A TIME FOR TOMATOES

So I'm just warning you now, there might be a lot of talk on here about tomatoes for a little while.  My source at the Farmer's Market (don't ask who, I won't be revealing, in fear the mass hordes of Halifax will descend and rob me of my precious produce) came through with a basket of organic tomatoes for preserving.  I had hoped for 3 bushels, and came away with one, but there is talk of more being available next week perhaps. In any case, there is going to be some major tomato action going on in the kitchen.  So much so that I've enlisted the assistance of my mother in law to come by on Monday to help by watching the wee ones while I mess up the kitchen.  But until then, my little red lovelies are laid out on the spare bed upstairs ripening as we speak.  

If anyone has a kick ass salsa recipe, please share.....thanks!

FEEL THE RHYTHM OF THE BEET

The beets were bulging out of the ground, and so it was time to pickle.  I've discovered that it only really makes sense to can and preserve when you grow your own produce.  Luckily our beets really didn't mind the cool and wet temperatures of our coastal garden.  I really wish I could say the same for our tomatoes.  I am on the lookout for a good source of organic (or just not poisoned ones, I'm not really that picky) tomatoes for canning this year, and am in the process of negotiating a good deal.  Who knew preserving was such a hustle?  A strawberry farmer in the valley who apparently grows nice unsprayed strawberries wouldn't even let me come for a little u-pick this summer.  She has preferred clientele and basically told me not to bother driving out.  Wow.  I really need some fertile farmland so I can grow all of my own goods.  Geesh.  Anyway, so far our freezer is stocked with leafy greens and rhubarb, and now I have 5 jars of pickled beets.  It's going to be a lean winter.  

PICKLED BEETS

Makes about 6 x 500 ml jars.

10 cups (about 16 large) organic beets, prepared

2 1/2 cups  local organic apple cider vinegar

3 cups  water

¾ cups local honey

Method:  Prepare beets:  Scrub beets, leaving root and 5 cm of stem intact to prevent bleeding. Place beets in a large saucepan; cover with water; bring to a boil; cover and simmer 20 to 40 minutes until beets test tender with fork.  Be sure not to over cook.

Place 6 clean 500 ml mason jars on a rack in a boiling water canner; cover jars with water and heat to a simmer (180°F/82°C). Set screw bands aside; heat SNAP LID sealing discs in hot water, not boiling (180°F/82°C). Keep jars and lids sealing discs hot until ready to use.

Combine the vinegar, water and honey in a stainless steel saucepan. Bring to a boil; cover and reduce heat, keeping solution hot.

Drain beets; rinse with cold water to cool; slip off the skins removing tap root and stems. Quarter beets to yield 14 cups.

If necessary, return pickling liquid to a boil. Pack beets into a hot jar to within 2 cm of top of jar. Add hot pickling liquid to cover beets to within 1 cm of top of jar (headspace). Using nonmetallic utensil, remove air bubbles and adjust headspace, if required, by adding more beets and hot brine. Wipe jar rim removing any food residue. Centre hot sealing disc on clean jar rim. Screw band down until resistance is met, then increase to fingertip tight. Return filled jar to rack in canner. Repeat for remaining beets and hot brine.

When canner is filled, ensure that all jars are covered by at least 2.5 cm of water. Cover canner and bring water to full rolling boil before starting to count processing time. At altitudes up to 1000 ft (305 m), process –boil filled jars – 30 minutes.

When processing time is complete, remove canner lid, wait 5 minutes, then remove jars without tilting and place them upright on a protected work surface. Cool upright, undisturbed 24 hours; DO NOT RETIGHTEN screw bands.

After cooling check jar seals. Sealed discs curve downward and do not move when pressed. Remove screw bands; wipe and dry bands and jars. Store screw bands separately or replace loosely on jars, as desired. Label and store jars in a cool, dark place. For best quality, use home canned foods within one year.

Fish and Gratin

Our menus around here are dependent upon many factors - what is seasonally available, what the weather is like, what needs to be used up in the fridge and on and on and on.  This weekend I forgot to bring my cooler and ice when I went urban foraging, so the frozen hook and line haddock I bought defrosted by the time I got home.  Sooo, we had fish for supper tonight.

