These preserves are the result of a co-worker’s citrus bounty from his backyard tree.  He brought in a bag of delicious, juicy oranges a few days ago, and I was the happy recipient of what was left at the end of the day, under the condition ‘bring me a jar of whatever you make‘.  Sounds fair to me.

I have been enjoying these preserves on toast, mixed into plain yogurt, and on top of creamy vanilla ice cream.  I imagine the preserves would also be delicious mixed into homemade buttermilk cheese (minus the thyme and lemon), heated and drizzled over pork, or as a glaze to cooked chicken thighs.  With it’s subtle mix of sweet and savory flavors, the possibilities are numerous…

And just a quick note about preserve making and canning: while it is entirely possible to make pickles and preserves without specialized equipment (jar lifter, lid lifter, canning funnel, etc), these tools are really useful and make the process much simpler.  And they’re cheap!  I think you can get a jar lifter + magnetic lid lifter + canning funnel for about $12 total.  It’s absolutely worth it.  I don’t have a special water bath canner, but instead use my 12 qt. stock pot, which works like a charm.

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Five Spice Orange Preserves
Adapted from Christine Ferber’s Mes Confitures
makes about six 1/2 pints

2 1/2 lbs Granny Smith Apples
4 2/3 c. sugar, plus 1 c.
About 3 lbs oranges, or 2 c. 1 oz juice and pulp
3 c. 2 oz water, plus 7 oz
2 attractive medium sized oranges
Juice of 1 small lemon
3/4 t. Chinese five-spice powder (a mixtures of cloves, cinnamon, anise, ginger, star anise, and ginger)
2 or 3 three inch pieces of cinnamon stick (optional)

Special Equipment:
6 half pint canning jars with two piece lids.

Rinse the apples in cold water.  Remove the stems and cut them in quarters without  peeling.  Put them in a preserving pan and cover with about 3 1/2 c. water.  Bring to a boil and let the mixture simmer for 30 minutes on low heat.

Collect the juice of the apples by pouring the apple mixture into a fine sieve, pressing lightly on the fruit to extract the juices.  Filter a second time through a clean handkerchief or cheesecloth that has been previously wet and wrung out.  Refrigerate the juice overnight.

The next day, measure 2 c. 1 oz of the juice, leaving in the bowl any sediment that formed during the night.

Sterilize the jars and lids by 1) boiling the lids and rings in a medium saucepan for about 5 minutes; leave the lids in the water until ready to use, and 2) place the empty jars on a baking sheet and place in a 225 degree oven for 10 minutes.  Turn off the heat and leave jars in the oven until ready to use.

Squeeze the 3 lbs of oranges.  Measure 2 c. 1 oz juice and put the seeds into a cheesecloth bag.

Wash and brush the 2 oranges under cold water and cut them into very thin round (1/8 – 1/16 inch or so).  In a preserving pan, poach them with 1 c. sugar and 7 oz water.  Cook at a boil until the slices are translucent, about 15-20 minutes  Add the apple juice, orange juice, lemon juice, five spice powder, cinnamon sticks, 4 2/3 c. sugar, and the seeds in the cheesecloth bag.  Bring to a boil, stirring gently.  Skim.  Continue cooking on high heat for about 10 -15 minutes, stirring constantly.  Remove the cheesecloth bag of seeds.  Check the set*.  Put the jam into jars, close with two piece lids (lid + ring), and process in a boiling water bath for about 8 minutes.  Allow to cool, and enjoy!

*To check the set, I typically place a small plate in the freezer when I start boiling the preserves.  When the preserves are nearly set, I do the ‘wrinkle test’.  Spoon about 1/2 t. of the preserves onto the cold plate, place in the freezer for about 2-3 minutes, remove, then press the preserves with your finger.  If it wrinkles, it is ready; if it looks more like honey, keep cooking it.  For a more exact approach, use a candy thermometer — the preserves should be set around 220 degrees F.

