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Preserving Recipes

Preserving Recipes/ Winter

Let’s Celebrate

It is the season for celebration. And that means great food and indulgences! A big part of preserving is using what you make in recipes. This is my favourite Christmas holiday cake. It is beautiful, delicious, flexible, naturally gluten-free, and a crowd-pleaser.

Celebrate the season with special gifts from the pantry and desserts that are vehicles for using your own preserves. Merry Christmas to those who celebrate and Happy Holidays to all.

preservingwithmartha@gmail.com

www.thevalleypreservery.ca

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Celebration Cake - Genoise: (the cake) & Whipped Cream Filling

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Ingredients

  • 5 cups nuts (hazelnuts, almonds, walnuts, pistachios). I am using locally grown hazelnuts toasted in a 350-degree oven for 10 minutes, cooled and skins removed. In a food processor, chop the nuts with 6-8 pulses, adding ¼ cup sugar as you go. Place mixture into a bowl.
  • Separate 5 eggs. Whisk together the yolks and ¼ cup sugar. Add yolk mixture to the nut mixture.
  • Whip the egg whites until stiff, adding a ¼ cup sugar gradually. Add about ¼ of the whites to the nut mixture to lighten. Then gently fold in the whites until mixed.
  • Pour the batter into a rimmed cookie sheet lined with parchment that has a light sprinkling of flour or corn starch. Spread evenly across the cookie sheet.
  • Bake in a 350 oven for 15 to 20 minutes until lightly browned. Remove from the oven and cool. Sprinkle cake with 1 TBSP icing sugar. Let it cool completely. Lightly cover the cake with 1 TBSP icing sugar. Place a tea towel over top and flip it. Gently remove parchment.
  •     
  • Whipped Cream Filling - Beat 1 cup whipping cream, adding in 1 TBSP icing sugar and 1 TBSP liqueur (I used Grand Marnier but Frangelico would be great)
  • Spread the whipped cream across the cake keeping some for decorating later.
  • With the cake lying horizontally, cut the cake into 2-inch strips. Take each slice, cut side down, and wrap it around itself like making a cinnamon roll. Follow with each slice making a progressively larger snail-like pattern.
  • Decorate the top with canned and/or fresh fruit. Drain canned fruit very well. I add my canned pears and fresh fruit.
  • Glaze the fruit to keep it beautifully shiny and fresh. I use my apple jelly as a glaze for many things. Just melt a TBSP and brush on the fruit.
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Preserving Recipes/ Winter

Gravlax: A Holiday Treat

The holidays generally bring people together to celebrate. What could be more special than preparing Gravlax for such an occasion? Gravlax is a Scandinavian method of curing salmon (lax) using salt, sugar, and a generous dose of herbs, often dill. “Grava” means ‘to bury’ which is exactly what is done with the salmon. This ancient method of food preservation has been recorded since the 14th century.

People often wonder what the difference is between gravlax, lox, smoked salmon, and Nova. Lox, is a Yiddish word for salmon and is a method of curing using salt alone which contrasts to the salt/sugar cure of gravlax. Smoked salmon is smoked either hot or cold depending on the desired texture. Hot smoked salmon is drier and flakier than cold smoked. And Nova, refers to salmon from Nova Scotia that is first cured and then smoked. Let’s face it, all forms of preserved salmon or other fish makes for a wonderful and nutritious treat.

Gravlax is very simple to make. The gravading process of curing makes for a dense, silky texture to the salmon and while doing so increases the amino acid content by 5% boosting the incredible health benefits of the fish. The curing extends the shelf life of the fish. If the cured fish is vacuum packed and frozen, it will be good for several months. Thaw in the fridge. Frozen salmon can be used to prepare gravlax but if you use frozen fish, don’t refreeze it after curing.

