Lemon Honey Jelly

Entered by Connie Rawlings-Dritsas
*Winner of Best Single Origin – Jam

This unusual jelly took the judges by surprise. It looks and smells just like honey, but the acidity from the lemon and smooth texture from the pectin lightened the honey’s rich sweetness, bringing out some of the more subtle components of its flavor. Connie recommends using it to glaze a roasted chicken, or spreading it onto warm biscuits. It also happens to be an excellent starter recipe for those who have not prepared jelly before, as it does not require straining through a jelly bag.

(Recipe originally published in Stocking Up by Carol Hupping)

Makes 2 half-pint jars

Ingredients
¾ cup lemon juice, strained
2 cups honey
½ cup liquid fruit pectin

Steps

1. In a non-reactive sauce pan, combine the lemon juice and honey. Bring to a full rolling boil. Add the pectin, stir vigorously, and boil for about 2 minutes.
2. Turn the heat off and test the jelly for firmness by placing a small spoonful onto a plate that has been in the freezer for at least 30 minutes. If the jelly firms as it cools, it is done. If not, bring the jelly back to a rolling boil and test again in another minute.
3. Ladle immediately into sterilized jars, leaving 1/4” headspace. Run a chopstick around the inside of the jar to remove air bubbles. Wipe the rim clean with a clean, damp cloth and fit with a sealing lid and ring until hand tight. Process in a boiling water bath for 5 minutes. Check lids after one hour and refrigerate any that that have not properly sealed.

Sweet Pickles

Entered by Carrie Menikoff
*Winner of Best Combined – Pickle and Best Appearance – Pickle

The judges loved everything about this pickle—it’s beautiful mix of colors and textures in the jar, the satisfying crunch of the vegetables, and the balance of sweet & sour in this perfectly seasoned take on the classic bread & butter pickle.

(Recipe originally published in The Oregonian in 2008 as “Greg Higgins’ Bread and Butter Sweet Pickles)

Makes 7 pint jars

Ingredients
3 quarts pickling cucumbers, unpeeled and washed, sliced ⅛” thick lengthwise using a mandolin
3 large onions, sliced into ⅛” strips
3 red bell peppers, sliced into ⅛” strips
½ cup kosher salt

Pickling Solution
8 cups cider vinegar (5% acidity)
4 cups firmly packed brown sugar
½ teaspoon whole cloves
1 tablespoon celery seeds
1 tablespoon allspice berries
⅛ cup yellow mustard seeds
½ teaspoon ground turmeric

Steps

1. Place sliced vegetables in a bowl and sprinkle evenly with the kosher salt. Allow to drain in a colander for three hours.
2. In a large nonreactive saucepan, mix the vinegar, brown sugar, cloves, celery seeds, allspice, mustard, and turmeric; bring to a low boil and simmer for 10 minutes.
3. Rinse vegetables thoroughly, drain, and add to the hot brine. Bring just to a boil and remove from the heat. Pack into sterilized jars and store in the refrigerator up to three months.
4. To preserve in a hot water bath: Pack vegetables while still hot into hot, sterilized pint or quart jars, leaving a ¼ head space. Run a chopstick around the inside of the jar to remove air bubbles. Wipe the rim clean with a clean, damp cloth and fit with a sealing lid and ring until hand tight. Process in a boiling water bath for 10 minutes. Check lids after one hour and refrigerate any that that have not properly sealed.

Strawberry Mint Pepper Jam

Source: adapted from recipe in Mes Confitures by Christine Ferber

Ingredients
1,000g local strawberries, picked in June, washed, hulled and frozen
800g sugar
juice of one lemon
10 mint leaves, finely chopped
¼ teaspoon freshly ground black pepper

Steps
Day 1: Thaw strawberries (~12 hours). Add sugar and lemon juice to berries and gently toss in a glass bowl. Cover with plastic wrap and refrigerate.
Day 2: Pour macerated fruit mixture into a large pot and boil gently for 10 minutes. Return to bowl, cover with plastic wrap and refrigerate. Day 3: Strain berry juice from berry solids. On medium heat in a wide flat pot, bring berry liquid to a slow gentle boil until mixture reach 221 degrees. Skim foam. Add berry solids and boil gently for another 5 minutes. Continue to skim foam.
Fill sanitized jars with jam using funnel. Cover with clean new lids heated in very hot water and screw on rings. Process in a boiling water bath for 10 minutes. Test lid for seal.