There is no cheese that I enjoy more than high quality, handmade ricotta.  For years I poo-poo’d it because all I had ever tasted was the shelf stable, strangely homogeneous, fairly tasteless, mass-produced grocery store variety.  And then a few years ago I had a ricotta epiphany!  My friend Nora (the Cheesemonger at The Kitchn and food expert extraordinaire) introduced me to artisan handmade ricotta from Saxelby Cheesemonger in the Essex Market in NYC.  Creamy, wonderfully textured, subtly yet richly flavored, I was smitten from my first bite to my last.

Since then I’ve searched out artisan ricotta, and it’s harder to find than one would hope.  Call me picky, but in SF, THE city of foodies, the only ricotta I have found that I really love is Bellwether Farms ricotta.  They make a cow milk and sheep milk version, and both are delicious.  Unfortunately, only a handful of shops carry the cheese (none of which are my  regular grocery stores), and the cheese turns sour if left for more than a few days.  How disappointing it is to be excitedly looking forward to the last few bites of perfectly textured, creamy ricotta, only to open the container and smell a sour aroma…

I have tried making ricotta before, using whole milk and lemon juice as the coagulant, but I found the taste to be a little strange, and the texture too dry and spongy… The whole experiment was a bit of a bust, and I sort of gave up on the idea of homemade ricotta.  That is, until I saw this article over at the Kitchn describing fresh buttermilk cheese.  Though it’s decidedly not ricotta, it seemed like something I would enjoy (and it’s absurdly easy to make), so one night after work last week I decided to make cheese.

And the result?  Absolutely fantastic.  It has that elusive and wonderful texture only found in high quality ricottas, and the flavor is great — subtle, not too rich, with just a slight tang, and lots of character.  The lemon and thyme add a nice touch, though on its own or with another simple seasoning (black pepper, tarragon, even lavender perhaps), the cheese would be delicious.

I took Nora’s advice and crumbled about 1/4 cup into scrambled eggs, and they were divine!  Spooned over some crunchy toast, it could be my new favorite breakfast…

Thyme and Lemon Fresh Buttermilk Cheese
Adapted from From Nora Singley’s Cheesemonger column

1 qt. whole milk
1 1/2 c. buttermilk
2 t. coarse sea salt
1-2 t. fresh thyme, minced
1 t. lemon zest

Line a colander or strainer with either a cotton handkerchief or 3 pieces of cheesecloth that have been cut into 12 inch squares.  Set colander in sink or over a large bowl.

Combine milk, buttermilk, salt, thyme, and lemon zest in a large heavy-bottomed saucepan, and heat over medium-high heat until mixture has separated into white curds and translucent whey, about 8 minutes. If using low-fat buttermilk, separation occurs at about 180 degrees and the curds will clump together readily. If using whole buttermilk, separation occurs closer to the boiling point, about 212 degrees, and the curds are finer-grained. When using whole buttermilk, let curds and whey stand off heat for about 3 minutes after separation, so the curds cling together and facilitate the straining step.)

Ladle the contents of the saucepan into the prepared colander. Let the whey drain, 1 to 2 minutes. Lift the four corners of the cheesecloth and gather them together.

Gently twist the gathered cloth over the cheese and press out any excess whey.  Do not squeeze out too much liquid of the cheese will be dry and grainy.

Serve unwrapped cheese warm on French bread, drizzled with olive oil and seasoned with salt.

Heat milk, buttermilk, lemon and thyme

Cook until curds and whey separate

Ladle curds into a lined strainer

Drain and squeeze

]]> http://www.modernbeet.com/archives/328/feed 7 http://www.modernbeet.com/archives/318 http://www.modernbeet.com/archives/318#comments Fri, 08 Jan 2010 02:57:07 +0000 Jen http://www.modernbeet.com/archives/318

Yesterday I inaugurated my new canning equipment — a huge 12 quart stockpot, a canning funnel, a magnetic lid lifter, and a bright red rubber coated jar lifter.  Joy!  Granted, I actually received most of this for Christmas last year, but since I didn’t envision myself doing much canning in Germany, I packed everything away in storage and forgot about it for a year.