Holidays and parties are heading our way. Try gravlax as a treat for the family or friends.

preservingwithmartha@gmail.com

www.thevalleypreservery.ca

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Gravlax (adapted from Test Kitchens of America)

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Ingredients

  • 1 lb centre cut Grade A salmon, the fattier the better, skin on
  • 1/3 cup light brown sugar
  • ¼ cup Kosher salt
  • A large bunch of dill coarsely chopped
  • 1 tbsp vodka, gin, bourbon, or brandy

Instructions

1

Mix salt and sugar in a bowl. Chop dill and set aside. Remove any pin bones from the salmon and place it, skin down in a glass baking pan. Rub the fish with the alcohol (this is optional but adds to flavour and hold the salt/sugar better). Put the salt and sugar mixture on top of salmon, burying it. Cover with the dill. Place plastic wrap on top. Put a smaller pan on top with a weight. I used a large jar of dried beans, but you could use cans of tomatoes or an unopened bottle of oil or vinegar. The point is to weigh the fish down. Place in the fridge.

2

For each of the next three days, remove the weights and plastic wrap. Ladle the liquid over the fish. Put the plastic wrap back on and weigh the fish down.

3

The fish is then cured. Scrape off the excess dill and/or salt remaining on the fish. Some people like to wash the fish to remove any salty taste but that is a personal choice. Slice the salmon on an extreme bias, cutting it a thinly as possible. The fish will last for up to week in the fridge.

4

Serving gravlax: Traditional dark bread or pumpernickel, with a dollop of crème fraiche or sour cream, slices of salmon, radish, cucumber, chopped chives and there you have it!

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Preserving Know-how/ Preserving Recipes/ Winter

Fruit Butters: History, Methods and Uses

Fruit butters are creamy, slow cooked fruit pulp combined with sugar or cider that turns dark and thick due to caramelization. Think about what would happen to apple sauce if you cooked it long and slow for hours and then you will have a sense of apple butter. Many fruits can be used for butter like peaches, grapes, quince, or strawberries, but generally fruit butters are made with Fall fruit like apples, pears, or plums.

Fruit butters were believed to have been introduced to North America by the Pennsylvania Dutch who settled in Pennsylvania and Ontario as early as the 1600s. Despite the name, these folks were not Dutch but of German-speaking countries like Switzerland, Germany, and Belgium. References to fruit butter making are recorded in Canada and the US around the mid 1800s. In the early days, large copper pots were put over a fire beginning with cider which was cooked until it was reduced to a third of the volume. Then apples were added and slow cooked for 12-15 hours. It was a family affair, with each person taking a turn at stirring the pot with a large wooden paddle to prevent scorching.  The purpose of the enterprise, of course, was to preserve fruit for the winter season.

There are many modern recipes for fruit butter. According to Oregon State University extension, any amount of fruit can be used. The basic process is:

  1. Wash, peel, and core fruit. Chop.
  2. Place in Dutch oven or large heavy bottom pot and add water or cider to just cover fruit. Bring to a boil, reduce to a simmer, and cook stirring frequently until the fruit is very soft. If desired, add spice to the cooking liquid like star anise, cinnamon, or cloves. For pear butter, you can use orange juice and zest as the cooking liquid instead of cider.
  3. Run the soft fruit through a food mill or fine sieve to obtain pulp.
  4. For each cup of pulp, add ½ cup of sugar.
  5. There are two options for cooking the pulp: One, is stove-top on low heat constantly stirring. The other is to cook the pulp in the oven at 275 degrees for about 3 hours stirring occasionally. Use a pan lined with parchment or foil.
  6. Check for doneness: The pulp will become dark and very creamy. Remove a teaspoon and put it on a cool plate. If no liquid appears around the edges of the pulp, it is done.
  7. The butters may be frozen but for long-term storage, process 250 ml jars in a water bath or steam canner for 10minutes adjusting for altitude. Rest for 5 minutes before removing from the canner.

