The Joys of Canning- Tomato Sauce

A few years ago dear friends of ours, Ruth and John introduced us to the art of canning.  As a couple its a hoot. We go to the local Farmer's Market and get the freshest ingredients we can.  Then come back into the kitchen, turn on music, open a bottle (or several) of wine, and cook large quantities of whatever met our fancy; then can it.  We use these finished canned products as gifts for family and friends, as well as eat throughout the year.  We've come to love the experience together.  Talking, much laughing, and creating together.  Here's a tomato sauce we made recently. We bought 40#'s of beautiful ripe tomatoes at the market and made seventeen quarts one Saturday afternoon. Obviously, this can be scaled down, I'm sharing the recipe for 6 Quarts.  It does not need to be canned, but does very well frozen or will hold in the frig for 4-5 days. Enjoy!

The secret to this preparation is the cooking of the tomato paste.  A Nona (Italian Grandmother) once taught me the technique of slowly cooking the paste over low heat, frequently scrapping the bottom of the pot as not to burn and really cooking the paste.  By working it in this manner you caramelize it deeply, fully bringing out the incredible flavors that can only happen with this slow (did I say slow?) and patient process. Trust me this labor intensive step will pay huge dividends in the end.

Makes 6 Quarts

1/2 C. olive oil
1 cup shredded onions
4 Tbsp. minced garlic
24 ounces of tomato paste
1 cup white wine
1 gallon puréed fresh ripe tomatoes

1 1/2# pork spare ribs

2 Bay Leaves

4 tablespoons ea. fresh chopped parsley, oregano, and basil
1/2 cup brown sugar
1/2 C. (1 stick) butter

Crushed red pepper flake, to taste

Kosher salt
Fresh ground black pepper, to taste

Set a 8-12 quart stock pot (thick bottomed pot) over high heat. Add olive oil and warm. Add onions and sauté so deep brown edges emerge. Add garlic, stir and cook another minute and garlic becomes fragrant. Lower heat and add tomato paste, stir and combine with onions and garlic. Slowly cook the paste, scraping the bottom of the pot every so often. Cook for 20-30 minutes, being careful not to burn.

Now, add the white wine and increase heat, reduce liquid by half. Add sugar, tomatoes, bay leaves, and pork ribs. Bring sauce to a boil, then lower the heat immediately to a moderate simmer, stirring every 5 minutes or so. Cook sauce for 2 hours and then pull ribs out of the sauce. Let ribs cool enough to handle then pull the tender meat off the bones.  (This can be chopped and added back to the sauce at the end or saved for another use). Return bones back to the sauce and continue to cook until the sauce thickens to the proper consistency, another 1-2 hours.

Once sauce has properly thickened, remove and discard all bones and bay leaves from the sauce. Now, add herbs, red pepper flake and season with salt and pepper. Cook another 15 minutes, then turn off heat and add butter (and if desired, the chopped rib meat). Let butter melt and slowly incorporate into the sauce. Stir and taste, adjust seasoning.

Sauce can be canned (just remember to add 2 tablespoons of lemon juice per quart), frozen up to 3 months, or just shared and enjoyed right away. Enjoy!

Chimichurri Sauce

What ketchup is to Americans, Chimichurri is to Argentines; it goes on just about anything. When we visited my daughter in Buenos Aires in February 2019, I found some terrific versions.  And was most surprised at how many recipes used much more oregano than I was used to and not as spicy.  Argentines actually use very little heat in their cuisine, compared to other Latin cuisines.  Taking my experiences in this beautiful country back with me, I put together the below recipe, enjoy!

1/4 C. Fresh Oregano, stems discarded
1/4 C. Fresh Parsley, stems discarded
4 large cloves Garlic, peeled
1/2 tsp. Crushed Red pepper flake
4 Tbsp. Red wine vinegar
1/4 C. Olive oil
2 Tbsp. Fresh squeezed lemon juice
salt and pepper, to taste

In a blender or food processor put all ingredients except oil, salt and pepper.  Process until herbs and garlic are finely chopped. Add oil, combine thoroughly and season to taste with salt and fresh ground black pepper.  Serve at room temperature, Enjoy!

(Sauce can be made three days in advance of use, store covered in refrigerator.  Allow to come to room temperature prior to using.)

