Smoky Tomato-Eggplant Chutney

Condiment-a-holics raise your hands!  You know who you are.  You, with the refrigerator doors that are bulging under the weight of jars and bottles in every imaginable shape, size, and content. One shelf in your pantry has been taken over.  I'm guessing there is some sort of box, basket, or tray on your table...perhaps a countertop...displaying a few of your most-used, most-beloved condiments.  There's new, full-to-the-brim jars taking up residence amongst those with just the dregs, waiting to be shaken into an emulsified dressing of one sort or another.

Is your hand up?

Yeah, mine is too.

Sauces and spreads, relishes and jams, mustards and mayos, vinegars and hot sauces, relishes and chutneys - which of these categories do you find that you have the most of?  My "collection" is fairly eclectic.  I do have a hard time resisting mustards and hot sauces, though.  One thing I find that I don't have very much variation in is the "chutney" category.

A chutney is similar to a relish, usually containing some sort of fruit and/or vegetable, some spice, sugar, and vinegar, making it simultaneously sweet, sour, tangy, spicy, and pleasantly chunky.  And in all honesty, I think the only type of chutney I've ever really eaten is the ever-popular mango chutney.

What am I getting at?  Well, this month I was challenged to combine Pomì Tomatoes with eggplant, and after much deliberation, I decided I wanted to combine the two to make a chutney.  I could just taste the deep notes that both smoked paprika and smoked sea salt would lend to the meaty eggplant - and how they would be the perfect foil for the sweetness developed from cooking down the tomatoes and raisins with sugar.  A bit of vinegar for tang...mustard seeds and allspice to build the flavors.  I couldn't get the idea out of my mind.

Scattered in a lazy blanket over a piece of salmon that was seasoned with Garam Masala and Smoked Sea Salt, and served on a bed of wild and brown rice, the deep, rich chutney made a perfect meal.  Next up, I'm heaping it inside of a grilled cheese sandwich that's been made with a sharp, nutty Cheddar.

Smoky Tomato-Eggplant Chutney

by Heather Schmitt-Gonzalez

Prep Time: 10 minutes

Cook Time: 45-50 minutes

Keywords: simmer sauce condiment vegan vegetarian nut-free tomatoes raisins eggplant

Ingredients (~1 quart)

• 1 (26.46 ounce) box Pomi Chopped Tomatoes
• 2 small eggplants (~8 ounce), cut into 1/2" dice
• 8 ounce granulated sugar
• 4 ounce onions or shallots, chopped
• 2 ounce raisins
• 2 1/2 teaspoons smoked paprika
• 1 1/2 teaspoons smoked sea salt
• 1 teaspoon whole mustard seed
• 1/2 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper
• 1/4 teaspoon ground allspice
• 1 1/2 cups apple cider vinegar

Instructions

Combine everything in a medium-sized Dutch oven or heavy-bottomed pot. Bring to a boil, then reduce to a gentle simmer. Cook until the color is a deep, rich red and everything has thickened up into a chutney (like chunky preserves), 45-50 minutes.

Let cool a bit and transfer to jars for storage in the fridge. It will keep for months if refrigerated. I think it could probably be processed (canned), but I'm not 100% positive as it's not something I do often.

Enjoy warm or cold as a condiment. Serve with grilled fish, chicken, or lamb. Serve with a cheese plate or cheese and crackers. Put into a grilled cheese sandwich with sharp cheddar or aged gouda. Thin out and use as a marinade or make into a sauce. This time I served it with a Garam Masala-dusted Salmon. The possibilities are endless.

Powered by Recipage

I am entering this dish in the April iPomì Challenge: Eggplant

I received two boxes of Pomì Tomatoes at no charge to use as I pleased to test and develop a recipe using eggplant and Pomì Tomatoes.  I received no compensation for writing this post.  All opinions are my own.

Preserving Grape (Vine) Leaves

I've always dreamed of having my own vineyard.  Well, maybe not always, but definitely since the first time I saw French Kiss...maybe before.  I wanted to look out at the horizon and see lines of posts with twisted vines and globes of purple, red and green.  I wanted to grow thyme, rosemary and lavender and have fruit tress, perhaps peaches, apples and cherries all nurtured in the same earth...to lend their subtle notes to the wine I was sure I would press and coax gently but with purpose from that treasured fruit. Just an intimate pressing...a small batch for us to enjoy and share with friends and family.  Perhaps I would plan seasonal meals with homemade breads and cheeses to accompany the wine...aaaaahhhhh.  And then one day, just over a year ago, we moved into our new house.  And there, just on the side of our driveway, near the end...was a gnarled, twisted, beautiful, brown vine pushing up through the earth and spreading itself down the fence. Grapes? We have Grapes! A smile, slow and full of desire and possibility played on my lips...