Fruit butters are spreads that can be used like jam. They are also great as fillings between cake layers or sandwich cookies. For low-fat baked goods, use fruit butter to replace the fat in the recipe. As was historically the case, fruit butters provide an intensely flavoured spread, preserving autumn’s bounty for the winter months.

preservingwithmartha@gmail.com

www.thevalleypreservery.ca

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Fall/ Preserving Recipes

Carrot and Parsnip Soup with Cumin & Thyme

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Carrot and Parsnip Soup with Cumin & Thyme

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This soup freezes very well. It is creamy but made without cream. The vinegar is important in this recipe to achieve balance as the root vegetables are sweet. This is a wonderful Fall or Winter soup.

Ingredients

  • 1 lb carrots, trimmed, peeled, and chopped
  • 1 lb parsnips, trimmed, peeled, and chopped
  • 2 litres vegetable broth
  • 2 TBSP olive oil
  • 1 large onion, peeled and diced
  • 1 clove garlic, grated using a micro plane or finely chopped
  • ¼ tsp hot chilli flakes
  • 1TBSP fresh thyme or 1 tsp dried
  • 1.5 tsp cumin
  • ¼ cup apple cider vinegar
  • Salt and pepper to taste

Instructions

1

In a Dutch oven or heavy bottomed pot, heat olive oil over medium heat. Sauté onions stirring until translucent and soft, about 10 minutes. Stir in garlic and hot pepper flakes and stir one minute. Add the carrots, parsnips, and broth. Bring to a boil, reduce heat and simmer until vegetables are soft – about 25 minutes. Stir in cumin and thyme. Add in vinegar and stir. Adjust seasoning by adding salt and fresh ground pepper.

2

To serve: Place the soup in a bowl. Add a dollop of sour cream, crème fraiche and a sprinkle of chopped fresh thyme

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Fall/ Preserving Recipes

Trending This Thanksgiving – Cranberry Apple Pear Relish

Cranberry Apple Pear Relish

Thanksgiving in Canada is said to have been inspired by Fist Nations people giving thanks to The Mother for crops, game and all the Earth provides. Modern Canadian Thanksgiving was first celebrated 43 years before American Thanksgiving according to historian Alison Nagy. In the late 1500’s and early 1600s, French settlers and Mi’kmaq held feasts of thanksgiving which is where the Mi’kmaq introduced the French to cranberries as “les petites rouges”. Since then, cranberries have played a central role in our holiday traditions.

Cranberry sauce and jelly have been around for decades, first being canned by Mr. Urann in 1912 under his company name “Ocean Spray Preserving Company”. Today Ocean Spray sells 70 million cans of cranberry sauce! Pretty amazing given how easy it is to make!

Last year I profiled a wonderful cranberry sauce recipe from Canadian Living which uses apple juice to help with the sweetness reducing the sugar. I love this recipe and will make again this year. Having cranberry sauce in the pantry is handy year-round. It’s great with turkey, chicken, vegetable casseroles, pot pies, sandwiches, and even mixed with mustard for a fondue dip. But what’s trending this year?

In the recent edition of Cook’s Illustrated magazine, they focused on cranberry relish as an alternative to traditional cranberry sauce. Their recipe used raw cranberries with oranges or clementines. For long-term storage, I found this flavourful recipe by Topp & Howard for cranberry, apple, and pear relish with a hint of orange. It is excellent.

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Cranberry Apple Pear Relish

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Serves: 5-6 250ml jars

This relish is a lovely compliment to turkey, but it is also good for glazing oven roasted carrots or parsnips. I’ve used it to top baked sweet potato rounds as an appetizer. Get trending this holiday and try cranberry relish instead of, or in addition to cranberry sauce!

Ingredients

  • 3 cups fresh or frozen cranberries
  • 3 apples, peeled, cored, and chopped
  • 2 pears, peeled, cored, and chopped
  • 1.5 cups golden raisins
  • 2 cups granulated sugar
  • 1 cup orange juice
  • 2 TBSP grated orange rind
  • 2 tsp cinnamon & ¼ tsp nutmeg
  • ½ orange liqueur (optional)

Instructions

1

In a Dutch oven, combine fruits, raisins, sugar, orange juice & rind, cinnamon, and nutmeg.

2

Bring to a boil.

3

Reduce heat and boil gently for about 25 – 30 minutes, stirring occasionally, until the mixture thickens.

