 hours.  Check seals, remove rings, and store in a cool, dry place for one year.

Be sure to give this jam a good stir before using, since most of the vanilla seeds tend to settle on the bottom of the jar!

Images and content copyright © 2009-2011 Danielle R Limoge.

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November 12, 2011 · 4:32 pm

Spicy Quince Apple Chutney

Early October I paid a visit to Nissleys, a favorite local vineyard.  While taking the self-guided tour of the grounds and winery, I ended up getting into a conversation with one of the horticulturists; it was bound to happen, he was wearing a tie-dye shirt and I had on a patchwork skirt.  We talked about stink bugs, a new species of fruit fly, and of course, food preservation.  Turns out he knew a jam guru that puts up thousands of jars a year.  Wow!  While trading insider tips, we ended up on the subject of quince.  I had never seen a quince, let alone worked with one, but it just so happened they were about to go into season!

Quince are a green fruit with a flavor combination similar to an apple and a pear.

Ten minutes after arriving home I was on the phone with my local orchards.  Jack pot!  Cherry Hill had them and they would be ready for harvest in about a week.  This gave me plenty of time for a bit of recipe research!

Spicy Quince Apple Chutney

2 lbs quince, peeled, cored, and chopped into 1″ pieces.  THAT was the biggest pain in my a$$!  Of course, the very next day I happened upon this tutorial.  Thank you Murphy.  You and your law can suck it!  :/

4 lbs tart cooking apples, peeled, cored, and chopped  (I used a mix of Winesap and Honey Crisp.)

3/4 cup water

3 Tbsp grapeseed oil

2 Tbsp mustard seeds

2 Tbsp cracked black pepper  (I used whole peppercorns and my mortar and pestle for this task.)

1 Tbsp fenugreek seeds

1 Tbsp ground cumin

1 Tsp turmeric

half bulb of garlic, minced

3″ piece of ginger, grated

5 Chinese 5-color peppers, seeded and minced  (They are a very small, hot pepper I grew this year.)

2 purple beauty peppers, seeded and chopped

2 cups cider vinegar

1 Tbsp pickling salt

2-1/3 cups light brown sugar

Place quince and water into a medium pot and bring to a simmer; cook covered until soft.  This took me about 40 minutes, but may take as little as 20 minutes or as long as 90, so don’t wonder too far!  Strain and set aside.

While your quince are cooking, begin to prep your remaining ingredients.  Once your ginger is grated, garlic is minced, etc, add the oil to a large sauce pot and turn the heat to med.  Add the mustard seeds and cook ’til they begin to pop.  Add the remaining spices (except for the salt) and stir constantly for 2 minutes.  Important PSA: Keep your face AWAY from the spicy steam unless you enjoy lung-burning, tear-induced, coughing fits, that hinder one’s ability to to breathe for the next 2 minutes.  I’m just sayin’.

Add garlic, ginger, and peppers, cook for another 2 minutes.  Stir in the apples and mix well, then add the vinegar, sugar, salt, and quince.

Stir the chutney, combining all the ingredients until the sugar has dissolved.  Bring mixture to a simmer and cook uncovered for about 2 hours, stirring occasionally.  If your chutney is thickening too fast, add a bit of water.

When you have about 30 minutes remaining on your chutney, begin preparing your jars.  Keep hot, sterilized jars in a warm oven (200°F) until you are ready to ladle in your chutney, leaving 1/2″ headspace.  Remove air bubbles, add two-piece adjustable lids to fingertip-tight, and process in a boiling-water canner for 10 minutes, or for your recommended altitude processing time.

H2H’s recipe yielded her 8 half-pints, I ended up with 14!  I did not change any quantities; however, I used an apple peeler which resulted in a less chunky 4 lbs of apples.  The end result was delicious and I’ve been enjoying it paired up with pan-fried crispy tofu!!

Images and content copyright © 2009-2011 Danielle R Limoge. Recipe adapted from Hitchhiking to Heaven.