...but with all the fabulous dreaming I had done, I hadn't actually done any research in actualizing those dreams.  Sure, I now had grapes...one little vine, packed with potential..  What now?  Well, last  year I was just waiting and discovering what our new little spot of earth held dormant from before we were here.  We ate grapes out of hand, made pie and pressed a wee bit of juice.  But where to now?  The vines expanded quite a bit this year, from the last.  It hold even more of those beautiful bunches this year!  But reality slapped me in the face and I realized that in order to actually keep the vines going, I was going to have to learn how to take care of them.  Prune them (which I did not do last year), perhaps trim grafts and expand them (!?) and generally keep them healthy.  I am such a slacker sometimes.  I still want to do the whole wine-making thing, I just know that I have to get these basics down first. 

I found a fabulous bit of info on preserving the grape leaves over at Heartland Renaissance a few weeks back...and put it into motion right away.  One lesson at a time, girli.  I learned that late spring/early summer was the time for pruning grape leaves.  Very timely post, indeed.  Okay, first off the post told me that you only keep about one in every eight-ten of the leaves on the vine.  Hmmm.  Okay...look for the good-sized ones to prune.  You want an area about the size of your palm in the center...room for adding something tasty when you stuff them.  You are going to stuff them, right?  And trim them from the vine right where the leaf meets the stem.  This is to ensure that they will lay flat!

Only keep the leaves that are blemish-free...no little buggy snackin'-holes in them or unexplained brownish edges...send those to the compost pile.  Or let them fly free in the wind...

Next step, fill the basin of your sink with cold water and give those babies a bath!  Swish 'em around a bit to release loose dirt and little bugs that decided to hitch a ride.  Drain the water and do it again.  Twice worked well for me...cold, green and bug/dirt-free!

Now we move on the steps to preserving the grape leaves for future use.  I you wanted to use them now, you could simply blanch them for a minute, then use as you would the grape leaves you normally find in a jar. 

 OR

Stack your leaves.  Start with the largest ones and make sure they're at the bottom of the stack.  Pile 'em up about 30 per stack, dull-side down (HR found that most recipes calling for ~1 lb. of filling used about 25-30 leaves...this tip was invaluable.  I'm bound to mess up a leaf or two in the process of a recipe, so I just opt for the higher number and perhaps throw a few more on the stack). Once you've stacked them, roll them up...as if you were preparing to slice some honkin' big chiffonade! Tie them gently with some kitchen twine or cotton string or if you're like me and completely out, but only realize it after you've started the process, tie them with some sewing string.  Nobody'll know unless you tell them. 

Next up, we're going to blanch them in preparation for either preserving method.  Get yourself a bowl of ice water and set it to the side.  Start a large stock-pot of water boiling, adding 2 Tbs. of sea salt.  Once that water comes to a boil, gently lower the rolled leaves in and leave them there for 1 minute.  I used a long set of tongs to coax those leaves into staying underwater.  After that minute is up, move them quickly to the ice water to stop the cooking process.

Now, for the final step(s)...choose one or divide it up between your rolls:

FREEZING:

1. Carefully squeeze as much water from the leaves as you can and press between a paper towels or a clean kitchen towel.  They won't be completely dry, but that excess water will be gone from between the leaves, helping to stave off freezer burn.

2. Individually wrap each roll in plastic wrap and then place them in freezer bags, labeled and dated. 

---when you're ready to use the grape leaves, remove a roll from the freezer bag and thaw (still in plastic wrap) in warm water.  That's it.  How simple!!

CANNING:

1. Bring a pot of water to a boil.  Add one of the following: 1/4 c. of fresh lemon juice per 1 c. of water OR 1/2 tsp. citric acid per every 1 1/4 c. water.  (Each quart jar uses ~2 c. of water.)

2. Prepare your jars/lids for canning according to manufacturer's directions.

3. Place one roll of blanched/cooled grape leaves into a prepared quart-sized jar (snip off the string first), folding over the top of the leaves if necessary.  Add your hot water mixture (from step 1), leaving 1/2" of headspace.  Remove air bubbles with small thin knife, skewer, or de-bubbling stick (ha!), press on lid and ring and process jars for 15 minutes.  Remove to towel-lined counter and allow to cool.  Check seal.  One of mine didn't seal properly, so I simply squeezed it and froze it with the others.