Deep Spice Berry Jam

adapted from the Ball Blue Book of Preserving (2004 edition)

makes 7 half-pints

Ingredients
5 cups mixed berries
1 teaspoon lemon zest
1 teaspoon balsamic vinegar
1 tablespoon ground cinnamon
1 teaspoon five spice powder
7 cups sugar
1 package pectin
½ teaspoon vanilla extract (commercial or homemade*)

Steps

1. Combine the berries, lemon zest, lemon juice, balsamic vinegar, cinnamon, and five spice powder in a non-corrosive pot and put on medium heat. Crush berries with a sturdy potato masher. Raise heat to high and add sugar, stirring it in completely. Cook on high for one additional minute then remove from heat. Let pot sit for a few minutes before adding pectin. Add pectin by sprinkling on top of mixture, stirring to prevent lumps. 
2. Stir in vanilla extract. Ladle mixture into hot half-pint jars leaving ¼ inch headspace. Check for air bubbles. Wipe jar rims and close jars with hot lids and bands. Process jars in a boiling water bath for 10 minutes. 
3. Store cooled jars in a cool, dark space for a few days to let flavors mature.

* Homemade vanilla flavoring: split and scrape 4-8 vanilla beans into a small tall bottle. Place scraped pods in bottle as well. Cover with a good quality vodka. Store in a cool, dark place for at least one month before using.

Grandma Sadie's Zucchini Relish

Ingredients
10 cups chopped zucchini
4 cups chopped onions
2 large green peppers, chopped
2 large red peppers, chopped
¼ cup pickling salt (or kosher salt)

Pickling syrup:
6 cups sugar
3½ cups cider vinegar
1 ½ tablespoons turmeric
3½ tablespoons corn starch
2 tablespoons nutmeg
1½ tablespoons celery seed
½ teaspoon black pepper

Steps

1. Mix chopped ingredients with salt and let stand overnight. Rinse with water and drain well.
2. Prepare pickling syrup. Heat syrup ingredients until blended. Add zucchini mixture and bring to a boil. Simmer 5-10 minutes. 
3. Pack into sanitized pint jars leaving ½ inch space on top. Wipe jar rims with a cloth dipped in simmering water.
4. Apply lids. Adjust lids by tightening fully then loosening by ¼ inch. Process in a hot water bath for 15 minutes. Let cool.

Makes 7-8 pints

2014 Urban Fair winning recipe from Jamie Suehiro

Update on 2014-10-23 20:26 by Eamon Molloy

Earlier version failed to include 2 large green peppers, chopped

Chow Chow Relish

adapted from the Ball Complete Book of Home Preserves 

Ingredients
2 cups coarsely chopped English cucumber (or other unwaxed cucumber)
1 ½ cups chopped seeded red bell peppers
1 ½ cups chopped cabbage
1 ½ cups sliced onions
1 ½ cups chopped cored green tomatoes 9 cups water, divided
1 cup canning or pickling salt
3 cups white vinegar
2 ½ cups granulated sugar
3 Tbsp. mustard seeds
2 Tbsp. celery seeds
1 Tbsp. ground turmeric
1 ½ cups diced green beans, blanched
1 ½ cups diced peeled carrots, blanched

