The canning has begun! Above are some of the jars of pepper jelly I made from a package I found on the shelf next to the canning supplies. I love how they a reminiscent of stained glass. This will be good on cream cheese with crackers, stirred into a stir-fry at the end for a little sweet heat, and of course they make nice gifts!
Recently I picked up a new cookbook The Preservation Kitchen by local chef Paul Virant. This one really speaks to me to use the bounty of the season. I’ll be giving it my best shot to make as many of these as possible. I do have one comment though, he uses champagne vinegar. Stuff is hard to find and can run more than $30/gallon. I wonder where he sources it?
I won’t give the exact recipes for these but if you like canning, and enjoying summer goodness in the depth of winter then I suggest you get this book or get it at your library.
The first of two I made this weekend is a smoky pickled pepper. I’ve pickled peppers before but he adds a twist of first roasting the peppers over hardwood charcoal.
It should add another dimension of flavor. I can foresee adding these chopped up into chili con carne, or perhaps using the spicy smokey vinegar as a sauce for pulled pork. Time will tell!
The last one is pickled cherry tomatoes. I like his idea of whizzing it up as a basis for a vinaigrette.
What are you putting up for the winter?
Until next time, Eat well & Keep Digging!
July 26, 2012
I’m hoping to freeze some Runner Beans, but that is probably all I will preserve. Here in the UK canning is not common. If I manage to get enough tomatoes (blight permitting, that is) I would expect to make some into sauce and likewise freeze some for Winter use. My chilli pepper crop is going to be fairly thin this time round.
July 26, 2012
Canning is definately making a comeback here is the States Mark. Freezing I think is more common but… I don’t like depending on the power to keep food fresh. Canning eliminates that.
July 26, 2012
These look great. I have never tried a pepper jelly. I never thought of it stirred into a stir fry. I am going to have to grow more peppers next year.
I just canned some pineapple zucchini, though we haven’t tried it yet, I don’t think it will make it through the winter as it is a sweet treat.
I really didn’t get enough produce from my little beds this year to put anything up for winter but we did eat good this summer. I have more beans and some Swiss chard growing and I will put in fall crops when its time.
July 26, 2012
I haven’t tried stirring it into a stir fry – but it is spicy, and sweet and has pectin so I think it would make a nice finishing glaze for a stir fry. Perhaps melt it and brush it on grilled pork at the last moment? If bell peppers go on sale this makes 12 x .5 pints. I think it was Mrs Wages mix. I have the feeling I’ll be canning quite a bit in the coming weeks. I just picked nearly 10 lbs of tomatoes the other day!
July 27, 2012
David, what beautiful photos! The jellys do look like stained glass. How wonderful to have a winter pantry filled with all your garden’s abundance. This makes me wish I could do the same. I like the simple idea of serving the jelly with cream cheese or mascarpone for me. Ricotta is also my favorite to serve with something sweet. The cherry tomatoes and peppers remind me of what my father would do. He used white vinegar.
July 27, 2012
Welcome back Linda! You were missed. Ya know, I just made John’s Ricotta the other day, I’ll have to make more to try with the jelly!
July 28, 2012
making pepper jelly today! thanks for the inspiration!
July 31, 2012
All of this looks so good, David. What a treat it will be on some cold winter’s morning to have a bit of cheese, toast, and pepper jelly. I doubt I’ll be doing anything out of the ordinary this year. I’ll be happy to get my jams & jellies made and tomatoes frozen for the winter.
August 1, 2012
I really want to try the garlic conserve out of the cookbook, I could see that being like gold!
August 1, 2012
Heavens yes!