I was over-joyed to find this post at the perfect time. Thanks so much to Sarah at Heartland Renaissance for helping me in my grapevine knowledge-gathering process even though she did it unknowingly, that matters not.  Please be sure to head over and visit Sarah...the method I displayed here was all hers and her post is laid out much more clearly.  Remember me saying how much I was enjoying having all of these fabulous links at my fingertips at Two for Tuesdays?  Hers was another post I found this way!  Please be sure to click through and visit everybody who is playing along with the carnival...you'll find great posts, many with fabulous information--great opportunities to gain knowledge!

And YES, I welcome tips on caring for your own grape vines (vines, leaves, grapes) anytime!! I need all the help I can get....

Apricot Jam w/ cyanide Noyaux

I think apricot jam is underrated. Well, it always was by me, at least. Not sure why. Perhaps because I always used it as an understudy, as opposed to letting it be the star.  The jam I've tried has always been fairly, well...neutral. Dull. Uneventful. Not worth writing home about.  I used it to "seal" the crumb of a cake or melted it in preparation for glazing fruit on a tart or cake.  Maybe it's that I never really took the time to get to know the apricot itself.  I mean sure, I love snacking on dried apricots...but it's not often I grab an apricot to just eat out-of-hand.  I hardly ever see them fresh.  Maybe for a fleeting moment.  The ones at grocery stores are cultivated for shipping.  Picked hard and pale and tasteless.  No wonder apricots have been all but forgotten in their "natural" state.  In the last year or so I've seen some really pretty, tempting, little apricoty-orange ones popping up at the farmer's market.  I decided these little beauties needed their name in lights!  Did you know that apricots do NOT continue to ripen after they're plucked from the tree?  No wonder they lost their appeal stuck amidst the hard peaches and mealy apples in the supermarket.  BUT, if plucked ripe and sagging from the tree...expect a burst of golden juice when you take that first bite...some juice dribbling from your lips because you don't have time to close them before it bursts!  What a pleasant surprise.  A star is born! 

Okay, so now that I actually know an apricot has a flavor of its own, what do I do with it? Turn it into jam. HA!  But, jam that's rich and caramely and golden orange...with a hint of bitter almond.  Jam that begs to be spooned onto toast or layered into a tart.  Or just eaten straight.  Seriously.  It was so tasty, I ate it from the spoon.

Let's talk first about that bitter almond flavor I adore so much.  Did you know that it comes from the pit of an apricot?  I didn't.  Basically the flavor is stuck inside the kernel that lies inside the pit of an apricot.  The flavor that can also be deadly!  That's right...what else do you think of when you think bitter almond flavor? Cyanide! Yikes!  The kernel, actual name Noyaux, contains an enzyme that when mixed with water makes prussic acid.  Poison.  Why in the world, then, is that flavor so desireable?  Have you tasted amaretto? YUM.  That's why.  Fortunately, there's a way to safeguard against accidentally poisoning yourself and your loved ones.  Roasting the noyaux kills that enzyme.  It's a simple process, too.  First, cut the apricot in half...just follow the natural butt-crack and make your way around.  Oh come on...you know it looks like a cute, fuzzy little bootie.  Okay, remove the pit.  Rinse all the stuck on apricot from the pits and place them on a sheet/pan and roast them in a 350 degree F oven for ~15 minutes.  Now, crack open the pits to extract the kernel (noyaux).  But be prepared- the kernel is hard! It's like trying to crack a walnut or an almond from its shell.  Use a hammer or the butt end of the knife...or a nutcracker.  Now, stick 'em back in the oven and roast them for another 10 minutes or so.  Better to be safe than dead.  Chop them up and they're ready to use.

Bitter Almond Flavored Apricot Jam

from Chez Panisse Fruit by Alice Waters

makes 4 c.

2 1/2 lbs. apricots, pitted and cut into 1/2" chunks

3 c. sugar

Noyaux (apricot kernels *see above)- 10 or fewer

Juice of 1 lemon

Stir the diced apricots and sugar together in a large heavy-bottomed nonreactive pot.  Let the mixture stand at least 30 minutes, to overnight...this will let the apricots release their juices and the sugar dissolve.  Chop up your noyaux and add to the fruit and sugar (they are strong, so don't use more than 10 for a batch this size).  Put a small plate in freezer to use later for checking the consistency of the jam.