Steps

1. In a large glass or stainless steel bowl, combine cucumber, red peppers, cabbage, onions, and green tomatoes. Add 8 cups of the water and pickling salt. Cover and let stand in a cool place for 12 hours, or overnight. Transfer to a colander placed over a sink and drain thoroughly. Rinse with cool water and drain thoroughly again. Using your hands, squeeze out excess liquid. Set aside.
2. In a stainless steel saucepan, combine remaining 1 cup water, vinegar, sugar, mustard seeds, celery seeds, and turmeric. Bring to a boil over medium-high heat. Add drained cucumber mixture, green beans and carrots and return to a boil. Reduce heat and boil gently, stirring frequently, until thickened to the consistency of a thin commercial relish, about 40 minutes.
3. Ladle hot relish into prepared jars, leaving ½ inch head space. Remove air bubbles and adjust headspace, if necessary, by adding hot relish. Wipe rim. Center lid on jar. Screw band down until resistance is met, then increase to “fingertip-tight”.
4. Place jars in canner and process for 10 minutes. Remove canner lid. Wait 5 minutes, then remove jars.

From the recipe collection of:
Hillsdale Farmers’ Market Chef Kathryn Yeomans
The Farmer's Feast
http://thefarmersfeast.me/

Piccalilli Relish

adapted from the Ball Complete Book of Home Preserves

Ingredients
5 cups finely chopped cabbage
4 cups chopped cored green tomatoes
1½ cups chopped onion
1 cup chopped seeded red bell pepper
1 cup chopped seeded green bell pepper
3 Tbsp. salt
1¼ cup pickling spice
4 Tbsp. coarsely chopped gingerroot
2 Tbsp. mustard seeds
3 cups white vinegar
1¾ cups water
1 cup granulated sugar
2 tsp. ground turmeric

Steps

1. In a large glass or stainless steel bowl, combine cabbage, green tomatoes, onions, red and green peppers and salt. Cover and let stand in a cool place (70 ̊-75 ̊F) for 12 hours or overnight. Transfer to a colander placed over a sink and drain. Rinse with cool water and drain thoroughly. Using your hands, squeeze out excess liquid. Set aside.
2. Tie pickling spice, gingerroot, and mustard seeds in a square of cheesecloth, creating a spice bag.
3. In a large stainless steel saucepan, combine drained cabbage mixture, vinegar, water, sugar, turmeric, and spice bag. Cover and bring to a boil over medium-high heat. Uncover and boil for 5 minutes, stirring frequently. Reduce heat and boil gently, stirring frequently, until thickened to the consistency of a thin commercial relish, about 20 minutes. Discard spice bag.
4. Ladle hot relish into hot jars, leaving ½ inch headspace. Remove air bubbles and adjust headspace, if necessary, by adding hot relish. Wipe rim. Center lid on jar. Screw band down until resistance is met, then increase to “fingertip-tight”.
5. Place jars in canner and process for 10 minutes. Remove canner lid. Wait 5 minutes, then remove jars.

From the recipe collection of:
Hillsdale Farmers’ Market Chef Kathryn Yeomans
The Farmer's Feast
http://thefarmersfeast.me/

Bread & Butter Pickles

(makes about 8 pints)

Ingredients

36 small pickling cucumbers (about 5 pounds) be sure to choose very fresh, firm pickling cucumbers
1 large onion
½ cup kosher or pickling salt
5 cups cider vinegar
5 cups granulated sugar
1 ½ tsp. turmeric
1 tsp. celery seed
1 Tbsp. yellow mustard seed

