It's thick in the fall canning season and so there's a lot of hurry up and wait, especially as it relates to fall crop (apple, grape, peach, etc) jelly-making.
Jelly making requires draining the juice from a pulpy mixture...depending on batch size, this process can take a looooong time.
So while this jelly bag (a retro-fitted pillowcase) drains yummy concord grape pulp, lets have a contest!
In the comments, list your favorite type of jelly and on September 24, 2010, the random number generator will choose a winner. ~ksp
Here is the last recipe and second place ribbon-winner from this year's fair. It was a spin on cranberries, and while I am not a fan of cranberry jelly, but this sweet/savory chutney variation hits the spot. The judges seemed to agree. ~ksp
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--- Cracked Pepper Cranberry Chutney
Ingredients
• 1/2 cup finely chopped onion or shallot
• 4 gloves finely chopped garlic
• 1 tablespoon unsalted butter
• 8 oz fresh or frozen cranberries (not thawed; 2 cups)
• 1/2 cup sugar
• 3/4 cup water
• 1/3 cup cider vinegar
• 1 tbsp cracked black pepper
• 1/4 tsp salt
Preparation
Cook shallot and garlic in butter in a heavy saucepan over moderate heat, stirring occasionally, until golden.
Stir in remaining ingredients and simmer, uncovered, stirring occasionally,
Berries will burst and chutney will thicken in about 20 minutes.
Ladle or pour into sterile 1/2 pint jars, filling to within 1/2 inch of the top.
Process in a hot-water bath of simmering water for 10 minutes. Adjust time for your elevation.
Remove from heat and skim off foam from the top. Ladle or pour into sterile 1/2 pint jars, filling to within 1/2 inch of the top.
Process in a hot-water bath of simmering water for 10 minutes. Adjust time for your elevation.
Montclair Mint growing wild in my garden box before summer planting...ignore the keys on the table.
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I didn't bother to add food coloring to this recipe, but it easily could be added. I didn't see the point, it's such a rich golden color by itself. It won an Honorable Mention ribbon at this year's state fair. Enjoy. ~ksp
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Golden Mint Jelly
Ingredients
4 lbs of tart apples (e.g. Granny Smith), unpeeled, chopped into 1” cubes (including the cores)
2 1/2 cups of fresh mint, chopped, lightly packed (set1/3 cup aside)
2 -3 medium jalapeno peppers (set 2 tbsp aside)
2 cups water
2 cups white vinegar
3 1/2 cups sugar
Method
1.Combine apple pieces with water and mint in a large pan. Bring water to a boil then reduce heat and cook 20 minutes, until apples are soft.
2.Add vinegar, return to boil. Simmer covered, 5 more minutes.
3.Use a potato masher to mash up the apple pieces to the consistency of thin apple sauce.
4.Spoon the apple pulp into a muslin cloth (or a couple layers of cheesecloth) or a large, fine mesh sieve, suspended over a large bowl. Leave to strain for several hours. (4 to 5 cups juice).
5.Measure the juice then pour into a large pot. Add the sugar (7/8 a cup for each cup of juice). Heat gently, stirring to make sure the sugar gets dissolved and doesn't stick to the bottom of the pan and burn.
6.Add set aside mint and peppers.
7.Bring to a boil. Cook for 10-15 minutes, using a metal spoon to skim off the surface scum.
8.Ladle or pour into sterile 1/2 pint jars, filling to within 1/4 inch of the top.
9.Process in a hot-water bath of simmering water for 10 minutes. Adjust time for your elevation.
It's Labor Day* here in the US and since I chilled for a lot of the weekend, I didn't feel bad about working today. I planted a number of heirloom tomato plants and could not eat them fast enough. I offered some to my neighbors but still had too many than I knew what to do with.
So as part of my canning spree, I made salsa. I'm still trying to get better control of my food/portions/sugars etc. so these yummy pints will stock my snack pantry.
Varieties include: cherokee purple, mortgage lifter and aunt ruby's german green.
As usual, there is a lot going on here. September marks many beginnings: my quilting guild meetings, winter-league bowling and the enrollment time at work.
On the guild front I am charged with creating and maintaining the website...I have no expereince with html code so this is yet another learning curve for me...
Heirloom salsa
So now, in anticipation of it all, I will catch up on laundry and get ready for another work week.
Yay for the un-official end of summer!
*Labor Day, the first Monday in September, is a creation of the labor movement and is dedicated to the social and economic achievements of American workers. It constitutes a yearly national tribute to the contributions workers have made to the strength, prosperity, and well-being of our country.
In my household growing up red currants were not a commonly used fruit. I pulled out my great-Nana's cookbook and did some tinkering in the kitchen. The end result was not a ribbon winner at the fair, but a tasty jelly nonetheless...enjoy! ~ksp
Spiced Currant Jelly
Ingredients
• 4 pounds fresh red currants
• 1 cup water
• 7 cups white sugar
• 4 fluid ounces liquid fruit pectin
• 1 tsp ground cardamom
• 2 tsp ground cinnamon
• 1 tsp ground allspice
Directions
Place the currants into a large pot, and crush.
Pour in 1 cup of water, and bring to a boil.
After boiling, simmer for 10 minutes.
Add spice mix and stir.
Process juice through jelly cloth or cheese cloth, and measure out 5 cups of the juice.
Bring juice to boil in large pot, and slowly stir in the sugar. Bring to a rapid boil over high heat, and stir in the liquid pectin. Return to a full rolling boil, and allow to boil for 1 minute.
Ladle or pour into sterile 1/2 pint jars, filling to within 1/2 inch of the top.
Process in a hot-water bath of simmering water for 10 minutes. Adjust time for your elevation.
I won a first place ribbon in the NJ State Fair for my watermelon rind jam. I have been fascinated for some time by coming up with gourmet/tasty fixins' with ingredients that would otherwise be discarded.
After some experimenting, I now love watermelon rind as much as I love the red pulpy pieces. ~ksp
