Makes about 9 8-ounce glasses.
INGREDIENTS
3 quarts firm, ripe strawberries
6 pounds sugar
juice of large lemon
DIRECTIONS
Hull, wash and drain the strawberries. Place 1/4 of the berries and 1/4 of the sugar in a large pot, and cook over medium heat, stirring constantly, until the sugar dissolves. Add remaining berries, sugar and the lemon juice and bring to a boil, stirring frequently so that the sugar does not burn. Cook at a rolling boil for 12 minutes, remove from the heat and skim carefully. Pour juice and berries in a single layer into shallow pans, cover each with a pane of glass and insert a small paper wedge under the glass on each pan to allow air to circulate. Stand pans in the sun for 3 days, or until liquid thickens. Stir twice daily. Pour into hot, sterilized jelly glasses and cover with a thin layer of melted paraffin. When the paraffin has hardened, cover the glasses and store. (If you do not have 3 consecutive days of hot sun, the juices will take longer to thicken but the end result will be the same.)
Makes about 6 8-ounce glasses.
INGREDIENTS
3 pounds underripe red plums
3 cups water
port wine
6 cups sugar
6 tablespoons liquid pectin
DIRECTIONS
Pit the plums. Tie the pits in a cheesecloth bag. Cut the fruit into quarters. Simmer the plums, pits and water in a covered saucepan over medium heat for one hour, or until the fruit is almost reduced to a pulp. (To hasten the process, mash the fruit coarsely after it has cooked a while.) Discard the pits and force the pulp through a coarse sieve or a food mill. Place the purée in a jelly bag and let it drip overnight. (If you do not have a jelly bag, line a colander with 4 thicknesses of cheesecloth and set over a bowl.) The next day, measure the juice and add enough port wine to make 3 cups of liquid altogether. Combine the liquid and sugar in a large pot and bring to a full rolling boil over high heat. Add pectin and continue to boil hard, stirring constantly, for 1 minute. Skim the top and pour into hot, sterilized jelly glasses. Cover with a thin layer of melted paraffin. When the paraffin has hardened, cover the glasses and store.
This is also delicious sprinkled over fresh fruit or stirred into iced tea.
This recipe can be prepared in 45 minutes or less.
Makes about 3/4 cup.
INGREDIENTS
1/4 cup packed fresh mint leaves
1/2 cup sugar
DIRECTIONS
In an electric coffee/spice grinder finely grind mint with sugar. Mint sugar may be made 1 hour ahead and kept in an airtight container.
“On a trip to Chicago, my daughter and I enjoyed a memorable meal at Pane Caldo downtown,” writes Terrie M. Barr of Troy, Illinois. “Everything was terrific, especially the black olive and walnut spread served with the bread.”
Offer this flavorful spread with French-bread baguette slices that have been brushed with olive oil and toasted in a 350°F oven until golden.
Makes about 1 1/3 cups.
INGREDIENTS
- 1 3/4cups pitted kalamata olives or other brine-cured black olives (about 1/2 pound pitted)
- 3tablespoons plus 1/4 cup walnuts, toasted, chopped
- 1/4cup olive oil
- 2teaspoons coarse-grained dijon mustard
- 1garlic clove
- 1teaspoon chopped fresh thyme
- 1teaspoon chopped fresh oregano
- 1teaspoon chopped fresh sage
- pinch of cayenne pepper
DIRECTIONS Finely chop black olives and 3 tablespoons toasted walnuts in processor. Add olive oil, Dijon mustard, garlic, thyme, oregano, sage, and cayenne pepper and process until coarsely pureed. Stir in remaining 1/4 cup chopped toasted walnuts. (Spread can be prepared up to 3 days ahead. Cover with plastic and refrigerate.)
Makes about 5 8-ounce glasses.
INGREDIENTS
4 pounds very young yellow squash
6 cups sugar
juice of 3 large lemons
grated rind of 3 large lemons
4 teaspoons powdered ginger
DIRECTIONS
Scrub the squash and cut off the ends. Grind the squash in a meat grinder, using the coarsest blade, mix with the sugar, and leave overnight. The next day, transfer the squash, sugar and accumulated juices to a large pot. Add remaining ingredients, and cook over low heat for about 1 hour, until a thermometer registers 220° or until squash is translucent and the juices thickened. Pour into hot, sterilized jelly glasses, and cover with a thin layer of melted paraffin. When the paraffin has hardened, cover the glasses and store.
Makes 4 servings.
INGREDIENTS
- 2 1/2pounds plum tomatoes, seeded, chopped (about 6 cups)
- 1cup (about) tomato juice
- 4tablespoons chopped onion
- 3tablespoons chopped fresh cilantro
- 2teaspoons (or more) chopped canned chipotle chilies*
- 1garlic clove, minced1ripe peach, peeled, pitted, diced
- 1teaspoon minced jalapeño chili
-
DIRECTIONS Reserve 1 cup chopped tomatoes for peach salsa. Place remaining tomatoes in processor and puree until smooth. Transfer to 2-quart glass measuring cup. Add enough tomato juice to puree to equal 5 cups tomato mixture. Place 2 cups tomato mixture in blender. Add 2 tablespoons onion, 2 tablespoons cilantro, 2 teaspoons chipotle chilies and garlic to blender. Puree until very smooth. Stir puree back into tomato mixture in measuring cup. Season to taste with salt and pepper. Add more chopped chipotles, if desired. Cover; refrigerate until well chilled, about 1 hour. (Can be made 1 day ahead. Keep soup chilled. Cover reserved chopped tomatoes and chill.)
Mix reserved chopped tomatoes, remaining 2 tablespoons onion and 1 tablespoon cilantro, peach and jalapeño in small bowl. Ladle tomato soup into bowls. Sprinkle with peach salsa; serve.
*Chipotle chilies canned in a spicy tomato sauce, sometimes called adobo, are available at Latin American markets, specialty foods stores and some supermarkets.
Great flavor resulted when we made these croùtes in a ridged grill pan, but a broiler will get the job done.
Makes 6 croútes.
INGREDIENTS
1 garlic clove
1 round loaf crusty bread
2 tablespoons extra-virgin olive oil
fine sea salt
DIRECTIONS
Halve garlic. Cut six 1/3-inch-thick slices from middle of loaf and brush bread with oil. Lightly oil a well-seasoned ridged grill pan and heat over moderately high heat until hot but not smoking. Grill bread until golden brown on both sides. Immediately rub bread on 1 side with cut side of garlic and sprinkle with salt.
