Canning Class and Community Kitchen - Savory Tomato Cake

Last week I taught a class on Canning for the Wallingford Community Kitchen.  We ended up making 4 recipes.  Spicy Corn Relish, Pickled Vegetables Strips, Blackberry Jam and Crab Apple Jelly.  It was a late night but we got them done.  Even a few extra jars for the Community Kitchen to raffle off at a later date. 

For the Ballard Community Kitchen we did tomatoes and more tomatoes.  We made and canned tomato bruschetta, a savory tomato cake and Gazpacho. 

While it looks a bit boring in a huge bowl.  It presents much better in a single serving.

Here is the recipe for the cake.  It is a cornbread with tomato, onions and basil.  It was amazing. 

For the Cake:
 
2/3 cup yellow cornmeal
1/3 cup all-purpose flour
2 tablespoons sugar
1/2 teaspoon baking powder
1/2 teaspoon salt
5 tablespoons unsalted butter, melted and cooled
1/2 cup milk
1 large egg

For the Topping:
 
3-4 large tomatoes, cut into crescents
1 onions, sliced into half moons
Olive oil
Herbs (basil, thyme, rosemary, etc)

1. Place the tomatoes and onions in the bottom of the oiled cake or pie tin in a tiled fashion.  

2. Spread the herbs over the tomatoes and onions. Drizzle with olive oil.  

3. Mix the cornbread together and spread evenly over the tomato herb mixture.

4. Bake for 20-25 mins at 350 until the cornbread is firm.        

5. When slightly cooled. Place a large plate over the tin and invert.

Enjoy I know we did.

Large Batch Canning and Corn Relish

In the last week I have made 175 pints of preserves (75 pickles, 75 bloody mary vegetables, and 25 blackberry syrup).  Unfortunately my camera decided to take a walk but I am hoping to get some pictures up this weekend.

Tonight is my canning class with the Walliford Community Kitchen.  I spent last night picking crabapples and blackberries.  So we will be making jellies with those along with the Spicy Corn Relish and the Pickles Vegetable Strips.

Here is the recipe for the Corn Relish.  Hopefully I will be able to post a picture or two this weekend.

12               ears of corn

3                 Ancho or Chipotle chiles, rehydrated, seeded and chopped

1¾ c           Honey

2 T              Kosher or Pickling salt

1 T              mustard seed

¼ t              turmeric

2¾ c           cider vinegar

½ c             water

2 c              onion, chopped

1½ c           celery, chopped

1 c              sweet peppers, chopped

Par-boil corn until bright yellow.  Cut corn kernels off. 

Combine honey, salt, mustard seed, turmeric, vinegar and water.  Bring to a boil. Boil until honey and salt are dissolved.  Add corn, onion, celery, and sweet peppers.  Bring to a boil, stir often until onions and celery are tender.  Approximately 30 mins.  Add chiles and incorporate.

Place relish in sterilized jars and process for 15 mins. 

Enjoy

Oregon Grape Jelly

 Another simple jelly for you.  Oregon Grapes are very high in pectin so no need for adding any.  The one problem that I ran into on this batch is that the grapes are very seedy.  The seeds are almost half of the grape.  When I make this again (and believe me I will be) I will be using a food mill. 

6 cups Oregon grapes

2 cups Water

2 cups sugar

Place the water and grapes in a sauce pan.  Bring to boil and boil until soft.  Allow to cool. When done drain and retain all of the liquid.  Smash the grapes with a large spoon or better yet run through a food mill. Place all liquid back in sauce pan and add the sugar.  Bring to a boil.  Allow to boil until it starts to jelly. About 20-30 mins.  Place in jars and process for 10 mins.  Enjoy.

Raspberry-Ginger-Mint Jam

This is a spiced up raspberry jam. I think that the mint and ginger help mellow the sweetness of the raspberries. 

I started by macerating the raspberries overnight with the sugar.  I have found that this cuts down on the cooking time of the jam.  