Instructions

1. Scrub the cucumbers with a vegetable brush and rinse thoroughly.
2. Slice the cucumbers into rounds; ¼ to ½ inch thick. Discard or eat the ends of the cucumbers.
3. Slice the onion into strips.
4. Place the cucumber slices and onion strips into a clean non-reactive bowl. Add the salt and 2 quarts of ice, and place the mixture in the refrigerator for 3 hours.
5. After the salting process, rinse and drain the cucumber and onions.
6. Thoroughly wash your hands & the canning equipment with hot, soapy water.
7. Sterilize the jars by boiling for 10 minutes, and then transfer them to a baking sheet set in a low oven (170 degrees) so they dry & stay hot.
8. Pour the vinegar, sugar, & spices into a large non-reactive pot. Stir the liquid with a wooden spoon until the sugar has dissolved. Add the cucumber-onion mixture.
9. Turn the flame to high. Bring just to a simmer, but do not boil.
10. Remove the pot from the burner, fill the jars with pickles & brine, wipe the edges and seal with flat lids & screw bands.
11. Place the sealed jars in the hot water-filled pot in which you sterilized your jars.
12. Bring to a boil.
13. Process in a boiling water bath for 15 minutes.
14. Carefully remove the processed jars from the water bath and allow them to cool, undisturbed, for 24 hours.
15. Shortly after you remove the jars from the canner you will hear a “ping” as the jar seals. After 24 hours, check the seal by unscrewing the ring band from the jar and lifting the jar by the flat lid. If you can lift it in this manner, consider the seal tight – label & store your pickles in your pantry.

These pickles are good right away, & better in a month. Stored properly, they will last about a year.

From the recipe collection of Hillsdale Farmers’ Market Chef Kathryn Yeomans The Farmer's Feast http://thefarmersfeast.me/

Asparagus Pickles

This recipe is for a 25 pounds of asparagus. Just scale down the amounts based on how much asparagus you want to preserve.

Yield is approximately 16 pints, and is much better after a couple of months.

Brine Ingredients

10 cups white wine vinegar
10 cups water
4 Tbsp. sugar
½ cup water
2 Tbsp kosher salt

Taste brine and adjust salt if needed.

Steps

To each sterilized pint jar, add ½ tsp. chile flake, ½ tsp. dill seed, and 1 whole garlic clove (peeled). Double these amounts if you are using quart jars.

Blanch the asparagus in boiling salted water until crisp-tender, then shock in ice water.

Pack asparagus in jars with above seasonings, then add brine: To make brine, bring to a simmer:

Seal jars & process 20 minutes in a boiling water bath.

From the recipe collection of Hillsdale Farmers’ Market Chef Kathryn Yeomans The Farmer's Feast http://thefarmersfeast.me/

Strawberry Jam

This jam recipe is adapted from Perfect Preserves by Nora Carey. I like the intensity of the strawberry flavor that this recipe produces, as well as the way it sets up – whole berries in a soft jam.

Ingredients
5 pounds strawberries, hulled
5 cups sugar
¼ cup fresh lemon juice

Steps

1. In a large shallow bowl, sprinkle half the strawberries with 1 cup of the sugar. Add the remaining strawberries & sprinkle with another cup of sugar. Cover and let the berries stand at room temperature overnight.
2. The next day, transfer the berries to a colander set over a preserving pan and let the juices drain into the pan. Stir the remaining 3 cups sugar into the pan & cook the juice mixture over low heat, stirring, until the sugar is dissolved.
3. Bring the syrup to a boil & add the reserved strawberries & lemon juice. Boil the mixture 5 minutes. Remove the strawberries with a slotted spoon back to the colander set over a bowl.
4. Boil the syrup for 5 minutes, or until reduced slightly. Add any strawberry juices that have accumulated in the bowl & continue boiling to reduce the mixture by the amount added.
5. Add the berries to the syrup once again & boil for about 5 minutes, or until the jellying point is reached (220 ̊ F). Remove the pan from the heat and allow the jam to stand for 10 minutes.
6. Spoon the jam into hot, sterilized jars, seal, & process. Makes 1 ½ quarts

From the recipe collection of Hillsdale Farmers’ Market Chef Kathryn Yeomans The Farmer's Feast http://thefarmersfeast.me/

Carrot Pickles

Very Easy Mexican Style Picos (Escabeche)
Makes 1½ quarts

Even if you’re not into canning or “putting up”, you can still make pickles. This recipe comes together very quickly, and then the pickles marinate in the refrigerator; ready as soon as they cool, improved by the next day, lasting about a week.
Serve these pickles alongside tacos, sandwiches, or grilled steak, or on their own as an appetizer.