4

Remove from heat and stir in liqueur if using.

5

Ladle into hot 250ml jars leaving a ½ headspace.

6

Remove air bubbles and adjust headspace.

7

Apply lids and rings to clean rims and tighten to “finger-tip” tight.

8

Process in a boiling water bath or atmospheric steam canner for 10 for 250ml jars and 15 minutes for 500ml jars, adjusting for altitude.

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Fall/ Preserving Recipes

All Mixed Up! Antipasto Pickles

Antipasto Pickles (Canadian Living)

The end of summer means the garden and vegetable stands are overflowing with produce! It is the perfect time of year to gather together those vegetables and get pickling. Mixed pickles are fabulous as an accompaniment or added to a salad in the winter months when veggies are expensive and of lower quality. Mixed pickles are my favorite. They are beautiful, useful, and always remind us during the dark days that the garden will again renew its colourful bounty.

I have made many recipes for mixed vegetables. Hot Mixed Pickles, Mustard Pickles, Jardiniere (Bernardin). The only Bernardin recipe I didn’t like was one for the “End of Garden” pickle. The flavour was fine but the use of brown sugar as a sweetener darkened the brine to a muddy brown colour which was visually unappealing. I have made countless batches of Topp & Howard’s “Winter Pickle”. What I particularly like about this recipe is they provide specific quantities of vegetables but, in a note, they say to use whatever vegetables you like if they are chopped evenly and measure 8 cups. That gives flexibility which is nice. This weekend I tried Canadian Living’s “Antipasto Pickle” and it is lovely. Quite delicate with the mixture of wine and vinegar steeped with a nice flavourful spice mix.

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Antipasto Pickles (Canadian Living)

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Serves: 6 - 500ml jars

Let’s get “mixed up” using the many recipes for mixed vegetables pickles. Whether you like them hot, sweet, unsweet or with a mustard base, all are wonderful additions to the winter pantry.

Ingredients

  • Spice Bag: In cheesecloth tie together:
  • 4 cloves smashed garlic
  • 3 bay leaves
  • 1 TBSP coriander seeds
  • 2 tsp fennel seeds
  • 1 tsp black peppercorns
  • Brine:
  • 2.5 cups white wine vinegar
  • 1.5 cups white wine
  • ¼ cup sugar
  • 4 tsp pickling salt and spice bag.
  • Vegetables:
  • 3 cups cauliflower florets
  • 3 cups peeled and diced eggplant
  • 2.5 cups green beans cut in 1-inch lengths
  • 2 cups chopped onions
  • 2 cups each green and red peppers
  • 1.5 cups chopped carrots
  • 1.5 cups chopped celery
  • 1.5 tsp oregano divided
  • 1 tsp hot pepper flakes divided

Instructions

1

Bring brine to a boil and simmer 5 minutes.

2

Add vegetables and return to the boil cooking 5 minutes to soften.

3

Remove spice bag.

4

In each hot jar, add ¼ tsp oregano and small pinch hot pepper flakes (optional).

5

With slotted spoon ladle vegetables into jars.

6

Use a chopstick or plastic knife to remove air.

7

Ladle brine into each jar leaving ½ inch headspace (Note: for clear brine, strain through a fine sieve before ladling,).

8

Remove bubbles.

9

Clean rims, affix lids and rings to finger-tip tight.

10

Process in a water bath or atmospheric steam canner for 10 minutes and rest for 5 minutes.

11

Transfer to cooling rack and leave undisturbed for 24 hours.

12

Check seals.

Notes

As always, use only recently developed recipes for canning including pickling (within 20 years). Old recipes do not generally have sufficient acidity to be considered safe. Remember the 50-50 rule: For pickling, brine ratios should be 50% vinegar to water. Finally, modern recipes are tested using 5% vinegar. There is no reason to purchase newly marketed “pickling vinegar”.

