Sweet Tomato Jam

makes 3 cups

(America)

                                                                   Prepartation time: 30 minutes

                                                                   Cook time:           45 minutes

                                                                   Process time:       10 minutes, 

                                                                                            adjusting for altitude 

                                                                   Total time:            1 hour 25 minutes

Ingredients

                                                 2 pound plum tomatoes, coarsely chopped
                                                 1 ½ cups light brown sugar
                                                 1 tablespoons honey
                                                 1 lemon, zested and juiced
                                                 1 teaspoon salt
                                                 1 teaspoon red pepper flakes

Preparation

prepare the tomatoes:

Cut a cross in the end of each of the tomatoes.

Place the tomatoes in boiling water to blanch, about 1 minute; you'll know the tomatoes are ready to be removed when the edges of the inscribed crosses curl up.

Remove with a slotted spoon and immediately immerse the blanched tomatoes in a pre-prepared ice bath.  One by one, peel the tomatoes and place the peeled tomatoes in a bowl.

mill the tomatoes:

Several at a time, place the peeled tomatoes in a food mill positioned over a large bowl and process the tomatoes through it.  Continue to process until all the tomatoes have been processed.

Processing through a food mill will remove all the seeds.

cook the jam:

Combine the milled tomatoes, the sugar, the honey, the lemon juice and zest and the crushed red pepper flakes in large, heavy-bottomed saucepan over medium-high heat and bring the mixture to a simmer, stirring often.  

Continue simmering, uncovered, until the mixture reaches about 220° F. on a candy thermometer or becomes thick and syrupy, about 45 minutes.

jar the jam:

Remove from the heat and place jam into sterilized jam jars, cover and process as you would any canned vegetables or use immediately.

service:

Jam can be used as a spread for crackers, as a sandwich spread, or as an accompaniment for ham, turkey, or pork.

Albondigas Soup

Albondigas Soup

(Mexican Meatball Soup)

serves 8

(Mexico)

                                                                              Prep time: 10 minutes
                                                                              Cook time: 50 minutes
                                                                              Total time: 1 hour

Ingredients

meatballs:

8 ounces ground beef
8 ounces raw chorizo sausage, casing removed
1 small onion, micro-planed
1/2 cup fresh cilantro, roughly chopped
1 large egg, beaten
2 cloves garlic, peeled and micro-planed
½ cup cooked rice
1/2 carrot, minced
½ teaspoon Kosher or sea salt
¼ teaspoons freshly ground black pepper
1 teaspoon ground cumin
nonstick cooking spray

soup: 

2 cups diced onions
2 tablespoons extra-virgin olive oil
2 teaspoons chili powder
4 cloves garlic, chopped
6 cups chicken broth
3 corn tortillas, chopped
1 16-ounce can diced tomatoes, drained of juice
2 cups sliced button mushrooms, about 8 ounces
2 cups fresh or frozen corn kernels
½ cup fresh cilantro, roughly chopped
1 pound of escarole, trimmed and cut into 1/2 strips
Kosher or sea salt, to taste
 freshly ground black pepper, to taste

service:

sour cream
½ cup roughly chopped cilantro
corn tortillas chips

Preparation

meatballs:

Preheat oven to 400° F. and coat broiler pan with nonstick cooking spray.

In a large mixing bowl combine the meatball ingredients and mix thoroughly.  Shape the meat mixture into ¾ to 1-inch diameter meatballs and place on the prepared broiler pan; you should end up with about 30 meatballs.  Bake meatballs until fully cooked, about 30 minutes.  

soup:

In a large pot over medium heat sauté the onions in the olive oil until they are softened, about 5 minutes.  Add the garlic and the chili powder and cook an additional minute.  Add the chicken broth, tortillas and half the tomatoes; simmer for 5 minutes.   

Puree the soup in a blender in two or more batches.  Take caution, only fill the container of the blender to half or less of its capacity and cover the container with a cloth when pureeing as the hot soup will expand and may overflow if the container is filled too much.  

Return the pureed soup to the pot and add the remaining tomatoes, the mushrooms, the corn, cilantro, escarole and the meatballs.  Bring the soup to a simmer and simmer for 10 minutes.  Adjust seasoning to taste with salt and pepper. 

service:

Ladle the soup into individual serving bowls or into a large bowl for family service and serve garnished with roughly chopped fresh cilantro and accompanied by sour cream, and crisp tortillas chips.

