Monthly Cooking Thread - September 2020

[Jamestown1630]

We love pickles, here - Husband loves dill pickles, I like sweet pickles, we buy lots of Giardiniera for making Panzanella; and lots of Kimchi.

But except for a few attempts at Kimchi, I've never made my own pickles.

The most recent Gardening Newsletter from Lee Valley included a great idea for adding some 'zing' to store-bought Bread and Butter pickles - and a nice basic recipe for the pickles themselves:

http://www.leevalley.com/archive/en/newsletters/gardening/2533/article3.htm

(We always add a few dried peppers to our 'pickled' Brussels Sprouts - but that recipe hasn't seemed to be very popular here. It appears that many people harbor an antipathy toward the little Sprout Guys - I probably couldn't convince them even with my husband's wonderful roasted ones...)

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I made an ill-informed purchase recently. I've always been very bad at visualizing measurements in my head and don't seem to learn my lesson and pull out the tape measure; so I bought a covered 'Pullman' pan that was much larger than I actually wanted. I wanted one for making little tea-sized breads, and wound up with one that makes a 1-1/2 pound loaf.

Now, I'm looking for recipes for it. Dale Calder of Campobello Island, New Bruswick (whose YouTube channel I follow) recently posted his experiment with Pain de Mie, using the same size pan:

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=YKnqSyyWUA8

I'm going to try that; but I want to try quick-breads, sweet AND savory. Does anyone know the formulae for increasing quick bread recipes? I'm not much of a baker, and have never figured this out - I just recall that one apparently can't simply 'increase' all the ingredients proportionally.

-JT

[airedale]

If you’re making pickles buy a mandolin. Be careful the blade is really sharp. Use the guard or Kevlar glove. Don’t do what tv chefs do and just use their bare hands.

Second buy pickling salt. If you can’t find that only buy salt that does NOT have any anti caking agents. The anti caking agents from bonding to gather in clumps so it pours easier in higher humidity. The pickles won’t be crisp. Read the salt package carefully.

Pickling salt is tough to find but ive found Kosher salt without caking agents but most do. Kosher salt crystals are bigger than pickling salt. A teaspoon of pickling salt is actually a little more than a teaspoon of Kosher salt. Has to do with space between the crystals. More important in baking than pickle making but worth knowing

[jonrick46]

Grandma Edna’s Bread and Butter Pickles

(makes around 8 quarts)

Collect about 26 medium-size cucumbers, washed and with the ends cut off. Slice cucumbers about ⅛” thick, put into a roasting pan, lightly salt and let sit overnight at room temperature. Rinse well in the morning and then drain. Fill canner with water and heat to boiling. Add canning jars, rings and lids. Turn down heat to keep the water simmering while you prepare the syrup.

Syrup:

9 cups vinegar
3 cups water
9 cups sugar
6 tablespoons mustard seed
3 teaspoons celery seed
3 teaspoons turmeric powder

Bring syrup to a soft boil and continue boiling for three minutes.

Add sliced pickles to syrup and keep on low to keep warm. Using sturdy tongs, carefully remove jars (pouring out hot water), lids and rings from the simmering water; fill sterilized jars with pickles and syrup. Carefully wipe the top of the jar before placing lids on top, and then screwing down the rings at finger tight. Leave about one quarter of an inch space between pickles and the top of the jar.

Onions and red peppers may be added at the time you fill the jars. Three bottles of Mezzetta brand whole small onions work well for this recipe, along with 2 red peppers, seeded and sliced thin.

Jars should be covered by one inch of boiling water in the canner. Process jars for 15 minutes in the water bath canner.

Once time is up, turn off the heat and remove the canner lid. Set the timer for 5 minutes, then remove jars once the time is up.

Let jars cool at room temperature, covering with a kitchen towel so they don’t cool too fast. As the jars cool, you will hear a little “pop” as the lid seals.

When jars are completely cool, check to make sure each lid is sealed (you may need to press lightly on the center of the lid to give it a little assist) and store in a cool place. Remove the rings.

[Jamestown1630]

My first mandoline was given to me by a Korean man who was helping me try to learn to cook their food. He warned me that it was VERY dangerous, and to be careful

The first time I used it, I sliced off the tip of a finger.

Since then, I’ve bought one with a good guard - but still haven’t used it :-)

[Jamestown1630]

Ooooh! a Sweet - AND hot - One!

