Marisa McClellan's Blog, page 104

Cashew Curry Savory Granola from OATrageous Oatmeals

Oats are one of my staple foods. I eat them throughout the spring and summer in the form of granola or simple muesli and the once the days get chilly, I make daily bowls of warm, creamy oatmeal (topped with generous dollops of jam or fruit butter).

I often grind rolled oats into flour in my Vitamix to use in baked goods, and I regularly use them to add bulk and fiber to turkey meatloaf (it’s a trick I learned from my mom). Oats! They can do so much!

When Kathy Hester told me that her next book (she’s also the author of The Vegan Slow Cooker, Vegan Slow Cooking for Two or Just for You, and The Great Vegan Bean Book) was going to be all about oatmeal, I got kind of excited. So excited, in fact, that she invited me to be part of the blog tour for OATrageous Oatmeals. And so here we are.

I’ve spent a couple weeks with this book now, earmarking recipes to try and mentally depleting my stash of oats. In the very near future, I’m planning to make the Southern-Style Oat Biscuits (page 28), the Baked Meyer Lemon Steel-Cut Oatmeal (page 43), the Cinnamon Roll Overnight Oats (page 69), the Pepita Oatmeal Raisin Cookie Bars (page 96), and the Slow Cooker Black Bean Oat Groat Soup (page 104). Of course, there are more recipes that speak to me, but those are the ones that are currently topping my hopeful hit parade.

However, I’m not coming to you entirely empty-handed. I have tried the Cashew Curry Savory Granola on page 90 already and it is so good. Crunchy, salty, and slightly spicy, I made a batch yesterday and have been nibbling ever since.

I picked that recipe as the first one to try because I’ve long been a fan of savory granolas. They are an easy way to add a healthy layer of flavor, texture, and protein to homemade soups and salads. They keep well. And they are one of those things that give you a whole heck of a lot of bang for your buck.

I came up with a recipe for a savory granola a couple of years back when I was still writing for Grid Philly (the roasted tomato vinaigrette in that piece is also delicious) that I’ve returned to many times when I’ve needed a little crunchy, hearty snack, but I think it has now been supplanted.

There is just one thing I’ll change next time I make this granola and that is that stir the raisins into the granola after it is finished baking. I find that they got just a little bit too cooked and ended up sort of acrid and a little too chewy for me. But it’s a minor quibble and one that’s easy enough to fix next time around.

Do you have a favorite savory granola?

Print
Cashew Curry Savory Granola from OATrageous Oatmeals

Yield: 2 cups

Ingredients

2 tablespoons (14 g) ground flaxseed mixed with 4 tablespoons (59 ml) warm water
1 cup (92 g) rolled oats (*make sure oats are marked gluten-free)
3 tablespoons (45 ml) olive oil (**replace oil with 1 tablespoon [15 g] ground flaxseed mixed with 2 tablespoons [30 ml] warm water in addition to the amount above)
1⁄3 cup (55 g) golden raisins
1⁄3 cup (26 g) finely shredded coconut
1⁄3 cup (43 g) minced cashews nuts
1 teaspoon garam masala
1/2 teaspoon cumin
1/4 teaspoon granulated garlic
1/4 teaspoon chili powder
1/4 teaspoon ground coriander
1⁄8 teaspoon ground mustard
salt, to taste

Instructions

Preheat oven to 350F (177C) and either oil a cookie sheet or line it with parchment paper.
Add all ingredients but the salt to a medium-sized mixing bowl. Mix well, then add salt to taste.
Pour the mixture onto the prepared cookie sheet and press thin. You should have one large, flat piece about 1/4 to 1⁄8-inch thin.
Bake for 20 to 25 minutes, until the edges are browned and the middle is no longer wet.
Let cool on cookie sheet and break it up into large or small chunks with your hands. Use to top salads or plain yogurt, or just eat by the handful for a snack!