Pasta alla Norma

Pasta alla Norma

(Spaghetti with Eggplant and Basil)

serves 4

(Italy)

Ingredients

1 medium eggplants (about 1 pound each), cut into 1/2-inch cubes

1 tablespoons coarse kosher salt plus additional for cooking pasta

5 tablespoons extra-virgin olive oil, divided

½ cup chopped onion

2 garlic cloves, peeled and micro-planed

1/4 to 1 teaspoon dry red pepper flakes, to taste

1 14 ½ - ounce cans crushed tomatoes and juice, San Marzano prefered

1 pound pasta, your choice

½ cup torn fresh basil leaves

freshly ground black pepper, to taste

Kosher or sea salt, to taste

*A salted, dry ricotta cheese; available at some supermarkets, Italian markets, and specialty foods stores.

Preparation

1.  Place eggplant cubes in a colander over a dish or bowl and sprinkle with 2 tablespoons kosher or sea salt to reduce bitterness, let drain for about 20 minutes.  Rinse with cold water to remove excess salt and pat dry, set aside.

2.  Meanwhile,  heat  1 tablespoon of olive oil to a heavy, large skillet and heat oil over high heat. Working in 3 batches, cook eggplant until browned on all sides, adding 1 tablespoon olive oil for each batch as needed, about 8 minutes. Using slotted spoon, remove each batch as they cook to a plat.  When the last batch finishes cooking remove the sauteed eggplant  from the skillet to a holding plate.

3.  Return the skillet to the stove and  heat 2 tablespoons oil  in it over medium heat.  Add the chopped onions and micro-planed garlic and sauté until the onions are soft and translucent, about 5 minutes. Add the crushed red pepper flakes and the tomatoes including their juice.  Cook until the tomatoes are softened, about 15 minutes.  add the removed, cooked eggplant and the tomato sauce to the skillet and stir to combine and reheat.  Lower the heat to keep the sauce warm.

4.  Meanwhile, cook the spaghetti al dente according to package directions, about 10 minute. Drain reserving 1 cup pasta cooking water.  

5.  Bring the sauce to a gentle boil. Add the spaghetti and basil to sauce and toss to coat.   If the sauce seems too tight (dry) add the reserved pasta cooking water, a little at a time, until the pasta is as loose (wet) as you prefer.  Season to taste with salt and freshly ground black pepper. Transfer pasta to bowl; top with ricotta salata and serve.

Old Fashioned Chili Sauce

Old Fashioned Chili Sauce

makes about 3 pints

(America)

Ingredients

4 pounds ripe red tomatoes

2 medium green peppers

2 medium sweet red peppers

1 1/2 cups coarsely chopped celery

1 1/2 cups coarsely chopped onion

1 cup white granulated sugar

1/2 cup light-brown sugar, firmly packed

1 tablespoons salt

1 teaspoon ground cinnamon

1 teaspoon ground cloves

1 teaspoon all spice

1/2 tablespoon mustard seed

1/2 tablespoon celery seed

1 1/2 cups cider vinegar

Preparation

prepare the vegetables:

1.  In a large pot, bring a large quantity of water to a rapid boil.  Turn off the heat and add the tomatoes, insure the tomatoes are covered with the hot water.  Allow the tomatoes to stand several minutes.  

2.  One at a time, carefully remove each tomato to a work surface, remove the stem and peel.  When all the tomatoes have been stemmed and peeled, empty the water from the pot.  Coarsely chop the tomatoes and place them into the  pot.

3.  On a chopping board, halve, stem, and remove the seeds and ribs from the peppers.  Coarsely chop the pepper and place them into the pot with the tomatoes.

4.  Add the chopped celery, the chopped onion, the white granulated sugar, the brown sugar, and the salt to the pot with the tomatoes.

cook the vegetables:

1.  Place the pot over medium heat and stir the contents until all the sugar is dissolved.

2.  Raise the heat and bring the mixture to a boil;  reduce the heat and simmer the mixture, uncovered for 45 minutes.

3.  Add the cinnamon, the ground cloves, the all spice, the mustard seeds, and the celery seeds.

4.  Continue simmering  the mixture, uncovered for 30 minutes longer, stirring occasionally.

5.  Add the vinegar and continue simmering for 1 hour longer, or until of desired consistency is reached.

prepare for canning:

 Meanwhile, sterilize your canning jars, lids, and seals in separate  pans of simmering water until ready for use. Do not boil. Set rings aside on a clean, sterile surface leave lids and jars in the hot water until ready to use.  Hint: the glass jars can be sterilized in your dishwasher by running them through a cleaning cycle.

can the chili sauce:

1.  Working with one jar at a time, remove it from the sterilizing pan (or your dishwasher), emptying  any  water out of it and placing it, opening end up on a clean, flat surface.  Add  1 tablespoon of lemon juice per pint into each hot jar.  Ladle your still hot sauce into hot jars leaving about 1/2-inch headspace. With a clean, sterile knife, remove air bubbles from the jar,  wipe the rim with a clean cloth to remove any spillage from the jar rim (use a canning funnel to avoid spillage).  Center a hot lid on the jar while avoiding touching the unerside. Apply the jar ring and tighten until it is fingertip tight.  Repeat the process  for each jar until all the jars and hot sauce are used.