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October 27, 2011 · 2:05 pm

Eggplant Marinara

The end is near.  Tonight’s forecast is calling for freezing temperatures.  This makes me sad.  Very, very sad.  The only silver lining is the sweet anticipation of those soon-to-be-arriving 2012 seed catalogs.

Knowing my summer-loving nightshade vegetables will not survive after tonight’s freeze,  I began harvesting all the remaining peppers, eggplants and tomatoes.  (I only had one tomato since late blight and flooding really took a toll on my garden this year.)  Now, what does one do will all those veggies?  Why one makes eggplant marinara of course!

Eggplant Marinara - yields approximately 4 quarts of sauce

5 ping tung eggplants, sliced into 1″ rounds, about 2 pounds

4 purple beauty peppers, chopped - these are a smaller variety, so 2 medium peppers will work just as well.

1 onion, chopped

4 large cloves of garlic, sliced

1 qt canned tomatoes, I used my Amish paste

1 qt tomato sauce, you can substitute a 29 oz can of tomato sauce if you don’t can your own

6 oz tomato paste

1/3 cup brown sugar

several sprigs fresh oregano, chopped

a handful fresh basil, chopped

1 cup red wine

1 tbsp fresh-ground pepper corns

2 tbsp salt

olive oil

In a large sauce pot, heat olive oil over medium heat; sauté onion and garlic ’til onion is translucent, 3-5 minutes.  Add canned tomatoes (along with their liquid), peppers, eggplant, tomato sauce, tomato paste, brown sugar, wine, basil, oregano, salt, and pepper.  Bring to a boil, then reduce heat, cover and simmer for 30 minutes.

Remove from heat and allow to cool a bit before puréeing with an immersion blender.  Ladle into quart containers and freeze.

I really enjoy this sauce on a bed of freshly made pasta, rice, or lentils.

Images and content copyright © 2009-2011 Danielle R Limoge.

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October 22, 2011 · 7:18 am

Vanilla-Maple Applesauce

Typically, when it comes to applesauce, I’m a no-frills kinda gal.  I cook a blend of apples, send them through the food mill, and then into the canner they go.  No sugar.  No spices.  Just delicious, naked apples, sweetened by Mother Nature.  What can I say, I like my applesauce to taste like, well, apples.

This year, in keeping with tradition, I made a batch of plain-jane applesauce.  Then, I made a batch of knock-your-socks-off awesomesause.  Yes, you read that right, awesomesauce.  It. Is. Dessert. Worthy.

Vanilla-Maple Applesauce

20 apples, I used Honeycrisp and Rambo

1/2 cup sugar

1/4 cup maple syrup

4 tbsp vanilla extract

1 Madagascar vanilla bean

1/4 cup lemon juice

Core unpeeled apples and place them in a large stainless steel pot with about an inch of water.  Cook apples over med-high heat (stirring often) ’til apples are soft, about 20 minutes.  Run cooked apples through a food mill to remove skins.  Return sauce to a clean pot.  If you want unsweetened applesauce, it is at this time you will ladle into hot, clean jars and process in a boiling-water bath: 15 minutes for pints and 20 minutes for quarts.  If you have a mix of jar sizes, process them all for the longest time.

Split vanilla bean lengthwise; using the back of your knife, scrape out the seeds.  Add seeds and vanilla bean to the applesauce along with vanilla extract and gently simmer on med-low heat for 15 minutes.  Stir often.  Add sugar, maple syrup, and lemon juice, cook an additional 10 minutes.  Remove vanilla bean and ladle applesauce into hot, clean jars and process in a boiling-water bath for 20 minutes.  Yields 7 pints.

Images and content copyright © 2009-2011 Danielle R Limoge. Recipe adapted from Tigress in a Jam and Toronto Tasting Notes.