Notes

Recipe from OATrageous Oatmeals by Kathy Hester. Reprinted with permission of Page Street Publishing.

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Pickled Italian Plums

These pickled plums may be my favorite new preserve of this summer. They are a bit sweet, slightly spiced, and super tangy. Much like other pickled fruit, they are something of a two for one product, because once the fruit is gone, you can pour the flavorful syrup into sparkling water or use it to flavor batches of homemade vinaigrette.

Like all pickled fruit, this recipe works best if you start with fruit that is just slightly underripe. You want to choose fruit that has plenty of flavor and a bit of give, but still has enough robustness to retain the integrity of the slices once they’ve simmered for a bit.

I kept the spices relatively restrained in this pickle, bundling up just star anise, whole cloves, black peppercorns, and a little crushed red chili flake for heat. Because spices are always the place where can personalize a preserve, if you make this one on your own, feel free to take that cheese cloth packet in any direction you’d like.

A short length of cinnamon stick would have fit in nicely and a few gently crushed cardamom pods would also play nicely.

If the plums are already gone in your area, don’t think that your opportunities for pickled fruit are over. You could try this with tender slices of pears or hunks of soft fleshed apple (a golden delicious would be a nice choice).

Looking for more pickled fruit? I’ve got so many other seasonal options for you! Naturally sweetened apple date chutney. Honey sweetened peach chutney (make it while the peaches last!). Pickled asian pears (this recipe is from Karen Solomon’s gorgeous book Asian Pickles). Persimmon and pear chutney (persimmons will be here soon). Pear chutney with dried cherries and ginger. Pickled cranberries (the. best.).

Print
Pickled Italian Plums

Yield: makes 4 pints

Ingredients

4 pounds Italian plums
2 cups granulated sugar
1 cup apple cider vinegar
2 star anise
1/2 teaspoon cloves
1/2 teaspoon black peppercorns
1/4 teaspoon crushed red chili flakes

Instructions

Prepare a boiling water bath canner and enough jars to hold 4 pints of product.
Cut plums in half and cut each half into 4-6 wedges.
Pile sliced plums into a low, wide pan, add the sugar and apple cider vinegar, and stir to combine.
Bundle the spices up in a length of cheesecloth or tuck them into a non-reactive tea ball and add them to the pan.
Place the pan on the stove and bring it to a boil. Cook at a vigorous bubble for 5-6 minutes, until the syrup thickens and the fruit softens (but try to stop cooking before the slices start to disintegrate).
Using a slotted spoon, funnel the fruit into jars and then top each jar off with the syrup, leaving about 1/2 inch of headspace.
Tap jars to loosen air bubbles and adjust syrup levels, as needed.
Wipe rims, apply lids and rings, and process jars in a boiling water bath canner for 20 minutes.
When time is up, remove jars from canner and place on a folded kitchen towel to cool.
If jars begin siphoning their syrup when you first remove them from the canning pot, pop them back into the water. Slide the pot off the hot burner and let the jars cool more gradually in the pot.
Once jars have had a chance to cool to room temperature on their towel, check the seals by pushing on the lids. If they are firm and without wiggle, the seals are good.
Sealed jars are shelf stable for at least a year. Schema/Recipe SEO Data Markup by ZipList Recipe Plugin2.6http://foodinjars.com/2014/09/pickled-italian-plums/


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Peach Mostarda

In my area, peach season is down to its final days for this year. I spotted a few left at the farmers market this morning and actually passed them by, but only because I am insane and picked up another half bushel over the weekend. I need to make a batch of salsa, and have several recipes for the new book to test, thus the purchase.

A couple weeks ago, just before I headed up to Toronto, I spent a full day canning. I had a ton of peaches and tomatoes, and knew that they wouldn’t last my weekend away. I made sauce, I canned whole peeled tomatoes, I made grape jam, and came up with this preserve.