Thanks!

I know I’ve asked this before, but does anyone have a recipe for Corn Relish?

I used to be able to buy one called ‘Nance’s’, and it was wonderful; but stores here don’t carry it anymore. I think I can still have it delivered by Walmart, but I’m nervous about having glass bottles of stuff shipped.

I know it had turmeric and cumin, and I’ve tried a recipe or two that I’ve found - but none were the same.

[Liz]

A spicy mexicorn recipe puts kernels from 4 cobs into 4 c boiling water and adds tbl Old El Paso™ Taco Seasoning then boils 5-6 min to infuse the corn.

[Liz]

Mrs. Ina was an elderly lady who came to our church.
An amazing corn relish using canned corn kernels.

Mrs. Ina’s Amazing Southern Corn Relish

ING 11 oz can whole kernel corn 1/3 cup chopped onion 1/3 cup chopped celery 3 tablespoons chopped green pepper 3 tablespoons diced pimientos, drained 1 small garlic clove, minced, optional 1/3 cup sugar 1 teaspoon salt 1 teaspoon celery seed 1 teaspoon mustard seed 1/4 teaspoon crushed red pepper flakes 1/8 teaspoon ground ginger 1 cup white vinegar, divided tb flour 1-1/2 teaspoons ground mustard 1/4 teaspoon ground turmeric

METHOD Drain corn, reserving 1 tablespoon liquid. In a small saucepan, combine onion, celery, green pepper, pimientos and, if desired, garlic. Stir in sugar, salt, celery seed, mustard seed, pepper flakes, ginger and 3/4 cup vinegar. Bring to a boil. Boil 5-7 minutes. In a small bowl, mix flour, mustard and turmeric. Stir in reserved corn liquid until smooth. Add to vegetable mixture; stir in remaining vinegar. Cook, uncovered, 2-3 minutes or until slightly thickened. Add corn; boil 1-2 minutes or until thickened.

[Qiviut]

..... especially your UNUSUAL – pickle and preserve recipes

+++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++

We have a "Brown Turkey" Fig bush that is absolutely LOADED with figs this year .... more than we've ever had. The bush is huge because it didn't freeze back to the roots this spring.

My uncle (now deceased) who gave us the bush, has a sister who is quite a good cook, does a lot of canning, & she makes "fig pickles". I have tasted her fig pickles & they are delicious. I asked her to send her recipe & I just got it the other day. When I looked online, I saw a recipe for fig pickles that is very close (same amounts of each ingredient) & virtually the same procedure. I finally found enough jars so I'm going to try this recipe for fig pickles & also one for fig jam.

Pickled Figs

Fig Preserves (Fig Jam)

A quick, refrigerator fig pickle recipe I found that also might be fun to try:

Quick-Pickled Figs

[Qiviut]

To follow up on my “egg loaf” in the Instant Pot .... I ordered a 7” official cake pan for the Instant Pot. The first time I used it, I lined it with parchment paper. Everything went fine, but dealing with parchment paper was a pain so I decided to “be bold” & go without. I did grease the non-stick pan with a little avocado oil first. The egg loaf came out just fine - used a spatula to loosen the sides, & underneath a bit, then turned it out on a plate. I do not understand why the recipe uses a springform pan that so many folks have trouble with because it leaks!

For those who missed the posts last month & are wondering what in the heck is an “egg loaf”, here ‘ya go:

Kathy’s Instant Pot Egg Loaf
https://www.pressurecookrecipes.com/instant-pot-kathy-egg-loaf/

[justme4now]

It probably started when all they started coming out with is “Kosher Dills!”
Complete Cr@p!

[airedale]

Cut the tip off my finger too. I was cutting cucumbers for pickles without the guard and the cake broke and my finger hit the blade. Thats why I have kevlar glove.

[Covenantor]

About that $5 mandolin I previously mentioned buying....use it only for shredding cabbage or lettuce...and thin slicing pickles or cukes length wise. The problem for me was having a lot thick ends left over from using the guard, which required knife work to finish. Not worth the extra effort when careful cleaning is added to the equation. Every one of my knives is straight razor sharp and I can cut thinner than the mandolin. Especially the cheap Aldi one which thin blades flexed too much.

[reformedliberal]

...Kool-Aid pickles?...
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ONCE.

