Quick Pickled Romanesco Broccoli

Posted on December 10, 2012 by Marisa

pickles after one week

A couple weeks back, I bought a bright green head of romanesco broccoli. It was more money than I should have spent on a single handful of produce, but ever since trying it a few years back as a pickle on the Farmhouse Platter at Supper, I’ve had a weakness for it.

romanesco broccoli

I like it best as a quick pickle (also known as a refrigerator pickle), because it stays most crunchy and crisp that way. You also retain more color if you keep it out of a boiling water bath canner.

florets

It’s an easy pickle to make. Take on head of romanesco broccoli and break it into florets. Because of the spiral arrangement of the little fractal heads, it typically breaks apart quick easily. Place spices in the bottom of the jar and pack the florets in on top (my particular head fit perfectly into a pint and a half).

pouring pickling liquid

Heat apple cider vinegar, water and salt together just until the salt dissolves. Pour the pickling liquid over the florets and use a chopstick to ease out any air bubbles.

pickling

Place a lid on the jar. Once it is cool, pop it into the fridge and let it sit for about a week before beginning to munch. You’ll end up with deeply tangy, crunchy pickles. This time of year, when soups and braises appear on our weekly menu with greater frequency, having these in the fridge makes me very happy. The recipe is after the jump.

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Winners! Jennifer (#455) wins the set of Weck Jars and the ladle from Kaufmann Mercantile. Jan Jack (#183) wins the Jars Go To tote from A Tiny Forest.

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Blogger Cookbooks on Twin Cities Live

Posted on December 7, 2012 by Marisa

Here’s a fun clip for your Friday morning. Recently, Twin Cities Live featured three of their favorite blogger cookbooks and they included my little book in the line-up (along with The Smitten Kitchen Cookbook and What Katie Ate).

Thanks so much, Elizabeth Ries, for making two of the fruit curds from my book and for sharing them with your viewers!

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Preserves in Action: Fried Eggs, Avocado, and Tomato Jam

Posted on December 6, 2012 by Marisa

egg and tomato jam sandwich

The jar situation in my fridge is way out of hand (though I did finish off two jars of jam last week!) and so it’s time to redouble my efforts to press my preserves into action in new and creative ways.

This particular meal was inspired by a sandwich that my friend Sara posted on her blog, The Cozy Herbivore. Her verision was inspired by a sandwich that the Luck Old Souls truck serves on Sundays at the Headhouse Square Farmers market. I’ve never ordered it there, but I thought that the combination of eggs and jam seemed like a very good idea.

egg and tomato jam sandwich

In my version, I toasted two slices of sturdy whole wheat bread and spread a thin layer of tomato jam down as my base. While the bread was toasting, I fried two eggs (in my new favorite square cast iron pan) until the whites were cooked and the yolks were still just a bit runny (my dad calls this state of egg cookery “over easy, hold the wiggle”).

Once the eggs were done, onto the jammy toast they went. I added avocado because I had half of one kicking around the fridge and this seemed as good an application as any. It was a lovely lunch and I’m planning on adding this to my regular rotation of easy weekday lunches.

How are you guys putting your preserves into action these days?

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Holiday Giving: Gifts for Jar Lovers

Posted on December 5, 2012 by Marisa

Weck Jars

Last week, I wrote about some of my favorite canning tools and the reasons they might just make good holiday gifts for the canners in your lives. This week I want to feature some of the odds and ends that aren’t canning necessities  but make a jar-filled life a little bit prettier and more fun (of course, I intended to get this posted on Monday, but that knock-out flu I had has put me behind in my posting. So sorry!).

First on the list is Weck Jars. They’re good for canning, for dry goods storage, and if you spring for a set of snap-on plastic lids, they make fantastic leftover containers. Because they’re a bit pricier than your average box of jars, they’re an indulgence, but isn’t that what the holiday season is all about? Once hard to find, they’re now available for online order from the U.S. distributor, Kaufmann Mercantile and Mighty Nest, and in Williams-Sonoma and Crate & Barrel stores.

Enamel ladle

For someone who has all their jar needs met, what about a pretty ladle? It’s good for filling your jars, scooping up servings of soup and chili and it looks fab sticking out of a crock of utensils. Available from Kaufmann Mercantile, it costs $32 and would be fun tucked in a stocking.

stainless steel funnel

I love my stainless steel funnel. The one I have is made by RSVP and I use it all the time. Not only is it useful during the canning process, but it’s also great for filling jars with dried goods and helping pour leftover soup into storage jars. I even take it to Whole Foods with me when I use my own container for bulk foods, because it allows me to funnel the food into my jars cleanly.