Ingredients
4 tsp. olive oil
¾ cup sliced white onion (about 1 medium onion)
2 garlic cloves, peeled
4 cups (1 quart) sliced carrot
4 or 5 jalapeno peppers (amount depending on how spicy the peppers are, and how spicy you like your pickles), sliced lengthwise and seeded
a pinch of dried Mexican oregano a large pinch of salt (to taste)
1 cup apple cider vinegar
1 cup water
1 6-ounce can of pineapple juice

Steps
In a non-reactive pot, large enough to accommodate all of the ingredients, heat the oil over a medium flame. Add the onion and garlic cook for several minutes, stirring often, just until it starts to soften. Add the carrots and continue to cook, stirring once in a while, for several more minutes. Stir in the jalapeno, oregano, salt, and liquids. Bring the mixture to a boil. Turn off the heat and allow to cool to room temperature. Refrigerate the cooled pickles.
Note that these pickles do not contain sufficient acid for canning.

Pickled Cherries

adapted from Chez Panisse Fruit by Alice Waters by Kathryn LaSusa Yeomans

Ingredients

2 pounds cherries (sweet or tart)
1 1⁄2 cups sugar
4 1⁄4 cups white wine vinegar
4 cloves
6 peppercorns

Steps

1. Rinse, dry, and pick over the cherries, discarding or eating any blemished ones. Cut the stems down so that they are a half-inch long.
2. If you would like to can the cherries, prepare eight 1-pint canning jars and self-sealing lids in boiling water, following the manufacturer’s instructions.
3. Stir together the sugar, vinegar, cloves, & peppercorns in a non-reactive saucepan. Bring to a boil over a high flame. Cook the brine for 3 minutes.
4. Pack the cherries into a food-grade plastic or glass container, or pack them into the canning jars.    Pour the hot brine over the cherries, cover, and if canning, process them in a boiling waterbath for 10 minutes. If refrigerating, cover, allow to cool to room temperature, and refrigerate, making sure that they are fully submerged in the liquid. Let sit for 2 weeks before eating, or 2 months if you have canned them.

After opening, the canned cherries will keep refrigerated for a year.
Chef Kathryn Yeomans
The Farmer's Feast
http://thefarmersfeast.me/

Basic Quick Pickle Recipe

Lots of vegetables can be utilized with this brine when you want a quick batch of refrigerator pickles. Pour it (hot) over green beans, asparagus, carrots, cauliflower, celery, spring turnips, fennel bulb, Swiss chard stalks, etc. Let the vegetables marinate for a day or a week before eating, and enjoy the pickles for the next month or so. If you make up a batch of brine, you can keep it handy in the refrigerator for a couple of weeks, pulling it out to heat and use with vegetables as you bring them home from the market. This recipe halves or doubles easily.

Ingredients
4 cups vinegar (white wine vinegar, red wine vinegar, or apple cider vinegar)
2 cups water
1 cup sugar
1 cup kosher salt
1 tsp. black peppercorns
4 or more garlic cloves

optional spices such as allspice, clove, cinnamon stick, Szechuan peppercorns, mustard seed, fennel seed, dried whole chili or chile flakes, coriander, celery seed, juniper berry, etc.

optional fresh herbs, such as thyme stems, rosemary branch, bay leaves, fennel fronds, dill, oregano or marjoram stems

Combine all of the ingredients except the fresh herbs in a non-reactive pot. Heat over a high flame, stirring until the salt & sugar are dissolved in the liquid. Bring just to a boil. Remove from heat. Pour hot over vegetables, allow to cool to room temperature, and refrigerate.

From the recipe collection of Hillsdale Farmers’ Market Chef Kathryn Yeomans The Farmer's Feast http://thefarmersfeast.me/