2.  Place the sealed jars in  a large pot of boiling, insure that the pot is deep enough to completely submerge the jar in and covers it by at least  1-inch.  Process the submerged  jars in the boiling water for about 35 minutes but not less than 20 minutes.

3.  Remove jars from the pot (using a canning jar lifter) and place,  lid side up, on a clean  dish towel  to cool. Check for positive seal after 24 hours. Lids should not flex up and down when center is pressed.  For any jars  that have not completely sealed, remove the lids and rings; dispose of the lids you've removed (you can only use rings once . . . if the seal fails the lids CAN NOT be reused).   Check  the jar(s) that haven't sealed for defects (chips on  the jar rim, warped rings, etc.) and correct (for chips on  the jar rim, sterilize a new jar and transfer the sauce to the new jar . . . dispose of the defective jar).   Sterilize the rings and new  lids  and center the hot lids on the jars, apply the jar rings and tighten them until they are fingertip tight.  Reprocess the jars as in  step 10 above.

Pasta Valjo

Pasta Valjo

serves 10

(America)

My wife loves my Zuppa Pomodoro  di Toscano (Tuscan Tomato Soup), but it serves 8 or more and we were only 2 so I developed this recipe to find an alternative use for the excess soup . . .  we soon found that our friends and family enjoyed the pasta sauce so much I began making it as a dish of its own.   This recipe makes sufficient for 10 to 12 approximately 1cup servings, for smaller groups reserve, prior to adding the vodka,  the number of cups needed for service and freeze the remainder in a lidded, freezer safe container for future use as either a sauce base or soup.

Ingredients

2 – 28 ounce cans of imported San Marzano Tomatoes, including juices

2 cups of chicken stock

1 ¼ cup good Vodka

2 large yellow onions, finely diced

1 ½ cups of heavy whipping cream

1 cup Pesto di Basilico (Basil Pesto, see recipe)

½ tablespoon red pepper flakes (optional, to taste)

3 tablespoons extra virgin olive oil

Kosher or sea salt (to taste)

 freshly ground black pepper (to taste)

2½  pounds of pasta of your choice (about 1/4 pound per person)

Freshly grated Parmesan-Reggiano cheese 

Preparation

1.  Heat oil in a large, heavy bottomed pot over low heat.  Add the diced onions and sauté until softened and translucent (do not brown).

2.  Add the tomatoes and red pepper flakes (if used) raise heat  and bring the tomatoes to a simmer.  When the tomatoes are at a simmer, add the chicken stock.

3.  Continue simmering for about 15 minutes giving the flavours time to combine.

4.  Add the whipping cream and pesto.  Remove from the stove and carefully pour the sauce base into the container of a blender or food processor and process (in batches if necessary) to the consistency you desire (we enjoy the sauce slightly chunky in the Italian fashion).

5.  Reserve 1 cup sauce base per serving, at this point any base not used can be placed in a lidded, freezer safe container and frozen for future use.  Pour the reserved sauce base into a large sauce pan and set aside.

6.  Prepare pasta (allowing about ¼ pound pasta per person) al dente according to package directions.  Drain,  reserving 1 cup pasta water, cooked pasta.

7.  Place the sauce pan containing sauce base over medium heat and add 2 tablespoons of vodka per serving of sauce (1 ¼  cups for the entire recipe) to the sauce base and bring to a rapid simmer.  Correct seasoning to taste with salt and freshly ground black pepper.

8.  Add the pasta and toss.   If the sauce appears too tight for your tastes add the reserved pasta cooking water, a little at a time, until the desired consistence is attained.  

9.  Divide the sauce pasta among serving dishes and serve immediately accompanied by plenty of freshly grated Parmesan cheese.

Insalata Caprese

Insalata Caprese

(Tomato, Fresh Mozzarella, and Basil Salad)

serves 4

(Italy) 

Ingredients

½ pound fresh mozzarella cheese, sliced into ¼-inch thick slices

2 large ripe tomatoes, sliced into ¼-inch thick slices

¾ cup extra-virgin olive oil

¼ cup good balsamic vinegar

1 cup fresh basil leaves

2 or 3 large cloves of garlic, crushed and finely chopped

Coarse Kosher salt and freshly ground black pepper

2 tablespoons drained capers (optional)

Crusty Italian bread or Baguette, sliced into ¼ inch slices

Preparation

1.  Arrange the tomato and fresh mozzarella slices in an alternating, circular pattern around the edge of a large platter  (or on individual plates if you are doing individual portions) creating an overlapping for effect of tomato slices and mozzarella slices.

2.  Chiffonade the basil leaves and sprinkle liberally over the slices.  Distribute the capers over the top of the slices.