If I didn’t already have a stainless steel funnel, I might opt for this one, because it has a strainer that can fit into the base should you need it. That would be an awesome helper for those moments when you find yourself pouring stock into jars and want to do a final strain.

jar drink toppers

Drink toppers are another fun gift for jar lovers. I’ve written about these a lot lately, so I won’t go into crazy depth about them, but they’re great. There’s Cuppow, EcoJarz, and a lid specifically for iced coffee from the Mason Bar Company (they’ll also sell you a straw if you want a plastic one. I like these stainless steel babies better).

jar cozy!

Once you turn your mason jar into a drinking cup, you need something to absorb the moisture and heat. That’s where a jar cozy or sleeve comes in. There are so many different Etsy shops making these. Here are a few of my favorites:

  • Mason Bar Company (cute hand-crocheted cozies from the folks who sell the drink lids mentioned above).
  • Greyslater (sleek waxed canvas sleeves).
  • Fine + Dandy Knits (hand-knit cozies made from organic cotton, pattern is available).
  • One Robin Road (charming cozies made from recycled sweaters. No two are alike).
  • Cadron Creations (hand-crocheted cozies made to fit a variety of sizes, including the newly reissued pint &  half jars).
  • Two Tired Bike (mason jar sleeves made from recycled bike inner tubes. Great for jar lovers who adore their two wheeled transportation).
  • Hide and True (hand-stitched leather sleeves. Spendy, but gorgeous).
  • The Stowe (another leather sleeve, this time with a built-in handle).

lunch tote

Finally, the ultimate gift for jar loves is the Jars to Go tote from A Tiny Forest. Since I first wrote about the original two-jar bag, Kim has expanded the offerings in her shop to include a four-jar bag and single sleeves that fasten up over the top of the jar (perfect for packaging up super-special gift jars).

And since no gift guide is complete without a giveaway, here’s what I have for you today. There are two giveaway packs and we’ll have two winners. The first is from Kaufmann Mercantile and consists of a six-pack of 1/4 L straight-side Weck Jars and that lovely white enamel ladle pictured above. The second is a four-jar Jars to Go tote from A Tiny Forest in Kim’s signature blue-striped fabric (like this one).

Here’s how to get in on the giveaway:

  1. Leave a comment on this post and tell me about your favorite edible or culinary stocking stuffer (my favorite edible stocking stuffer is Pocky and my favorite culinary stocking stuffer is this little microplane nutmeg grater).
  2. Comments will close at 11:59 pm on Saturday, December 8, 2012. Winners will be chosen at random and will be posted to the blog on Sunday.
  3. Giveaway open US residents only.
  4. One comment per person, please. Entries must be left via the comment form on the blog at the bottom of this post. I cannot accept submissions via email.
Disclosure: Kaufmann Mercantile sent me the ladle seen above for photography purposes. Kaufmann Mercantile and A Tiny Forest have both provided the giveaway items at no cost to me. No vendor mentioned above paid for placement. 

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Boston This Week + Winners

Posted on December 3, 2012 by Marisa

199/365

Two big events this weekend! I’m heading to Boston on Friday afternoon. On Saturday morning, I’ll be at Kitchenwares by Blackstones, signing books from 11 am to 1 pm. I’ll have a few jars of my preserves for people to sample, and the store will be having a giveaway at the event, so if you’re in the area, make sure to stop by.

On Sunday, I’ll be at the Eat Boutique Holiday Market. I’m signing with Joy the Baker in a special VIP session from 12 – 1 pm. Then, from 1 – 3 pm, Katie Workman and Aran Goyoaga will join us for more book signing. From 3 – 5 pm, you’ll find Beatrice Peltre, Liz Gutman and Jen King, Maria Speck, and Amy Traverso signing their books. It looks to be a very good day for cookbook lovers. Tickets to the market are just $7 and can be purchased here.

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The winner of the Thermopen giveaway is Melissa (#588). I have another gift guide and giveaway coming up tomorrow (I meant to get it up today, but I got walloped by the flu on Sunday afternoon, and I’ve spent most of today laying glassy-eyed on the couch). Stay tuned!

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Salted and Spiced Peanut Butters

Posted on November 30, 2012 by Marisa

two jars

I like to keep a bag of peanuts in my car. I am one of those people who can go from being not at all hungry, to slightly dizzy with the need to eat. On days when I find myself running endless errands, knowing that I have something filling and restorative within reach stops me from zipping through drive-throughs or dashing into Wawa for a bag of chips.

peanuts

Last week, as I gathered supplies and ingredients for our holiday trek to Virginia, I picked up a new bag at Trader Joe’s last week (a three+ hour drive in holiday traffic demands a fresh supply of car snacks). It was during the height of the pre-Thanksgiving frenzy and in my hurry to get in and out of a packed store as quickly as possible, I grabbed a package of roasted and unsalted peanuts. As it turns out, it was a grim mistake, because as good and satisfying as a lightly salted peanut can be, an unsalted one is bland and decidedly unpleasant.

spices in food processor

Not wanting to waste the majority of a one-pound bag of roasted peanuts, I brought them up from the car when we unloaded, with the intention of making peanut butter (conveniently, I had just finished a jar). Then, the thing that happens so often in life occurred. The peanuts sat on top of the washing machine, exactly where Scott put them last week during our post-trip unpacking, until earlier today.

two peanut butters

Finally, entirely tired of looking at them, I made peanut butter this morning. And like so many other long-avoided tasks, it took a fraction of the time I anticipated and was better than I remembered homemade peanut butter to be.