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October 15, 2011 · 1:37 pm

Slow-Cooker Seitan

Seitan (pronounced say-tan), also known as “wheat meat” or “wheat gluten” is an excellent source of protein.  Although not as well-known as tofu, seitan’s popularity is quickly on the rise due to its ability to take on both the taste and texture of meat.  There are many ways to prepare, flavor, and cook seitan; honestly, I don’t think I’ve ever made it the same way twice!  My new favorite is the crock pot method!  Not only is this a “fix and forget” recipe, but it also produces the best “meat” texture due to a long, slow simmer!  Boiled seitan (when I make it) tends to produce a spongy texture, which I have a hard time swallowing since it makes my teeth squeak.  Those with an aversion to textures know what I am talking about!  It makes me squirmy just thinking about it!

Slow-Cooker Seitan with Spicy Green Beans, and Homemade Mashed Potatoes

for the seitan

2 cups wheat gluten

1/3 cup nutritional yeast

2 tbsp tahini paste

1/2 tsp crushed black pepper

1-1/2 cups vegetable stock

for the simmering liquid

7 cups vegetable stock

2-1/2 tsp crushed black pepper

2 tsp dried thyme

2 tbsp vegetarian Worcestershire sauce

1  6 oz can of tomato paste

1 large onion, sliced

2 cloves of garlic, minced

for gravy

2 tbsp butter

2 tbsp flour

for the breading

Panko seasoned breadcrumbs

cornstarch or arrowroot powder

water

To make the seitan, using a medium bowl, whisk together dry ingredients; in a small bowl, whisk together wet ingredients.  Add wet to dry and mix until a stiff dough forms.  Knead for several minutes until dough becomes elastic.  Set aside so dough may rest.

Place all simmering ingredients into the crock pot, stir well, then set the temperature to high.

Cut seitan into two equal portions and place in the slow-cooker.  Go do something else for 5 hours while the seitan cooks.  After 5 hours have passed, remove one (or both) portion(s) and slice.

Heat oven to 375°F.  Pour some breadcrumbs on a plate, and in a small bowl make a slurry with the cornstarch and water.  Dip seitan cutlets into the cornstarch mix, then on the breadcrumbs, coating each side.  Transfer breaded cutlets on a parchment-lined baking sheet.  Once all the cutlets are laid out on the baking sheet, spray them with a bit of olive oil.  Bake for 30 minutes, flipping halfway, spraying again with olive oil.

for the mashed potatoes

3 large potatoes, unpeeled and cut into 1″ cubes (this yielded 4 servings)

milk

butter

water

salted garlic scapes

fresh ground pepper

When the seitan goes into the oven, place your chopped potatoes in a med-large pot and cover with several inches of water.  Bring to a boil, then reduce to a steady simmer, cooking for 20 minutes.  Drain potatoes and place back into the pot.  Mash potatoes with a potato masher and add several tbsp of butter.  I probably used three; add enough milk to make them creamy.  I didn’t measure, so if I had to guess, maybe 3/4 cup?  Add salted herbs and pepper to taste.

for the gravy

When your potatoes are simmering, ladle 2-1/2 cups simmering liquid into a large sauté pan.  Try to scoop up as many onions as possible.  Bring to a steady simmer and cook for 10-15 minutes to reduce a bit, transfer to a heat-safe bowl.  In the same pan, melt 2 tbsp butter and stir in the 2 tbsp flour.  Return the reduced liquid back to the pan and stir well until thickened.

for the spicy green beans

green beans (trim ends)

olive oil

1 clove of garlic, minced

a handful of chopped walnuts

hot pepper flakes

smoked paprika

salt to taste

This will be the last thing you make because it takes literally 3 minutes.  Place green beans and garlic in a hot (but not too hot) pan with a bit of olive oil.  Keep them moving so they do not burn.  After about a minute add walnuts; sprinkle on paprika, pepper flakes, and salt.  Cook for an additional 1-2 minutes, or until green beans are crisp-tender.

If you cooked only one of the seitan portions (which is what I did) the other one should be refrigerated in the remaining simmering liquid.  Cook within 4 days.

Images and content copyright © 2009-2011 Danielle R Limoge. Recipe adapted from the Vegalicious Family Kitchen.

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