Spicy Thai Coconut Sauce

2 Tbsp. extra virgin olive oil
1 large red onion, chopped
4 to 5 large cloves garlic, minced
1 Tbsp. grated peeled fresh ginger
1 tsp. freshly ground black pepper
1 tsp. ground cumin
1/2 tsp. turmeric
1/2 tsp. coriander
½ tsp. cayenne (increase if you like more heat)
1 Tbsp. Soy Sauce
1 can coconut milk
Good Squeeze of fresh Lime juice
Water just to correct consistency
Sea salt, to taste

In a medium sized pot, heat oil over medium high heat.  Add onions and sweat for 4-5 minutes.  Add cumin, turmeric, coriander, and cayenne.  Stir and cook another 1-2 minutes to allow spices to bloom.  Add garlic and ginger, stir and cook another minute.  Add coconut milk, soy sauce and lime juice, cook another minute.  Taste and correct seasoning with salt. 

Remove from heat and allow to cool for 5 or 10 minutes.  Transfer to a blender or food processor and puree.  Add water only to correct consistency if too thick, sauce should coat the back of a spoon when mixed. 

Apple and Onion Jam

4 oz good smoked bacon, chopped
3 tablespoons Olive oil
1 white onion, thinly sliced
1/3 cup balsamic vinegar
1/3 cup sherry vinegar
1 cup water
Salt and freshly ground pepper
2 tablespoons unsalted butter
1 small green apple, peeled, cored and cut into 1/2-inch cubes
2 tablespoon Raisins, chopped
1 tsp. fresh thyme, chopped fine
1/4 cup veal or chicken stock

In a sauté pan over medium heat, cook the bacon until it starts to brown 4-5 minutes.  Add 3 tablespoons olive oil and the onion and sauté until golden brown, about 5 minutes. Add the balsamic vinegar, sherry vinegar, water and salt and pepper to taste. Cook until the liquid has evaporated and the onions are very soft, about 45 minutes. Set aside.

In a large sauté pan over medium heat, melt the butter. Add the apple and raisins. Sauté until slightly soft and caramelized, about 3-5 minutes. Add the thyme and onion-Apple mixture to the pan. Continue to sauté until the flavors have blended, about 2-3 minutes longer.

Adjust consistency of jam using the stock and cook for another minute or so.  Correct seasoning with salt and pepper. Remove from the heat.  This can be served warm or cold.  Enjoy!

Charred Tomatillo Salsa Verde

Makes about 2 cups

1/2 small white onion, halved lengthwise, keeping root intact
1/2 head of garlic, unpeeled, halved crosswise
1 jalapeño
1 pound husked tomatillos
1 tablespoon vegetable oil
1/2 bunch cilantro, leaves and tender stems only and 1/4 cup fresh lime juice
Kosher salt, freshly ground black pepper

Prepare grill for medium-high heat. Toss 1/2 small white onion, halved lengthwise, keeping root intact, 1/2 head of garlic, unpeeled, halved crosswise, 1 jalapeño, 1 pound husked tomatillos, and 1 tablespoon vegetable oil in a large bowl. Grill vegetables, turning often, until tender and charred, 5-8 minutes. Transfer to a plate and let cool slightly.

Squeeze garlic cloves into a food processor and pulse with onion, stemmed jalapeño, tomatillos, 1/2 bunch cilantro, leaves and tender stems only, and 1/4 cup fresh lime juice just until a chunky sauce forms; season with kosher salt, freshly ground black pepper, and more lime juice, if desired.

DO AHEAD: Salsa verde can be made 5 days ahead. Cover and chill.

Shallot Jam

This jam can be served with so many things.  I recently paired it with grilled Salmon that I seasoned with Old Bay.  The sweet of the shallots played nicely with the cayenne in the seasoning.  This goes great with turkey and chicken breast.  It also plays nicely with a grilled steak.  Play around with it, but be careful, it is addicting.

2 tablespoons vegetable oil
4 large shallots, thinly sliced
3/4 cup balsamic vinegar
1/3 cup light brown sugar
kosher salt

In a skillet, heat the oil. Add the shallots and cook over moderate heat, stirring, until softened, 10 minutes. Add the vinegar and sugar and cook until thick and jam-like, 5 minutes. Season with salt.

Roasted Jalapeño Hot Sauce

With the help from my lovely wife and her exceptionally grown jalapeños, I took her bounty and created a sauce that is very addicting.  Terrific by itself on tortilla chips or a great complement to meats, fish, and eggs or anything you want to add a zip to.

Makes 2 cups

24 Jalapeños
1 shallot, peeled
5 cloves of garlic, peeled
Juice of 1 lime
1/2 c. Rice vinegar
3/4 c. Apple vinegar
1/2 c. Water
3 Tbsp. Grape seed oil
Kosher salt and fresh ground black pepper

Heat grill to hot.  Put peppers in a small bowl and add one Tbsp oil, coat well.  Put peppers on the hot grill.  Char skins very well, they will turn black, about 10-12 minutes.  Remove and return to the bowl, cover with plastic wrap and let sit for 10 minutes.  Wearing latex gloves, pull the stem and skin off of each pepper.  Put peppers, shallot, and garlic in cuisinart and purée.  Add lime juice, vinegars, and water.  Mix well.  Slowly add remaining oil to mixture while cuisinart is running.  Season with salt and pepper. Serve and Enjoy!