A pound of nuts yields approximately two cups of butter, so once I had a consistency I was happy with, I pulled out about a cup (slightly less than, it turns out) of the butter to keep it plain, and then added cinnamon, nutmeg and ground cloves to the balance. As much as I love plain peanut butter, it’s also fun to have some that tastes fleetingly of pumpkin pie.

spiced peanut butter

I know that some of you have had issues with some of my nut butter recipes in the past. The secret to getting a good consistency is oil. I know that most of us are loath to add more oil to nuts (because they contain so much of it naturally), but truly, these butters need a little extra lubrication. And the amount varies depending on your nuts.

This batch took just two tablespoons of peanut oil to develop the right texture. However, I’ve had some similarly scaled batches of almond and sunflower butters that needed as much as 1/3 cup. Because the age and moisture content of nuts varies, there’s no one-size-fits-all amount of oil I can instruct you to add. You have to use your eyes, nose, and best judgment. And if you feel like your food processor motor is in danger, please stop and give it the chance to cool down.

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Pear Cranberry Jam

Posted on November 29, 2012 by Marisa

pear cranberry jam

It is no secret that pears are one of my great loves of the fruit world. They have a delicate, flexible flavor that goes well with nearly anything (including vanilla, cinnamon, ginger, cardamom, and lavender). They work in fruit butters, jams, and chutneys. Many varieties don’t need to be peeled before cooking. And if you’ve never tried one, you should know that a pickled pear are one of life’s true delights.

chopped pears

Knowing my general appreciation for all things pear, it should surprise no one that a couple weeks back, I matched them up with a bunch of cranberries, to see how the two would jam together. Well, the results are in. Pears and cranberries make a very good team.

pears and cranberries

One of the things I like about making jams with cranberries is the fact that since they contain so much natural pectin, you’re able to dial back the sugar more so than with other fruits and still expect to develop a very nice set during cooking.

My normal ratio for jam is two parts fruit to one part sugar. You’ll notice that in this recipe, I shaved off a full cup of sugar and still wound up with a gorgeously set, plenty sweet jam.

adding lemon

Like so many of the jams I make, I kept this go-round fairly unadorned. It was just pears, cranberries, sugar, and the zest and juice of one little lemon. I like to keep the first pass simple, to ensure that the primary players work well together before I muck around with secondary layers.

Happy with the basic version, chances are good that I’ll come back to this formula again and tweak it with some ginger, or a few warm winter spices. You are welcome to add a pinch of this or that on your first pass, should you so desire.

182/365

Though I missed the obvious Thanksgiving window for this jam, I have a hunch that it still has many opportunities to shine before the year is out. I’m confident it will pair up nicely with a plateful of latkes in place the the traditional applesauce (Hanukkah starts in just over a week!). I know for a fact it is dreamy with a smear of fresh goat cheese. And as you head into the holiday baking season, consider filling a thumbprint cookie with a dab of this sweet-tart spread.

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Homemade Gifts on Saveur + Easton Winter Mart

Posted on November 28, 2012 by Marisa

Several months back, I got an email from an editor at Saveur, asking if I’d be interested in working on a holiday piece for their website. After several conference calls, dozens of emails, and lots of recipe testing in my tiny kitchen, the finished piece is now live.

It features eight preserves and treats that all make fantastic holiday gifts. Make sure to check out the ginger curry candied almonds and the dried fig compote (so good with cheese!).

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This Saturday, December 1, I’m going to be at the Easton Winter Mart in Easton, PA from 10 am to 2 pm. I’ll be doing a jam making demo at 11:30 am and will have plenty of books with me to sign and sell. If you’re in the greater Philadelphia and have been thinking of treating yourself to a book, please do come out and say hi!

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Holiday Giving: Kitchen Tools for Canners

Posted on November 26, 2012 by Marisa

In my years of canning, one of the things I’ve found is that most of my favorite canning tools weren’t made specifically for canning. They are simply kitchen utensils that are well made, sturdy and just happen to serve a useful role in my preserving practice. From the bottom left corner and moving clockwise, here are some of my current favorites.

