Category Archives: preserving food

Simple Syrups For Good Cheer

  Stemmed rosemary for simple syrup Soothing Simples Preserve Garden Goodness What a world we are living in! What an astonishing moment in time! What an epic period of history we are experiencing! Do I need to use a few … Continue reading

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Roasting, Steaming, & Putting Up String Beans

High heat often brings out the boldest flavors in big, mature beans, especially oven roasting, perhaps with peppers and tomatoes. When it’s too hot to fire up the oven, grill your beans along with fish or poultry, or try this simple, speedy stovetop version. Fruity vinegars bring out the singing sweetness of meaty, tender beans, experiment to find your favorite combinations. My summery vinegar making includes the usual blueberry and raspberry, both of which are pleasant indeed, but my new favorite is nectarine vanilla, which is also fabulous with steamed or roasted beets. Still in the bottle; lemon mint vinegar. Hmmm. We shall see…

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Pesto With Power & Punch

Basil Salt Is Very, Very Green Bountiful Basil After a horror show weekend, I’m retreating to the garden and the kitchen to recover a little peace of mind. I’m almost afraid to even look at the news for fear of … Continue reading

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Green Tomatoes Galore

Bacon, Chantrelle & Tomato Tart

1 sheet puff pastry or pie crust
1 tablespoon avocado or olive oil
4 slices bacon, chopped
3 leeks, thinly sliced (white and palest parts only)
1/8 teaspoon kosher or sea salt
4 cups sliced chanterelles or any mushroom
2 cups thickly sliced red tomatoes
2 cups thinly sliced green tomatoes

Spread puff pastry or pie crust on a rimmed baking sheet and brush lightly with oil, set aside. In a heavy bottomed pan, cook bacon over medium heat until barely crisp, then remove to a plate. Add oil and leeks to the bacon pan over medium high heat. Sprinkle leeks with salt and cook for three minutes. Add mushrooms, sprinkle with salt stir to coat and cook, covered, until barely soft (5-7 minutes). Remove mixture to a shallow bowl to cool and preheat oven to 400 degrees F. When mushroom mixture is close to room temperature, spread over center of puff pastry or crust, leaving several inches bare all around the filling. Layer on the tomatoes, sprinkle with bacon bits, fold up edges of pastry or crust to partly cover filling and bake at 400 degrees F until puffed and golden (about 20 minutes for puff pastry, about 30 minutes for pie crust). Let stand 10 minutes before serving. Serves about 6. Continue reading

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