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Preserving Know-how/ Preserving Recipes/ Summer

Focus on Lavender

Focus on Lavendar

Almost every year I add another lavender plant to my gardens. They are planted everywhere! I simply can’t resist this herb with all its culinary, medicinal, and crafty applications. I dry the blossoms and leaves for sachets that can be tucked under a pillow to aid sleep or scattered in drawers and closets not only for fragrance but also to deter pesky moths. Bath salts made with lavender flowers and essential oil are a wonderful year-round gifts. In fact, the name lavender is derived from the Latin verb “to wash”. Through the centuries, this herb was used in baths to cleanse and purify the body, mind, and soul. Of course, lavender has also been used in cooking both sweet and savoury dishes. Fresh or dried it can be used to flavour salads, custards, drinks, added to cookies or mixed with other herbs to season poultry or meat (Herbes de Provence). Lavender is a beautiful, fragrant perennial herb with countless uses.

I’m always on the lookout for new lavender recipes. Recently I made a wonderful Honey Lavender Jelly (Canadian Living) and a delightful, refreshing Lavender Infused Lemon Spritzer drink (University of Michigan).

Lavender Infused Lemon Spritzer (2 drinks but this recipe is easily expanded)

½ cup water 2 tsp honey

1 TBSP lavender buds (4 sprigs) ¼ cup fresh lemon juice

Sparkling water

In a saucepan stir together lavender, honey and water. Bring to a boil. Turn off heat and steep the mixture for 10 minutes. Strain and cool completely. Add lemon juice and refrigerate. To serve, pour mixture over ice in 2 glasses. Add sparkling water. Garnish with lemon zest or lavender sprig.

preservingwithmartha@gmail.com

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Honey Lavender Jelly (yield 5 cups)

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Ingredients

  • ½ cup dried lavender (unsprayed of course)
  • ¼ cup fresh squeezed lemon juice
  • 1 packet powdered pectin
  • 3.5 cups sugar
  • ½ cup liquid honey

Instructions

1

In a saucepan bring 3.5 cups water to the boil. Stir in lavender and return to boil. Turn off heat and steep for 20 minutes. Strain through a dampened cheesecloth lined sieve (no squeezing!). It should yield 3 cups. It may take up to 2 hours.

2

In a Dutch oven or large pot, bring the lavender infusion, lemon juice and pectin to the boil. Stir often. Once boiling, add in the sugar and stir. Bring back to the boil and boil hard for one minute. Remove from heat and skim if necessary.

3

Fill 1 cup hot Mason jars leaving a ¼ inch headspace. Affix lids and rings and tighten to ‘finger-tip tight’. Process in boiling water or atmospheric steam canner for 10 minutes. Rest for 5 before removing jars. Allow jars to sit undisturbed for 24 hours. Check seals, label, and store.

4

Join the lavender fan club and grow, harvest, cook with and dry this beautiful, fragrant and versatile herb.

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Preserving Know-how/ Preserving Recipes/ Summer

Variations on the Rose

Variations on the Rose

Last summer I made Wild Rose Petal Jelly for the first time and loved the gorgeous colour and floral flavour. When recently making another batch, I started thinking about the history, uses and preservation of the glorious rose.

Roses appeared in drawings dating back to 10,000 BC and were described in Sanskrit writings with recipes for use for complexion, eyewash, and digestive aids. Recent research has confirmed that roses have been shown to not only have lovely fragrance, to also have sedative, antiseptic, anti-inflammatory, digestive and other health benefits.

As food, rose petals and hips have been extensively used throughout history. In Europe today, rose petal jams, jellies, and cordials are common. Tisanes (teas) made with petals or hips are frequently enjoyed. Rose water has long been used as a mild perfume, a skin tonic and as an essential ingredient in Middle Eastern recipes like nougat and Baklava. Adding rose water to puddings, yogurt, drinks, ice cream adds a lovely floral note. Petals added in salads, ice cream, honey or butter are delicious. Candied rose petals are often used for cake decorating. And the list of uses goes on….

If you are using roses for culinary purposes, make sure they are unsprayed, washed and allowed to dry. Let’s explore some variations on the theme of roses.