P.S- both dishes in this post are very yummy but I highly recommend making them separately as they didn't really go well togethere.  I would have liked to eat a nice raw coleslaw with the fish and maybe baked fish with the gratin or something light like a tofu dish.

CORNMEAL CRUSTED HADDOCK with Cucumber Pickle Tartar Sauce

Every summer I pickle and can produce for the winter.  One of my favorite recipes is for a Cucumber Relish.  I love to make a quick and yummy tartar sauce with it when we eat fried fish.

1 pound hook and line haddock, cut into 4 pieces

1/4 cup organic cornmeal

1/4 cup organic unbleached white flour

sea salt and pepper

organic butter

Method:  Heat a cast iron skillet over medium high heat.  Combine the cornmeal, flour, sea salt and pepper in a bowl and toss the fish pieces in the mix.  Melt some butter in the pan and cook each side of the fish until golden brown.  Serve with tartar sauce and a squeeze of lemon.

CUCUMBER RELISH

7 cups organic cucumbers, washed, and chopped in small dice

4 cups organic green peppers, washed, seeded and chopped in small dice

4 cups organic red peppers, washed, seeded and chopped in small dice

2 cups organic celery, chopped

1 cup organic onion, chopped

1/2 cup coarse sea salt

2 cups local honey

3 cups organic apple cider vinegar

3 Tbsp organic celery seed

3 Tbsp organic white mustard seed

Method:  Combine cucumbers, peppers, celery, onions and salt in a large stainless steel bowl. Cover and let stand 4 hours.

     Fill boiling water canner with water.  Place 7 500 ml canning jars in canner over high heat.

     Rinse vegetables well in a colander and press out excess moisture.

     Combine honey, vinegar, celery seed, mustard seed in a large stainless steel saucepan.  Mix well and bring to a boil.  Add vegetables, return to a boil and boil gently for 10 minutes.  

     Place snap lids in boiling water, boil 5 minutes.

     Ladle relish into a hot jar to within 1 cm of top rim.  Remove air bubbles and wipe rim.  Place lid and screw cap.  Place in canner and repeat.  Process all the jars in a boiling canner for 10 minutes.  Cool.

TARTAR SAUCE

3 Tbsp organic mayonaise

3 Tbsp cucumber relish

Method:  Combine the two ingredients and serve.

SWISS CHARD AND SWEET POTATO GRATIN

Ever since I started a food blog, I've been interested in other food blogs.  One I really like is Smitten Kitchen, who inspired this adaptation of a yummy gratin.

1 organic onion, chopped

2 Tbsp organic butter

1 bunch of organic swiss chard, chopped into 2 cm pieces

pinch of fresh grated nutmeg

2 cups organic whole milk

2 cloves organic garlic, minced

2 Tbsp organic flour

3 medium organic sweet potatoes, peeled and cut into thin slices

some fresh or dried organic thyme and parsley

sea salt

pepper

1 1/4 cups organic swiss cheese

Method:  In a large pot, pour in enough water to cover bottom of pot.  Bring to a boil over high heat, add chard, cover and cook until chard wilts.  Drain in a colander over the sink, pressing out excess water.  Set aside.

     Saute the onion in some butter until soft.  Set aside.

     Melt two tablespoons butter in a medium saucepan over moderate heat and stir in flour.  Cook, whisking, and then add the milk and garlic, whisking over heat for one minute.  Season with salt, pepper and nutmeg.

     Preheat oven to 400*.  Butter a large cast iron skillet or baking dish.  Spread half of the potatoes, sprinkle with the onion and some salt and pepper, thyme and parsley, and 1/2 of the cheese.  Distribute all of the chard, then sprinkle with sea salt and pepper, some more herbs and half of the sauce.  Layer the rest of the sweet potato, followed with some salt and pepper, the rest of the sauce and end with the rest of the cheese.  Bake in the oven for 45 minutes.