Prepare four 8-oz. canning jars and self-sealing lids, per manufacturer's directions.

Bring the pot of fruit to a boil over high heat, stirring occasionally to make sure it isn't sticking to the bottom.  The mixture will bubbleup dramatically, rising high up the sides of the pot.  Skim off any light-colored foam that rises and collects on the sides.  Soon the jam will boil down, forming smaller, thicker bubbles.  At this point, start testing for consistency by putting a small spoonful of jam on the plate.  This will cool off the jam sample quickly so you can tell what finished texture will be like.  When the jam has cooked to the thickness you want, stir in the lemon juice.  Turn off heat and carefully ladle the jam into the prepared canning jars, allowing at least 1/4" of headroom.  Seal, per manufacturer's instructions.  The jam will keep for about a year.  Alternately, make a smaller batch and keep it in the fridge or use it right away.

If you're nervous about using the noyaux, you can leave it out.  My first few bites I felt all tingly...kind of like my throat was closing up.  I felt sort of anxious and my mouth was watering.  Now, I roasted those kernels like there was no tomorrow...but I think it was sort of a placebo-effect sort of thing.  Or perhaps there was a bit of that toxin still in there...the feeling some one is said to get from eating Fugu (Pufferfish).  I may never know.  The important this is...I'm still here.  Writing this post and drooling once again over apricot jam that is packed full of bitter almond and rich caramel notes...with pleasant chunks of actual fruit!

It's Tuesday, and you know what that means!  Or do you?  It's time for another round of Two for Tuesdays Blog Hop Carnival! 

Add your REAL FOOD link at the bottom of this post and then leave a comment so I know you've joined in this week! And remember, your link will show up at all 4 host sites for Two for Tuesdays! Thanks for making and eating REAL food and sharing it with us.

*If you missed the Two for Tuesdays announcement and wonder what it's all about, just click on the badge or HERE and it'll take you to the explanation page!!

I am also submitting this to Tuesday Twister at Gnowfglins and Real Food Wednesdays at Kelly the Kitchen Kop.

Easy Refrigerator Pickles

My absolute favorite types of pickles (cucumber pickles) are the In-Your-Face-Garlic-Breath kind of pickles.  These are not those kind...but I hope to make some soon.  These are simple refrigerator pickles...in other words, not "canned".  Make them in small batches to eat over the summer.  Those weeks when you know you'll be cooking out a lot are the perfect excuse to turn a few cucumbers into no-hassle pickles.  Quick pickles are also the perfect time to experiment with flavors.  Test out different herbs, spices and add-ins...that way, when it comes time for preserving large batches for canning, you can make new varieties with the flavor combos you like best!  Last weekend at the Farmer's Market I bought three long and lovely seedless cucumbers.  I did not buy dill.  I could have sworn there was some growing in our community garden, or at the very least that I still had some dried.  Nope...on both counts.  Therefore, my pickles were not dill pickles...but they were still delicious!  We grilled up some burgers, bbq chicken and hotdogs...these were a fabulous accompaniment to all of them.  Slightly sweet with a little lingering heat.  I cut each cucumber a different way, for different textures and jarred them separately.  One was thin and flat.  Another was slightly thicker and wavy (cool cutter from Pampered Chef). And the third was cut on the bias, thick and wavy (big 'uns). The thin ones tucked nicely into hotdog buns...the slightly thicker, wavy slices rocked with tangy bbq chicken...and the big 'uns were perfect for stacking a burger! 

Sweet and Spicy Refrigerator Pickles
for one small batch...depending on how you slice your cucumber, it'll fill a quart jar 1/2 full to all-the-way-full!

1 seedless cucumber (~6-8" long), sliced as you wish
3 Tbs. cider vinegar
1 1/2 tsp. sugar
1/2 tsp. sea salt or kosher salt
few grinds of black pepper

a few big pinches of each:
crushed red pepper flakes
yellow mustard seed
celery seed
dehydrated garlic

Combine everything in a clean 1 qt. jar and shake it up until the cucumber slices are well-coated with everything.  Store in the refrigerator.  Use as needed, turning/shaking gently the jar occasionally (because the liquid does not cover the cukes completely).  Will keep for at least a few weeks.

This post is linked to Fight Back Friday at Food Renegade and Wholesome Whole Foods at Health Food Lover.