Drying Rose Petals

Rose petals can be dried in the oven with the door ajar (200 degrees for 3 – 4 hours) or in a dehydrator at 115 for 4-6 hours. The petals can be added to loose tea for a hot drink, mixed into softened butter or a floral butter or added to sugar. Of course, dried rose petals are often used for craft projects.

Rose Petal Tisane

A tisane or tea can be made with 15 petals per mug and 1 cup boiling water. Allow to steep for 4 minutes. Strain and enjoy hot or cold.

Rose Hip Treatment

Rose hips can be harvested, washed, and dried with stem and blossom ends removed. They can be frozen, used as a tisane or the juice may be extracted to make a Rose Hip Jelly. Hips are very high in Vitamin C, A,B,E,K and trace minerals.

Rose Hip Juice Extraction

Combine 3 cups water and 6 cups rose hips stems and blossom ends removed. Bring to a boil, reduce heat and simmer 15 minutes. Pour through a dampened cheesecloth lined sieve or jelly bag and allow it to drip.

Leo Buscaglia wrote “A single rose can be my garden”. So true. In my exploration of roses, I have come to understand how little attention I had given to the flower that has blessed our gardens, kitchens, medicine cabinets and art for many centuries.

For the recipe on Rose Petal Jelly and references, see my website: www.thevalleypreservery.ca or contact me at:

preservingwithmartha@gmail.com

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Rose Hip Jelly

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Ingredients

  • 4 cups rose hip juice
  • 1 package powdered pectin
  • 6 cups sugar

Instructions

1

Measure sugar and set aside. Measure rose hip juice and put in a large pot. Whisk in pectin. Bring to a boil. Boil hard 1 minute. Add sugar all at once. Bring back to the boil. Boil hard for 1 minute. Ladle into hot 250ml jars leaving ¼ inch headspace. Process in a boiling water bath or atmospheric steam canner for 10 minutes adjusting for altitude, plus additional 5 minute resting period.

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Preserving Know-how/ Preserving Recipes/ Summer

Giving Strawberry Jam a Pectin Boost

Strawberries and Apple

When plump strawberries appear, it means summer is here and jam-making is underway! There is no doubt strawberry jam is a favorite and there are countless recipes for “my favorite” strawberry jam. Some prefer traditional long-boil methods, and others prefer to use commercial pectin. There are many ways to approach strawberry jam but let’s look at how to boost pectin content without commercial pectin.

Strawberries are low in pectin which is, of course, responsible for the setting of the jam. The first consideration for boosting pectin is to have ‘just-ripe’ berries which contain the highest levels of pectin. It is not advisable to buy “jam grade” berries as pectin levels dramatically drop in over-ripe berries. So, aim for nicely ripe berries.

If you are a fan of making jams without commercial pectin, the long-boil method is appealing. This means crushed fruit is combined with sugar and lemon juice and boiled until it reaches the set point. The long-boil method is traditional, but the downside is that it requires a lot of fruit, and the long cooking period diminishes the fresh taste of the berries. But there is a way to boost pectin, lower the cooking time and improve the fresh taste and texture of strawberry jam!

Test Kitchens of America provides a recipe that enhances pectin by adding grated Granny Smith apple which is naturally high in pectin. The grated fruit is undetectable in the jam, but it speeds up cooking time and helps to create a nice structure. It still takes a lot of fruit compared to the amount used for recipes with commercial pectin, but if you want to avoid commercial pectin this is a good way of keeping tradition, lowing sugar, and improving taste.

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Strawberry Jam with a Pectin Boost

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Boosting the pectin in your strawberry jam can be done naturally. First, choosing the right fruit and second by adding a higher pectin fruit like grated Granny Smith apple. It’s tradition with a twist!

Ingredients

  • 3 pounds just-ripe strawberries (10 cups) crushed
  • 3 cups sugar
  • 1 ¼ cups peeled, grated Granny Smith apple
  • 2 TBSP lemon juice (bottled)

Instructions

1

Put 2 saucers in the freezer to check set point after cooking.