But, now I am back in San Francisco and getting settled into ‘life as normal’, whatever that means.  One of the things that signifies ‘life as normal’ is being settled enough that I feel like embarking on culinary adventures.  Homemade tofu, jelly, pickles, sauerkraut, tempeh, and sausage are the sorts of things I am talking about here — things you can easily buy at the grocery store, but sometimes are just fun to make from scratch because 1) seeing the process is interesting, and 2) the results are often more unique and flavorful than their store bought counterparts.  When things are up in the air or unsettled, the farthest thing from my mind is making something like tofu from scratch, but I can tell when I have finally settled in somewhere because I typically develop the urge to make sausage, pickle something, or cook up some marmalade.

Such is the case now… finally!  sigh of relief that our move is over…

This recipe is adapted from Christine Ferber’s beautiful and imaginative book, Mes Confitures.  Divided by season, this volume focused entirely on unusual preserves and jellies is the jam maker’s dream.  There are SO many things I want to try out of here.  Judging from the fantastic results of my first foray into her book, I expect great things from her other recipes.  A few of the standouts that I plan to make are: Pineapple with Vanilla and Rosemary, Banana with Bittersweet Chocolate, Clementine with Lemon and Cinnamon, Kumquat with Apple and Grapefruit, and Praline Milk Jam to name a very few (and these are just from the ‘Winter’ section!).

This both is and is not a great book for beginners — to me it feels a little like reading through a grandmother’s notes — scant detail, few instructions regarding proper sterilization methods, no tips on how to tell when the jam is set, etc.– but on the other hand it has so many wonderful and imaginative recipes that are sure to inspire the beginning preserver.  Also, there is no packaged pectin to be found in any of her recipes!  For low pectin fruits, Ms. Ferber calls for the addition of green apples or pectin-rich homemade Green Apple Jelly.  I really like this aspect of the book, as I have always felt a little put off by those strange little packages of powdered pectin one buys at the grocery store.  Call me crazy and old-fashioned, but they just don’t feel natural to me.  Her approach is truly ‘from scratch’, and instead of being daunting, I think it actually demystifies the whole process of making preserves (i.e. no magic powders…)

Anyhow, these preserves of orange, pomelo, lemon, and ginger are a wonderful mixture of sweet, bitter, sour, and spicy.  So far my favorite thing to do with it is stir it into plain yogurt.  It’s also tasty on toast or stirred into oatmeal.  Ms. Ferber recommends mixing these preserves into fromage blanc, which I am sure would be delicious as well.  As with so many things, the final result depends heavily on the quality of the ingredients you use.  Citrus is in prime season right now, so try to buy the ingredients at your local farmer’s market.  You will get fruit that is flavorful, perfectly ripe, and truly in season.

Do you make preserves? do you have any favorite recipes?  I’d love to hear them.

Essential ingredients: citrus and sugar

Bring mixture to a boil, then refrigerate several hours

Notice the foamy bubbles — these preserves are not set  yet

See how the bubbles have changed? They are less foamy now.  These preserves are nearly set (set point is ~220 degrees F)

Orange, Pomelo, Lemon and Ginger Preserves
Adapted from Christine Ferber’s Mes Confitures
makes a scant 6 cups

1 3/4 lb oranges (800 g), or 1 lb 2 oz (500g) net (cara-cara oranges are delicious here)
2 lb pomelos, or 1 lb 2 oz (500g) net (or substitute grapefruits to follow Ms. Ferber’s original recipe)
2 lemons
3 3/4 c. (800 g) sugar
11 oz (300g) candied ginger, finely chopped

Peel the oranges and pomelo, removing all the white with the rind.  Slice the fruit into rounds a little less than 1/2 inch thick.  Remove the seeds and cut the slices into quarters.  Rinse and brush the lemons under cold water and cut them in very thin slices, removing the seeds as you go.  In a preserving pan (5 qt is a good size), combine the citrus fruits, sugar, and ginger.  Bring to a simmer, then turn the preparation into a bowl.  Cover with a round of parchment paper and refrigerate for at least 6 hours or overnight.

Pour the mixture into a preserving pan and bring to a boil, stirring gently.  Skim and continue cooking on high heat for 5-10 minutes, stirring continuously.  Check the set.  Put the jam into jars immediately and seal.

This post is part of Food Renegade’s Fight Back Fridays!