3.  In a small bowl whisk the olive oil, the balsamic, and garlic.  Taste and correct seasoning with salt and pepper and distribute the mixture over the tomato, mozzarella, and basil on the platter.

4.  For best taste, allow the salad to rest about 1 hour before serving.

5.  Serve with accompanied by slices of crusty Italian bread or baguette on which to create an hors d'oeuvres portion*.

*a portion is considered one tomato topped slice of mozzarella atop of a slice of the bread topped by some of the chiffonade basil leaves and capers.

Farfalle alla Caprese (Farfalle with Tomatoes and Basil)

Farfalle alla Caprese

(Farfalle with Tomatoes and Basil)

serves 4 to 6

(Italy)

Farfalle alla Caprese is a light summertime supper dish from the Southern Italian Island of Capri which  marries the bright flavours of sun-ripened Roma tomatoes with the bite of fresh garlic, the sweet taste of basil, and the mellow flavour of extra-virgin olive oil.

Ingredients

1 pound Farfalle

3 large firm Roma tomatoes, seeded and cut into 1/2-inch dice

4 large cloves of garlic, chopped

1 pound fresh mozzarella ball, cut into 1/2-inch cubes

1/4 cup extra-virgin olive oil

20 small fresh basil leaves

1/4 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper (or to taste)

1/2 teaspoon coarse Kosher or sea salt (or to taste)

Preparation

1.  Bring a large pot of salted water to a boil over high heat.  When the water comes to a rolling boil toss in the Farfalle and cook per package instructions until al dente, about 10 minutes.

2.  Meanwhile while the Farfalle is cooking, begin the sauce.  In a large bowl combine the olive oil, the garlic, 1/2 teaspoon of salt, 1/4 teaspoon of freshly ground black pepper, the diced tomatoes and the diced mozzarella.

3.  When the pasta reaches the al dente stage reserve 1/2 cup of the hot, pasta water and drain the pasta.  Add it to the bowl with the other ingredients and toss to thoroughly combine.   Add 1/4 cup of the hot, reserved pasta cooking water and continue tossing.  The pasta should look rather "tight" and the mozzarella should begin to melt (if it hasn't add a little more of the reserved hot water but not too much, this pasta should be rather "tight").  Garnish by distributing the basil leaves over the pasta, adjust seasoning, and serve immediately.

Lou’s Manhattan Clam Chowder

Serves 8

(America)

Coming from New York and living on Long Island in a time when fresh clams were very inexpensive, dad grew up eating various versions of Manhattan Clam Chowder made from the fresh clams that were abundant in his youth.  This version was developed over the years to compensate in flavour for the years of living in places were fresh clams were either unavailable or very pricey (since you buy them by the pound and pay, primarily, for shell) and he had to use canned clams.  The cayenne pepper successfully compensates for that  loss  of fresh clam flavour and adds a spicy sub-tone to this chowder.

Ingredients

4 ounces of salt pork or bacon, cut into small pieces or about 2 healthy tablespoons of bacon grease

1 cup minced yellow onion

2 tablespoons of finely chopped flat-leafed parsley

½ teaspoon freshly ground black pepper

1/4 teaspoon cayenne pepper

1 bay leaf

2 cups minced celery

1 cup minced green pepper

3 (16 ounce ) cans chopped clams (juice reserved)

16 ounces of clam juice (juice reserved from the chopped clams supplemented by bottled clam juice to make 16 ounces) 

1(1-pound, 12-ounce) can Italian-style tomatoes, chopped (liquid reserved)

2 6 ounce can of tomato paste

4 cups diced red potatoes (cleaned, skin on)

8 cups water

2 tablespoons butter

salt and pepper, and cayenne pepper to taste

Preparation

1.  In a large, heavy soup pot over medium heat cook salt pork/bacon until it begins to render fat (or melt the bacon grease).  Add onions,  parsley, and black pepper.  Cook, stirring,  for about 5 minutes until onions soften (do not allow to brown).

2.  Add Bay leaf, minced celery and green pepper.  Cook, stirring, for 15 minutes.

3.  Add 8 ounces of the clam juice, reserved liquid from the tomatoes, the diced potatoes, and the water.  Simmer for 25 minutes after the mixture begins to simmer.

4.  Add the chopped clams, tomatoes, remaining 8 ounces of clam juice; stir in the tomato paste and the cayenne pepper.  Simmer for 15 minutes.

5.  Add the butter, stir to combine butter into the chowder.  At this point taste and correct seasoning (salt, pepper, cayenne) to taste.

6.   Continue to simmer for about 2 hours, uncovered, to allow the liquid to reduce and change what would be a soup to chowder.  Serve with crust bread and/or oyster crackers.

Next Week's Posting: Zuppa Pomodoro  di Toscano(Tuscan Tomato Soup)