The next day I grated the ginger and cooked it into the raspberries, about 15 mins.  At the last minute I added the mint to keep it fresh and green. You can just see little bits of the mint in the jar below.

1/2 flat of raspberries

2 1/2 c of sugar

2 T of ginger, grated

1/2 c of mint

1 package of pectin

Place the raspberries and sugar in a non-reactive bowl and allow to sit overnight.  

Put the raspberry and sugar mixture in a large saucepan.  Bring to a boil.  Stir to make sure that the sugar is dissolved.  Add the grated ginger. 

Take your 1/2 cup of mint and cut into ribbons. 

When at a boil add your pectin.  Boil for 2 mins. Add your mint and remove from heat.  Process for 10 mins.

And I am back.

I will have a new post tomorrow.  Also I will be teaching at the Wallingford Community Kitchen on August 13th.


Here is the event copy:

Join us on Friday, August 13th for another exciting Wallingford Community Kitchen: Veggie Preserving.

The kitchen is held from 5:30pm to 9pm at the Wallingford COMMUNITY Senior Center (WCSC) at the Good Shepherd Center.

This month instead of cooking a meal together, we will preserve fruits and vegetables. Sarah Elmore w...ill teach us how to keep our food tasting as good as fresh for months at a time using the age old art of canning.

Participation requires a $15 pre-registration fee to cover the cost of ingredients, supplies and the facilities. Entrance will be $20 at-the-door. We are also asking those that can, to please donate a bit extra to help out those that could not otherwise afford to attend. We will have a limited number of reduced fee tickets available - please email the coordinator for a password.

You may purchase tickets online at http://www.brownpapertickets.com/event/121507 or you can mail or drop a check payable to: Wallingford COMMUNITY Senior Center **Please indicate the names of all people attending**

Wallingford COMMUNITY Senior Center
Attn: Wallingford Community Kitchen
4649 Sunnyside Ave N, Room 140
Seattle, WA 98103


Each participant will have the opportunity to make their own jar of the following (tentative list) to take home:
* Zucchini Vegetable Strips
* Spicy Corn Relish
* Plum Preserve


We also ask that all participants bring an appetizer, main dish, drink or dessert to share with the group (please no bread products as we receive those by donation) and help sustain us while we preserve.

The WCSC is in need of some extra containers, please bring along your gently used and clean plastic yogurt, sour cream, salsa, etc. containers to contribute.

Thanks!

Indian Spiced Carrots

This is for CC. I hope you like it.

2 C Apple cider vinegar

3/4 C sugar or honey

1 t Salt

1 stick cinnamon, broken

1/2 t fengreek

1/2 t mustard seed

1/2 t coriander

1/4 t cumin

1 T ginger, chopped

1 clove garlic, chopped

1-2 small chiles

1/2 shallot, sliced

1 lb carrots, quartered

Place the vinegar, sugar and salt in a non-reactive pan. Bring to a boil. Reduce to a simmer and add your spices.  Simmer for 5 mins.  Place ginger, garlic, chiles, and shallots in your jars.  Add you carrots. This is easiest if you hold the jar on its side.  Add the vinegar spice mixture until you have 1/2" of headroom.  Process for 25 mins. Allow to sit for at least a month.

Tomato Bruschetta

I still am not used to pre-planning my posts so this one is without pictures (at least until next week).  I am out in BC enjoying some time off. Hope you like this. It was one of my most popular recipes from last year's canning classes.

9 c Tomatoes, cored (peeled if you like) or cherry tomatoes
6 garlic cloves, minced
6 shallots, minced
1 c basil, fresh
.25 c oregano
3 T White vinegar
2 T Balsamic vinegar
1.5 t salt
.5 t black pepper

Plus 1 T of vinegar per pint



Combine all ingredients except Balsamic vinegar and let rest for 15 mins. Heat on high for 5 mins. Pull solid ingredients and set aside. Reduce juices by half. Add vinegar and pour over ingredients. Add 1 T of vinegar to every pint. Place in sterilized jars leaving ½ of headspace. Process for 20 mins.