Lucid Food_ Cooking for an Eco-Conscious Life - Louisa Shafia [67]
accompaniments
Following are simple pickles, sauces, and side dishes that round out many of the recipes in this book. There is a wide range of flavors to enjoy, including Southeast Asian, Mexican, Mediterranean, and classic American. Some of these foods are seasonal, while others can be made any time of year. As you add these versatile sidekicks to your culinary repertoire, think of the ingredients more as guidelines than as hard-and-fast rules. Get creative and make them your own; there is a lot of room for interpretation.
In this chapter, you’ll find basic information to help get you started on pickling and preserving food, and techniques you can use to make preserves, chutneys, and pickles. You can preserve food in jars, also known as canning, any time of year, but the most obvious time is in early fall, when the full spectrum of warm-weather produce is at its peak.
Tamarind Ketchup
Tamarind provides acidity with a delicious fruity tartness. It is mainly used in Indian, Thai, and Mexican cooking, although it grows in many tropical climates, including Florida. Look for the caramel-colored tamarind concentrate or paste in markets, as extracting the fruit from the pods is labor-intensive. Use the ketchup on the Indonesian Corn Fritters, Indian Spiced Scrambled Eggs, and burgers or grilled shrimp. For all of the preserving recipes, including this one, use kosher salt; unlike table salt, it is free of additives that can discolor ingredients. (See recipe image)
Makes 2 cups
8 ripe tomatoes (preferably Romas)
1 small yellow onion, diced
1 clove garlic, smashed
1 cup honey
1 tablespoon apple cider vinegar
4 teaspoons kosher salt
1 cup golden tamarind concentrate or paste (not dark brown)
½ teaspoon whole cloves
½ teaspoon allspice
1 cinnamon stick, broken into pieces
Bring a pot of water to a boil, and set up a bowl with ice water. Cut a shallow X in the bottom of each tomato, place them in the boiling water for 45 seconds, and transfer to the ice water. As soon as you can handle them, pull off the skins. Core and halve the tomatoes. Scoop out the seeds over a strainer and press them to extract the juice, then discard the seeds.
Put the tomatoes, their juice, the onion, and garlic in a blender and blend until smooth. Transfer to a large pot and add the honey, vinegar, and salt. Add the tamarind concentrate, passing it through a strainer to remove any stray bits of shell. Tie the cloves, allspice, and cinnamon in a piece of cheesecloth and add them to the pot. Bring to a boil, then decrease the heat and simmer, uncovered, until the ketchup evenly coats the back of a spoon. Let the ketchup cool to room temperature. Remove the cheesecloth bundle and pour into an airtight container and refrigerate for up to 2 months.
Pickled Cauliflower
This is a simple pickle with bold flavors. For a variation, try adding fresh herbs, a dash of red pepper flakes, or a wedge of orange. (See recipe image)
Fills 1 pint jar
2 scant cups cauliflower florets
1 clove garlic, crushed
½ teaspoon black peppercorns
1¼ cups apple cider vinegar
1 tablespoon honey
2 teaspoons kosher salt
Place the cauliflower, garlic, and peppercorns in a sterilized pint jar, leaving ½ inch of headspace at the top of the jar. Place the vinegar, honey, and salt in a small saucepan and bring to a boil, stirring to dissolve the honey and salt. Boil for 1 minute. Pour the hot vinegar into the jar of cauliflower, fully immersing the cauliflower. There may be a little extra pickling liquid left over.
Let cool to room temperature, seal, and refrigerate. The pickles are ready to eat after 3 weeks and will keep in the refrigerator for up to 2 months.
Basic Canning
Canning is a straightforward process that experienced veterans can do instinctively. It’s fun and easy, but because detailed procedures must be followed in order to prevent the growth of toxic bacteria, you should first learn