Homemade Limoncello
makes about 2.5 liters

Stage 1: Infusing
Zest of 15 medium-sized organic lemons, cut into long strips using a vegetable peeler or knife
1 liter grain alcohol (Everclear, etc.)
1 liter vodka (low end stuff is ok here — save the Grey Goose for your martinis)

Combine lemon peels and alcohol in a large glass jar (choose a jar that has at least twice the capacity as the amount of alcohol plus lemon rinds — a 1.5 – 2 gallon jar should work just fine).  Close with a tight fitting lid or plastic wrap.  Allow to sit for 6 weeks in a cool, dark place.  Shake jar once a week or so.

Stage 2:  Sweetening, Day ~42
4 c. sugar
6 c. water

Combine sugar and water in a large saucepan and bring to a boil.  Simmer for 3-4 minutes.  Add to alcohol mixture, and stir to combine.  Close with a tight fitting lid or plastic wrap.  Replace jar in a cool dark place, and allow to sit for another 6 weeks.  Shake jar once a week or so.

Stage 3: Filtering, Day ~84
Filtering is done in three stages.  In the first stage, strain the mixture through a coarse sieve to remove the lemon peels.

For the second stage, place a coffee filter in a fine mesh sieve.  In increments, pour limoncello through the coffee filter.  If filtration slows down, replace coffee filter with a new one (note: if you wet coffee filter before using, there will be less lossage of limoncello).

For the third and final filtration stage, repeat phase two, filtering limoncello through another coffee filter.  This ensures you will have crystal clear limoncello that will last indefinitely.

Ladle into clean jars, seal, and store in the freezer or refrigerator, or alternatively in a cool dark place until ready to use.  Enjoy!

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I was walking back from lunch the other day with my coworker Fritz, and he (very) jokingly proclaimed, ‘If it’s not instant, it’s not gratification!”.  Well, as true as that rings much of the time, this recipe is about the polar opposite of that sentiment :) .  Now with that all out of the way, if you have the patience to wait 12 weeks (which actually passes in a flash), you can make homemade, amazing delicious limoncello!

Limoncello before filtering

Zest close-up

The first time I tasted limoncello I was at Trattoria Il Panino, one of my favorite restaurants in Boston’s North End.   While in college, I used to frequent the place.  Even before I was a ‘foodie’, I knew this place was good — perhaps it was the carpaccio, perhaps it was the homemade lobster ravioli with cream sauce, perhaps it was the always amazing prosciutto and melon appetizer, but most likely it was the …. homemade limoncello… that set this place apart!  They proprietors got to know me there, and whenever I would come in, they’d offer a round of limoncello apertifs after the meal, which was always supremely delicious (hospitality can’t be discounted here either!).  Later when I travelled through Italy, I sampled many local varieties of limoncello (it seems that every grandmother there makes her own), and really, most every one of them was something to write home about — oh those italians and their delicious food!!  It definitely left an impression on me.

So, back in May when another coworker of mine offered me a 15-lb bag of homegrown lemons, I readily accepted.  I first made lemon marmalade, then replenished my supply of salt-cured citrus, and still, I had 20+ lemons leftover.  What to do?  An alcohol infusion reminiscent of the Italian countryside, of course!

This recipe is highly adaptable, and you can tweak it to your taste.  Don’t like sweet drinks?  cut out a little sugar (note:  I already cut out about 30% of the sugar from all the other recipes I’ve seen);  Want to pucker your lips because of the lemon-y-ness?  double the lemons!  Want to add an herb or spice?  vanilla? chocolate? mint?  Do it!  Why not?!  In the end, this is just an alcohol infusion, and you can tweak it however you want.

But more than anything, I hope this simple recipe demonstrates that it is completely possible to make many (most) of the things that you’d typically buy processed from a large company!  Why spend $30 on a bottle of limoncello with preservatives and un-pronounceable ingredients when you can follow the lead of Italian grandmothers who have been doing this for hundred of years?  I certainly choose the latter.

~2.5 liters of limoncello

Perhaps you would have chuckled if you saw me leaping into the air, grabbing at bunches of elderberries that grow alongside Moody Road yesterday morning… without a ladder, one must leap!  That’s right — it’s the time of year when elderberries are ripe, and just waiting for wild food enthusiasts to come harvest them.