  • This six-piece set of stacking measuring cups by RSVP is fantastic. They are made from solid stainless steel and have a nice heft in the hand. I use the one-cup measure to portion jam into half-pint jars and the half-cup one fits neatly into my larger storage jars.
  • I’ve long been a fan of a serrated edge peeler. It’s particularly handy during marmalade season because it allows you peel off the outer zest from citrus without taking any of the pith along with you. What makes this particular peeler so nice is that it had dual blades, one smooth and one serrated. Makes for less clutter in a crowded utensil drawer. The one pictured above is from Williams-Sonoma. Kuhn Rikon also makes a version.
  • Thermapen is simply the best instant read thermometers out there. I’ve bought two in recent years and just love them for minding the temperature of my jams, jellies and curds. They’re pricy, but worth the money (and make sure to check the end of this post for a Thermapen giveaway!).
  • I first found this potato masher at a Tuesday Morning and it has supplanted all my other mashers. What makes it so awesome is that the tines are bladed. They’re not sharp, but they have just enough edge to make it perfect for breaking down cooking fruit. It’s a fantastic tool.
  • A good, fully encased silicone spatula. The one pictured above is from GIR and is quite nice. However, it also costs $22.50, which is more than most people want to spend on a spatula (disclosure! this one was sent to me for review purposes). For a more sensibly priced version (under six bucks), check out this one from Orka. According to Amazon, I bought mine in 2009 and it’s still going strong.
  • A good paring knife. I like the ones made by Kuhn Rikon, but couldn’t find one in the kitchen when preparing to take this picture. The most important thing is that it feels good in the hand and holds an edge.

  • If you’ve been reading this site for any length of time, you’ll know that I am crazy for my 4th burner pot. Also made by Kuhn Rikon (they don’t know I exist, I just like their products), this skinny pot has a spout, a heat-proof handle and is fitted with a rack. This means that it works as a small batch canning pot, a pot for heating pickling liquids and syrups for canning whole fruit and even as a tea kettle in a pinch. On Thanksgiving, I used it to heat up the gravy. It is a genius piece of equipment and I love it so much that I own two.
  • I bought this Cuisinart stainless steel wok at Macy’s last summer on a whim. It was on sale and I had a feeling that it might be a handy size and shape for making small batches of jam. And I was right. The flared sides encourage evaporation and it holds a bit more jam than a 12-inch skillet. It’s lighter than ideal for a true wok, but is quite nice for jams, jellies and chutneys (and it just costs right around $30, which makes it highly affordable).
  • Finally, flour sack towels. I finally got smart and started buying them in colors instead of in white. No matter how much I bleached them, the white ones just never get clean. The deeply colored ones don’t show the stains as much. Amazing the difference these little choices make in my quality of life.

As promised, I have an orange Thermapen to give away to one of you nice folks. Here’s how to throw your hat in the ring for chance at it.

  1. Leave a comment on this post and tell me about your current favorite kitchen tool.
  2. Comments will close at 11:59 pm on Friday, November 30, 2012. Winner will be chosen at random and will be posted to the blog over the weekend.
  3. Giveaway open to everyone (the shipping is on me, no matter where you live).
  4. One comment per person, please. Entries must be left via the comment form on the blog at the bottom of this post. I do not accept submissions via email.
Disclosure: Thermapen is providing the thermometer for this giveaway. GIR sent me one of their spatulas for review. Neither company paid to be included in this post. No one else mentioned here knows that I exist or that I’m writing about them.

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Cuppow and EcoJarz are Having Cyber Monday Sales

Posted on November 26, 2012 by Marisa

As most of you know, I’ve long used jars in place of travel mugs. When the first Cuppow came out last January, I was one of the first to get my order in and I’ve been a huge fan ever since. In the last year, Cuppow has been expanding their product line, first adding a regular mouth version and, more recently, adding lids in colors (orange for wide mouth, blue for regular).

The cool thing about the colored lids is that 5% of the proceeds go to charity. The orange lid benefits Superstorm Sandy relief and the blue one contributes to The Alliance for the Great Lakes.

If you’ve been longing for a Cuppow of your own, now might just be the time to place an order. They’re having a 25% off sale if you use the code “majormonday2012″ and shipping is free if you order four or more lids. The deal is good until tonight at midnight.

EcoJarz is a little newer to the jar topper scene, but no less interesting. The started their product line with a stainless steel topper lined with a silicone gasket to prevent leakage. More recently, they added a bright green lid made of flexible silicone to the line-up.

The EcoJarz lids come in regular mouth size and can be ordered with or without a band and without packaging (nice for those who want to avoid any extraneous paper).

They are also offering 25% off for Cyber Monday through midnight tonight. No code is required, the discount is automatically credited when you proceed to check-out.

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