2

Crush fruit and measure. Place fruit in a large pot/Dutch oven with sugar and lemon juice. Bring to a boil stirring. Boil for about 20 to 25 minutes.

3

Check temperature with an instant read or candy thermometer. It should reach about 217. Put a teaspoon on the frozen saucer and wait one minute. Then check the set by running your finger through the jam. If it leaves a clear path, the jam is ready. If not, continue cooking for 1-3 minutes. Check again.

4

Once the set is achieved, skim and ladle jam into 4 250ml hot jars. Clean the rim and attach lids and rings to “finger-tip” tight. Process jars in a water-bath or atmospheric steam canner for 10 minutes adjusting for altitude.

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Preserving Know-how/ Preserving Recipes/ Spring/ Summer

The Gift of Rhubarb

Rhubarb

If you have been reading my column for long, you already know rhubarb is probably my favorite spring gift from the garden. It is packed with calcium and Vitamin K, is gorgeous in colour, and can be used in both sweet and savoury recipes. It has also been used for medicinal purposes in cultures around the world for the last 3,000 years. I’m always on the look-out for ways to cook with and preserve rhubarb.

Harvesting: The petioles or stalks are the portion of the plant used for culinary purposes. As you no doubt are aware, the leaves are poisonous due to their high levels of oxalic acid. The stalks are “pulled” not cut which helps keep the plant producing. If you can’t immediately use the stalks, clean, trim and refrigerate.

Canniing: Rhubarb is very acidic (pH 3.1) so it is excellent for water bath or steam canning. Stewed or cooked with a small amount of water, a 500 ml jar with ½ inch headspace should be processed for 15 minutes adjusting for altitude. Rhubarb canning recipes abound. They may include jams, jelly, grilling sauces, chutney, marmalade, conserves, and compotes.

Freezing: Rhubarb freezes very well. It can be cleaned, trimmed, cut into small pieces and frozen raw or blanched and first. Some people enjoy freezing rhubarb in syrup.

Drying: Rhubarb can be dried and later pulverized into powder. The powder adds a punch to sauces, meat preparations, stews, and soups. Rhubarb alone with combined with strawberries make great fruit leathers. You can use the pulp remaining after you extract the juice for jelly or drinks. For each 1 cup pulp add 1 cup honey or sweeten to your taste. The leathers may be dried in a dehydrator or in an oven on warm with the door propped open. When they are dry and leathery, allow them to fully dry, cut into strips and wrap in plastic wrap. Store in a cool, dark place.

This week I stumbled on an interesting recipe on the Bernardin website (not in the book).

This is rhubarb season so jump into the many possibilities of cooking with and preserving this vegetable!

preservingwithmartha@gmail.com

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Spring Celebration Jam

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Ingredients

  • 2 cups crushed strawberries (about a quart)
  • ½ cup packed fresh mint leaves
  • ¾ cup water
  • 1 ¾ cups finely chopped rhubarb (about ½ lb)
  • 1 TBSP lemon juice (bottled)
  • 7 cups granulated sugar
  • 1 pouch liquid pectin

Instructions

1

Prepare 7 250ml jars (washed and kept hot)

2

Wash strawberries, remove stems and crush one layer at a time to measure 2 cups.

3

In a pot, combine mint leaves and water. Bring to a boil, turn off heat and let the “tea” steep for 10 minutes. Strain, removing the leaves.

4

Finely chop rhubarb or use a food processor get a fine chop. Add the rhubarb to the mint water. Return to the boil and cook about 2 minutes to soften the rhubarb. Add strawberries, lemon juice and sugar. Bring the mixture to a full rolling boil for 1 minute. Stir in the liquid pectin, mixing well and skim.

5

Ladle into jars leaving a ¼ inch headspace. Wipe jar rims clean. Affix lids and rings to finger-tip tight. Process in a water bath or steam canner for 10 minutes. Allow to rest for 5 minutes. Remove jars and let them sit undisturbed for 24 hours. Check seals.

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