I love all sorts of pickles and so I tried it. It was hot and humid and to tell the truth the first one hit the spot. Even eating 1-2 a week, they cloyed quickly.

I have moved and cannot get Peppadew Piquante sweet and hot peppers. I have added some sliced roasted red peppers to the left over brine of my last jar and before I cave and spend $6 at Amazon for 1 jar (!), I wonder if anyone has a brine recipe that is sweet, tangy & has a touch of chili pepper?

[reformedliberal]

...pickles in a croc.
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Sounds like lactofermented pickles or half sours.

Salt, distilled water, garlic, dill and pickling spice. No vinegar. Wonderful and always reminds me of my grandmother.

This process creates an annoying (to me) white cloudiness. So, I make a double batch of brine and refrigerate one while the 1st is fermenting. Once they are perfect (taste every few days), I remove the pickles, straining the spices into a separate bowl. I rinse the pickles, and the spices, repack and fill with the clean brine. They keep in a cool pantry unopened for months and in the fridge after opening for as long as possible before we eat them all. I date them for fermentation and for rinse/repack.

Recipes all over the web.

[reformedliberal]

...leftover brine, ...

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If you add 1Tblsppon white vinegar and 1 teasp Kisher salt to leftover brine, you can pickle another batch of veggies. Mini peppers, carrots, sliced mini cukes are all good.

You can do this up to 2x times after the original contents are gone, always adding the extra vinegar/salt that has been removed by the 1st original batch.

[CARDINALRULES]

I love Koolickles.

I use cocktail dills and I cut them into spears before I add the Kool aid and sugar to the pickle juice. This is a good size for snacking or putting on a sandwich.

I prefer using the lemon lime for taste and the bright green color.

You can adjust the sugar levels.

Years ago I found the hibiscus flavor and I really liked that also but it wasn’t available around here. Not sure if they still have that flavor but it seemed only near large Hispanic areas when I looked it up once.

I plan to try the pink lemonade next time I make them. The color would probably need a boost with dye but I don’t care about that as much as the taste.

[CARDINALRULES]

I want to try making pickled grapes. I saw that on Milk Street on PBS last year and it seemed interesting.

I am not usually that fond of grapes or anything made with grapes. But I think it might be worth making a small test batch.

[Jamestown1630]

Tell us how it goes. I’ve never heard of them.

[Jamestown1630]

I don’t know a lot about figs. I know I’ve bought some dried ones that were way too sweet and sticky for me. How do you treat yours when you harvest them? (My husband and a friend both grew up with fig trees, but I never heard any stories or learned anything about them. I just remember that they had to wrap the tree up in Winter.)

Here’s my favorite fig recipe - it uses store-bought dried Calimyrnas, but someone who knows about figs can probably adapt it:

Carrots Sauteed with Toasted Walnuts and Figs

2-1/2 lbs. Sliced Carrots (? That always seemed like a lot, I usually use little more than half)
1 T. salt
1 Stick butter
1 Cup walnuts
1-1/2 to 2 T. flat leaved Italian parsley, chopped.
1 rounded cup Calimyrna Figs, with stems removed and
Each fig sliced in half lengthwise.

Bring a large pot of water to boil; add the 1 T. Salt and blanch carrots. Plunge in ice-water to cool, and set aside.

Melt 3 T. butter in large skillet. When hot, add walnuts. Cook, stirring constantly, until toasted (about 5 minutes over medium heat.)

Remove nuts with slotted spoon and drain on paper towels.
Wipe skillet clean and add remaining butter. When melted, add carrots, stirring and tossing over medium heat until tender, about 10 minutes.

Add figs, stir and cook together uncovered for 3 minutes to heat through. Add toasted walnuts. Stir and cook uncovered another 3 to 5 minutes over low flame until everything is hot and flavors mingle. Pour into serving bowl and toss with parsley.

[Jamestown1630]

I need to get me one of those gloves.

(The way things have been going this week, I probably need an entire suit...:-)

[Jamestown1630]

We have other gadgets that cut things rather thinly within a crank-turned receptacle. They work for most things that we make. You have ‘chunks’ left over with those, too; I just eat them on the spot - more healthy veg for the cook.

But there are some applications for which there is really no substitute for a mandoline.

(I salute your skills at knife-wielding :-)