spring in full swing

Rhubarb is here, spring is in full swing, and I'm ready to start making jam. I should be outside working in the garden, but surely one of the greatest joys of having one's own garden is the time spent in the kitchen getting to know the harvest - and I still have a lot to get to know about rhubarb. I don't yet grow rhubarb in my own patch, but it is readily available at local farmer's markets and some grocery stores for a few weeks in the spring.

Since the first signs of spring I'd been dreaming of making a rhubarb jam. I'd imagined a blushing pink hue and pleasant tart-sweet flavor, maybe flecked with tiny vanilla seeds (as a friend cleverly suggested), or perhaps bits of chopped figs. I'd never tried rhubarb in jam form, but there was just something quite appealing to me in the idea.

In flipping through some inspirational books, I came across the recipe for Rhubarb Grapefruit Preserves in the Chez Panisse Fruit book. The simplicity of the recipes in the Chez Panisse books always wins me over, though I couldn't resist the addition of dried figs which I found sweetened the jam just a touch and seemed to blend rather nicely with the intensely fragrant grapefruit.

Here is my adaptation of the recipe:
Rhubarb, Fig & Grapefruit Jam
(adapted from the Alice Waters' recipe for 'Rhubarb Grapefruit Preserves' in the Chez Panisse Fruit cookbook)

yields approximately 3 1/2 pints of jam

Ingredients:

2 Lbs. rhubarb stalks, cut into 1/2 inch chunks
2 grapefruit, peeled and juiced, pith removed and the rind chopped very fine
4 cups sugar
8 oz. dried Black Mission Figs (or other dried figs of your choosing), chopped - stems removed

Method:

Place a plate or two in the freezer for testing the jam later.

Prepare canning jars and lids.

In a large stockpot with a lid, combing the chopped rhubarb, grapefruit rind, grapefruit juice (strained), and sugar. Cover and let sit overnight.

Bring the rhubarb mixture to a boil, uncovered, over high heat. Continue to cook, skimming off any foam rising to the surface, until the jam is thickened and reaches the 'gel stage' when placed on a cold plate. (This took me roughly 15 -20 minutes)
When the jam has reached the gel stage, turn the heat off, and begin ladling the hot jam into the hot, sterilized jars, being sure to leave 1/4 inch head space. Wipe the rims clean with a clean, damp towel, place the lids on and screw down the bands just until finger-tight. Process in a water bath canner with the lid on for 10 minutes. Remove the lid and process for 5 minutes more. Remove the jars from the canner and test the seals. Any jars that do not seal may be placed in the refrigerator and will be good for several weeks.

pickling...

Not me... Although this glass of Rose was pretty delicious...

I'm really referring to this kind of pickling:

I suddenly have an abundance of yellow cucumbers. Gee... Could it be because I planted, um, 15 plants??? Well, I do love cucumbers. Dill pickles are quite tasty too. So, in the interest of preserving the bounty (which is what I am constantly doing these days), here's a very simple recipe for garlic dills. To maximize their flavor they will need to sit for a few weeks, so I'll let you know in a couple of weeks, just exactly how they turned out...

Garlic Dills

makes 6 pints (approximately)
(adapted from 'Quick Dill Pickles' in the Kerr Kitchen Cookbook)*

2-2 1/2 Lbs. cucumbers, washed and sliced into 1/8-inch rounds or cut into spears
(if using pickling cucumbers, which is recommended, the quantity is approximately 7 Lbs.) If you have more than enough cucumber, just keep making batches of brine until you've packed all the jars you filled)**

6-12 heads of fresh dill (be sure to rinse the dill and pat dry before adding to the jars)
6-12 cloves of garlic, peeled

For the brine:

6 Cups of water (I used spring water)
3 Cups of distilled white vinegar (5% acidity)
1/2 Cup plus 2 Tb. Kosher salt
1/3 Cup pickling spice (optional)

Sterilize your jars and lids (I like the wide-mouth jars/lids for this - I find they are easier to pack) and ready the water bath.