I’ve been interested in wild foods for a while now (nettles, lamb’s quarter (aka pigweed), dandelion), but usually, I procure these things at the farmer’s market.  This was one of my first foraging experiences — and it was fruitful!

My elderberry haul

A couple weeks ago I picked up ‘Stalking the Wild Asparagus’ (circa 1962) by Euell Gibbons.  This is a fantastic and fun-to-read book with lots of information about wild foods that reads like a personal narrative.  After reading the chapter ‘A Salute to the Elderberry (with a nod to Sumac)’, I figured out that I have a (small) elderberry tree growing outside my front door!  Who knew!?!  It’s funny how things happen right under our noses and we don’t realize it!  Once I figured this out, I started seeing elderberry trees everywhere!  Really, I’ve seen no less than 40 trees while meandering around my neighborhood.

Elderberry tree with ripe fruit

So, yesterday morning I went foraging.  In an hour or so of berry picking, I came away with about 16 cups (4 qts) of elderberries!  Elderberries are tiny, about a half inch in diameter, and require a fair bit of work (de-stemming and rinsing) before they’re ready to use.  The leaves and green stems MUST be removed before using the berries, as I hear there are trace amounts of poisonous substances present (namely cyanide, though I’m no botanist).  The berries are completely edible and safe.

De-Stemming Elderberries

Rinsing Elderberries; skim off anything that floats to the top (dried flower petals, old berries, etc.)

I wouldn’t recommend using the berries raw, as they have a bit of a musty taste;  however, when cooked or dried, any disagreeable taste disappears.  With 16 cups of elderberries, I had quite a bit to work with — I made elderberry jam (recipe above), dried elderberries (to be made into chutney), and elderberry juice (for… cocktails?  and perhaps another jelly recipe — this time with using crabapples for the pectin).

And I must say, the preserves turned out great!  This is a fairly ‘loose’ jam, and is not overly sweet (a problem with many preserves).  The hint of almond adds a wonderful complexity to the jam.  And oddly, for all the preserves I’ve made, this was my first time using purchased pectin.  Previously, I had shied away from commercial pectins for fear of strange additives and chemicals, but I found this at my local natural food store, and thought I’d give it a try.  Pomona’s Pectin is a citrus based pectin, and does NOT require large amounts of sugar to jell properly (not the case with regular pectins like Sure-Jell, etc.).  If you notice, this preserve has only about 25% the typical amount of sweetener in jams — usually it’s 1:1 fruit to sugar.  Having had success with this low-sugar preserve, I envision many possibilities for preserves using low-pectin fruits (cherries, kiwi, peppers, tomatoes, etc.).  I’ve also considered making my own pectin from slightly under-ripe crabapples, but this is a large endeavor  on its own…

Well, foraging is an adventure in itself, and culinary delights often follow!  I encourage you to get outdoors, find some edible wild foods, and try something new!  You certainly won’t regret it!  And a tip if you’re anywhere near Los Altos Hills, CA — there are a plethora of elderberry trees on Moody road near Foothill college and Hidden Villa Farm; Page Mill Road also has 20+ trees.

And for the next foraging adventure — prickly pear!

Wild Elderberry Preserves with Honey and Almond
using Pomona’s Pectin (citrus-based)
makes ~ 4 1/2 – 5 cups

4 c. mashed elderberries (from about 4 1/2 c. berries)
1/4 c. lemon juice
2 t. calcium water (from Pomona’s Pectin package)
1 c. honey at room temperature
2 t. Pomona’s powdered pectin
1 t. pure almond extract

Sterilize 5 cups worth of canning jars and their corresponding lids and rings according to your favorite method.  (I heat the jars in a 250 degree oven for 15 minutes (or longer), and boil the lids and rings for 5 minutes;  leave rings/lids in water until ready to use; leave jars in oven until ready to use)

In a heavy bottomed sauce pan, combine elderberries, lemon juice, and calcium water.  In another bowl, combine honey and pectin powder and mix well.  Bring fruit mixture to a boil, then add honey mixture.  Stir vigorously for 2-3 minutes, return mixture to a boil, then remove from heat.  Add almond extract and mix well.  (Note:  with no-pectin preserves, I would do a ‘jell test’ at this point — with Pomona’s pectin, the preserves jell as they cool, and a jell test at this stage won’t tell you anything)

Ladle preserves into jars, filling within 1/4 inch of the top, wipe rims clean, and close with lid and ring.  Process in a boiling water bath for 5 minutes (add 1 minute for every 1000′ feet above sea level).  Preserves will set as they cool (allow at least 5-6 hours).  Stored in a cool, dark place, preserves will last for many months.

