Canning gets a funky facelift
UPDATE: Based on responses to this entry so far, I have added Radish Pickles and Hot Cumin-Pickled Summer Squash to the recipe database. I would like to also suggest that those of you with an excess of green beans check out my mom’s recipe for Dilly Beans. END UPDATE
The fact that a Gen-Xer (or maybe even a Nexter) has written a book about canning, a food preservation technique that has been around for centuries, just goes to show you how much attitudes toward food have changed.
I suspect that young Liana Krissoff is hoping to capitalize on a renewed interest in local foods, gardening, cooking and environmental sustainability with her new book, “Canning for a New Generation: Bold, Fresh Flavors for the Modern Pantry.” She’s a smart cookie.
Some of you have been canning food your entire life. Others, like me, watched our grandmothers and mothers can food but never thought to learn to do it ourselves. Why would we when we could run to the grocery store and pick up a can of peaches or tomatoes at a fairly cheap price? Why would we when we’ve got double-income households, kids to raise, errands to run (to the grocery store for canned peaches) and not much time left over?
But as we begin to realize what some of those processed and convenience foods are doing to our bodies and our quality of life, we’ve been rather quickly coming around to the old ways. Krissoff has been experimenting with some basic canning recipes to come up with new, exciting ideas. You’ll find some of grandma’s old standards, such as strawberry preserves, basic tomato sauce and pickled beets, in her book. But you’ll also find Strawberry Jam with Thai Herbs, Cocktail Onions, Pickled Fennel with Orange and Mint, Sushi Ginger, Blood Plum and Apple Jam with Rosewater, Creole Spiced Pickled Okra and more.
I could go on and on about the amazing recipes in this book. And not only does Krissoff include canning recipes; she also includes recipes for dishes you can make with the canned products. So at the very least, you’ve got the most unusual and delicious relish tray on the block. At the most, you can incorporate a wealth of new and fabulous recipes into your repertoire. Oh, and there are even several pages of pretty, punch-out jar labels in the back.
The book sells for about $16.50 on Amazon.com. I usually just pick a recipe and share it on the blog, but today I would like to know if there is any particular kind of produce you all have in mass quantities? Anything you need to preserve but are looking for a twist on the usual old method? Let me know and I’ll add some recipes to the database and link them up on the blog here.
August 3, 2010 - 10:59 AM
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Whenever we finally manage to get our gardens going, we’ll also start up on canning. We have all the supplies ready, just nothing to put in the jars yet. Hopefully, that will change next year.
tomatoes, snap beans, horse radish
This book looks amazing! Last week I made basil jelly, which is somewhat similar to pepper jelly. It was a little too sweet for my taste but very interesting. I plan to can some zucchini relish this week. Are there recipes in the book to use up MORE squash and zucchini?
zuchinni
RADISHES!
What in the heck can I do with an over abundance of radishes?
This year I have grown a lot of squash, both crookneck and patty pans.
Can you pickle radishes?
Indeed you can, Kristen. Check out the recipe link I added to the top of this entry.
Radishes in egg salad is really good and there are several recipes out there for radish in vegetable dips…. maybe do an internet search?
Meghan,
This sounds weird but braised radishes are wonderful! Cut the radishes (about a lb of them) in 1/2 or quarters if they’re large and put them in a pot with some butter and about a cup of chicken broth or 1/2 broth and 1/2 white wine, my favorite combo and a little salt & pepper. Bring to a boil, cover and reduce the heat and simmer for 15 to 20 minutes until they are fork tender. Then take the lid off the pot and boil until most of the liquid is gone and the radishes are glazed with the butter.
I found the recipe in Mark Bittman’s cookbook, How To Cook Everything Vegetarian. I’m sorry I can’t give exact measurements, but I’m at work so I can’t look in the book.
I don’t “put up” anything, I always joke that as long as Kroger is in business I am fine, but I truly appreciate the work, creativity and true labor of love this is. I helped my mom do so for many many years and even as an “empty nester” who celebrated 70 this year she still cannot let anything “go to waste” and her shelves are always stocked.
If anyone is interested, here’s the recipe for Braised and Glazed Radishes, Turnips or Other Root Vegetables
2 Tbsp butter or extra virgin olive oil
1 pound radishes trimmed, or daikon radish, turnips, or rutabaga, peeled and cut into chunks
1/2 cup or more vegetable stock, chicken stock, white wine or water
Salt and freshly ground black pepper
Combine the butter, radishes and stock in a saucepan, sprinkle with salt and pepper and bring to a boil. Cover and adjust the heat so the mixture simmers, cook for 15 to 20 minutes, checking once or twice and adding additional liquid as needed.
Uncover and raise the heat to boil off almost all of the liquid, so that the vegetable becomes glazed in the combination of butter and pan juices. This will take 5 to 10 minutes. Taste and adjust the seasoning and add a little freshly squeezed lemon juice if you like and garnish with chopped parsley.
This recipe works with any hard and fibrous veggie, carrots, jicama, parsnips, celeriac, but not any veggies that become mushy like starchy potatoes.
You can also cook them with miso sauce. In step 1 add a Tbsp of soy sauce to the mix. In step 2 as the mixture becomes glazed, whisk together 2 Tbsp of miso and an equal amount of stock or water. Turn the heat to a minimum , add the miso mixture and stir, and heat very gently for a minute or so before serving. (Omit the lemon juice and parsley)