Combine the brine ingredients in a large stockpot and bring to a boil. When jars and lids are ready, pack the cucumber slices into the hot jars along with 1 or 2 heads of dill and 1 or 2 cloves of garlic per each jar - leaving 1/2-inch head space. Pour the hot brine (including some of the pickling spice, if using) over the cucumbers and fill to within 1/2-inch of the jar rim. Using a clean butter knife or thin spatula, go around the inside edges of the jar to remove any air bubbles. Wipe the rims with a clean towel and place the sterilized lids on the jars. Lightly screw on the bands and process jars in a hot water bath for 15 minutes. Remove from the bath and check the seals. Any jars that did not seal properly can be refrigerated and used within a month or so.
*For canning instructions and/or questions, please visit the website for The National Center for Home Food Preservation.
**Many recipes I've seen regarding cucumber pickles say that to get a really crisp pickle you should soak the cucumber slices in an ice water bath for about 2 hours before canning. I didn't do this - my cukes had been in the refrigerator for a few days, so I skipped this step. I think in addition to 'icing' the cukes, it also helps to use pickling cucumbers, though any kind of cucumber will still work for pickling. Mine were rather large in circumference and will most likely not be too crisp (I personally don't mind).
***In case anyone is wondering - the 'yellower' pickles in the foreground of the above photo are 'Spicy Garlic Dills' that were made using a packaged pickle mix (Kerr's) and the addition of 2 garlic cloves and 1/2 tsp. red pepper flakes per jar.

the monkey chased the weasel

I have a mulberry tree. Actually, I have two. And my mother has another two. What does one do with four mulberry trees? Why, one makes jelly of course!

It's not that I don't like the berries just fine straight off the branch - they're quite tasty. It's just that I don't really enjoy their little stems. They don't seem to detach easily. Or at all if you really want to know. So. Let's make some jelly.

Mulberry Jelly (with a little cranberry-pomegranate juice)

*For information regarding the sterilization process for jars and lids and general food preservation tips The National Center for Home Food Preservation has a comprehensive website.
To sterilize my jars I wash each one with soap and water, place them on a baking sheet (not touching), and put them in a 200 degree oven while I prepare the jam or jelly. The lids, bands, ladle and/or funnel I put in a pot of boiling water for a few minutes just before they are needed. The lids must be new. They cannot be re-used.

Ingredients:

2 Quarts mulberries (or enough to equal 2 1/2 Cups juice when pressed)
2 Cups pure cranberry-pomegranate juice (such as R.W. Knudsen)
1/2 Cup water
1 (1.75 oz.) package 'Sure Jell' Fruit Pectin
1/2 tsp. butter (to help reduce foam)
6 1/2 Cups sugar

*sterilized jelly jars with lids and bands (enough to accommodate approximately 56 oz. of jelly - I used 8-4 oz. and 3-8 oz. jars)

Rinse and drain the mulberries. Place in a saucepan or small pot and heat gently over med-low and mash berries to a pulp. Remove from heat, let cool slightly, and strain through cheese cloth (or a clean nylon stocking if you're un-fussy), reserving juice.

Measure reserved mulberry juice to be sure you have at least 2 1/2 cups. Add juice to a large, clean stockpot. Add the cranberry-pomegranate juice and the water. You should have a total of 4 1/2 cups of liquid. Sprinkle the 'Sure-Jell' over the juice mixture and add the 1/2 tsp. butter. Bring mixture to a boil and pour in the sugar. Bring to a rolling boil, stirring constantly, and allow to boil hard for exactly 1 minute.

Remove from heat, skim the surface for foam with a metal spoon, if necessary, and immediately ladle into sterilized jars filling them to within 1/8 inch of the rim. Wipe jar rims and threads with a clean, damp towel and place lids on top. Lightly screw the bands on and place jars on a rack in a hot water bath for 10 minutes. Remove jars with tongs and allow to cool. Check seals. If any jars did not seal properly, they may be stored in the refrigerator and used within 1 month.