Cleaned, ready-to-use elderberries

Strawberry and Blueberry Tart with Lemon Curd
Adapted from recipe at Epicurious.com

Curd
2 large eggs
1/2 cup sugar
3 tablespoons fresh lemon juice
1/4 cup (1/2 stick) unsalted butter
1 1/2 teaspoons grated lemon peel

Crust
1 1/2 cups all purpose flour (or a mixture of AP and whole wheat pastry flour)
3 tablespoons sugar
1/4 teaspoon salt
1/2 cup (1 stick) chilled unsalted butter, cut into 1/2-inch cubes
2 tablespoons (or more) chilled whipping cream
1 large egg yolk

2 pints of small, ripe strawberries, stem ends trimmed
1 – 2 c. blueberries
1/2 cup lemon marmalade (or sub strawberry jam)

For curd: Whisk eggs, sugar, and lemon juice in heavy small saucepan to blend. Add butter and lemon peel. Stir over medium heat until curd thickens to pudding consistency, about 8 minutes. Transfer to small bowl. Press plastic wrap onto surface of curd and chill at least 2 hours.

For crust: Combine flour, sugar, and salt in a large bowl and stir to blend.  Add butter, and using either your hands or a pastry cutter, blend until mixture resembles coarse meal. Add whipping cream and egg yolk. Blend until moist clumps form, adding more cream by teaspoonfuls if dough is dry. Gather dough into ball; flatten into disk. Wrap and chill 1 hour. (Curd and dough can be made 2 days ahead. Keep chilled.)

Roll out dough on lightly floured surface to 13-inch round. Transfer dough to 9-inch-diameter tart pan with removable bottom. Trim overhang to 1/2 inch. Fold overhang in and press firmly, forming double-thick sides. Pierce crust all over with fork; refrigerate 1 hour. Preheat oven to 400°F. Bake crust until golden, pressing with back of fork if crust bubbles, about 20 minutes. Cool crust completely on rack.

Spread curd in crust. Stand berries in curd. Arrange blueberries between strawberries. Heat marmalade in a saucepan until thin.  Brush marmalade over berries. Chill tart until glaze sets, at least 1 hour and up to 6 hours. Release tart from pan

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I’ve always been one to focus more on the main course than dessert, hence, desserts have never been my specialty.  However, when summer comes around, fresh fruits, especially berries and stone fruit just *beg* to be made into something sugary and delicious — a delectable dessert, or perhaps a preserve

A couple weekends ago we had a get-together at our house that in theory should have had 5 attendees, but in reality had more like 17…  no worries though — my specialty is feeding people, even those who are unexpected…  I had prepared this tart as a dessert, expecting that I would take at least half of it to my co-workers on monday morning, but with everyone who showed up (unexpectedly), the tart was devoured and the plate licked clean before I had the chance to even consider saving any of it for later!

This tart (and pretty much all tarts for that matter) are great low-fuss desserts — they’re a wonderful way to showcase in-season fruit, they’re visually stunning, and more often than not, they’re very simple to make.  In addition, they can be partially to mostly made in advance, which is great if you’re like me and plan to make about 17 dishes when you really only have time to make 6.  With this one in particular, the crust and tart can be made 24-48 hours in advance, and the berries can be added anywhere from 1- 6 hours in advance (if you add them too far in advance they release too much liquid, they sink into the custard, and the tart becomes too liquid-y).

If you’re not fond of lemons or are just in the mood to experiment, I imagine you could make the curd with oranges instead, opening up a whole different world of flavor possibilities (I’m imagining chocolate in particular!).  Do you make tarts often?  What are your favorites?