*If desired to increase the heat, I've added drops of habanero sauce.

Creole-Spiced Shrimp

This is always a crowd pleaser and fun to eat.  Easy to make and can be made in the oven or on the grill.  I like to serve this with southern-styled dirty rice and collard greens.

2# unpeeled shrimp (you can substitute peeled and deveined if desired)
1 small onion
1 lemon, thinly sliced
8 bay leaves
2 Tbsp. fresh oregano leaves
2 Tbsp. Worcestershire sauce
1 Tbsp. Old Bay seasoning
2 tsp. hot chili paste
2 tsp. kosher salt
1/4 tsp. fresh ground black pepper
1/2 C. Unsealed butter, cut into tablespoons

Preheat oven to 325 degrees F.

Using a small kitchen scissors, cut shrimp along the curved backs.  Remove vein, keeping she'll intact.  Toss shrimp and next 9 ingredients in a large bowl.

Place four 16x12" sheets of heavy-duty foil on a work surface.  Divide the shrimp mixture among the sheets.  Fold all foil edges towards the center to accommodate the liquid; do not crimp.  Add 2 Tbsp. butter and 1/4 cup water to each.  Crimp tightly to seal.

Arrange packets on a rimmed baking sheet.  Place in oven and cook until shrimp are just opaque in the center, about 30 minutes.  Carefully cut open packets and serve with rice.  Enjoy!!

Tzatziki

(2) small containers Greek yogurt
1 hothouse cucumber, unpeeled, seeded
1/4 C. sour cream
2 Tbsp. fresh squeezed lemon juice
1 Tbsp. white wine vinegar
1 Tbsp. fresh dill, fine chopped
1 1/2 tsp. minced garlic
2 tsp. kosher salt
1/2 tsp. fresh ground black pepper

Grate the cucumber, squeeze the grated cucumber with your hand to remove some of the liquid.  Combine all other ingredients in a mixing bowl and add the squeezed cucumber, mix well.

Serve as a condiment for grilled meats or vegetables.  This also is great with pita chips.  Enjoy! 

Eggplant and Piedmontese Beef Bolognese

I like to make my own pasta sauce over buying a jar at the store.  For one, the taste of fresh made sauce can't be beat, no matter what the jar says.  Second, it so much healthier, I know exactly what went into it.  I usually make a big batch and freeze the extra so I have it on hand when needed.  The secret is letting your sauce cook slow for a long time.  I say a minimum of an hour and a half but, if you have the time watch what happens if you let this slowly work for 4 or 5 hours.  The flavors and color will deepen and you will be rewarded with a luxuriously complex finished sauce with a taste that will make them cry Prego! 

4 Tbsp. olive oil
1# ground Piedmontese beef
1 large eggplant, medium dice
2 large onions, diced
4 cloves garlic, minced
1/2 C. red wine (Sangiovese or Chianti)
1 C. beef stock
2 Tbsp. tomato paste
(2) 28 oz. cans crushed tomatoes
2 Tbsp. sugar
2 Tbsp. fresh basil, minced
2 Tbsp. fresh parsley, minced
kosher salt and fresh cracked black pepper, to taste

In a large heavy bottomed pot, heat 2 tbsp. olive oil over medium high heat until shimmering.  Add beef and start to brown.  Add onions and eggplant, stir mixture well.  Cook until eggplant is soft, about 15 minutes.  Add tomato paste and garlic mix well.  Cook, stirring often, for about 5 minutes.  Add wine, reduce liquid by half.  Add stock, crushed tomatoes, basil, parsley and sugar.  Reduce heat to low and cook, loosely cover, stir often for minimum of 1 1/2 hrs.  Finsh sauce by stirring in the remainder of the olive oil, correct seasoning with salt and fresh cracked black pepper.  Serve over pasta or however you like your sauce (called "gravy" in New Jersey) and enjoy!

Sun dried Tomato-Basil Aioli

1/2 c. Mayonnaise
1 clove Garlic, minced
1 tsp. dijon mustard
2 Tbsp. Lemon juice
3 Tbsp. chopped sun dried tomatoes
Salt and Pepper, to taste
Preparation-
In a medium mixing bowl, combine all ingredients.  Will hold 1 week in refrigerator.