Mostardas are much like chutneys, in that they are both sweet and savory. However, instead of getting their savory nature from onions, garlic, or shallots, the sweetness is broken up with a conservative application of mustard oil and other sharp spices.

Now, you should consider this a cheater’s mostarda. Because of US regulations, it is impossible to get the super-strong mustard oil with which true mostardas are made. However, the combination of mustard seeds and cayenne give this preserve a satisfying level of sinus clearing mustardiness.

I made this mostarda with Cypress Grove’s Humboldt Fog in mind, but it will also pair deliciously with crumbly aged cheddars and creamy, spreadable goat cheeses.

Print
Peach Mostarda

Yield: 8-9 half pints

Ingredients

5 pounds peaches
3 cups sugar
3/4 cup apple cider vinegar
3 tablespoons mustard seeds
1 teaspoon finely crushed red chili flakes
1/4 teaspoon cayenne pepper

Instructions

Prepare a boiling water bath canner, 9 half pint jars, new lids, and clean rings.
Cut peaches in half, remove pits, and peel. Cut halves into four wedges and dice each wedge into 3-4 pieces.
Place diced peaches in a low, wide pan and add sugar, apple cider vinegar, mustard seeds, red chili flakes, and cayenne pepper.
Place the pot over high heat and bring to a boil. Cook for 5 to 6 minutes at a rapid boil, until the peaches release their juice and the syrup thickens slightly.
Using a slotted spoon, portion the peaches out into prepared jars and top each off with syrup. Tap jars to remove air bubbles and add more syrup if needed.
You may not have as many as 9 half pints, but it's always nice to have more prepared rather than not enough.
Once jars are full, wipe rims, apply lids and rings, and process in a boiling water bath canner for 15 minutes.
When time is up, slide canning pot off the hot burner and remove lid. Let jars cool slowly in the canning pot for at least ten minutes before removing the jars from the pot.
Place the hot jars on a folded kitchen towel and let them cool.
Once jars are cool enough to handle, test seals by pressing down on the lids. If they are firm and without wiggle, the jars are sealed. Schema/Recipe SEO Data Markup by ZipList Recipe Plugin2.6http://foodinjars.com/2014/09/peach-mostarda/


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Giveaway: Assorted Goat Cheeses from Cypress Grove

When I was writing my last book, one of the comments my editor made on the draft was that she was afraid I was recommending pairing too many of the recipes with cheese. We worked to come up with some alternate suggestions for those headnotes, but many of the cheese pairing suggestions remained. The reason? Cheese and jam (or pickles, chutneys, jellies, etc) are downright delicious together.

When run out of time to make a big salad or a pile of roasted vegetables for a potluck, I head for the pantry instead. I find a jar of of something homemade (tomato jam is always a good choice), buy a slab of creamy, crumbly goat cheese, and pick up a baguette. I set that out on the potluck table and watch as people eat up every crumb and drop.

A few years back, I did a very informal collaboration with the folks at Cypress Grove (they make the most glorious goat’s milk cheeses). Essentially, they sent me some cheeses and I dreamed up a tasty little jam to serve along with those cheeses. My recipe for Plum Star Anise Jam was one of the preserves that resulted.

Sometime in the last year or so, I reconnected with one of the very nice people over at Cypress Grove and we decided it might be fun to do another round of recipes designed expressly for a few of their products. So they sent me some cheese and I got to work. So far, I’ve come up with two preserves that pair up brilliantly.

The first recipe is a preserve that I’m calling a peach mostarda. It’s not a true mostarda, in the sense that it does not contain super concentrated mustard oil (which is quite difficulty to get in the US, because it an ingredient in mustard gas). I use generous amounts of mustard seeds, coupled with some sinus clearing cayenne to mimic the pungency of the mustard oil, and I think it works well. Whatever you call it, I like it eaten with a little wedge of Humboldt Fog.

The second preserve are pickled plums that end up being a cross between a jam and chutney (recipe coming soon). I took slightly firm Italian prune plums and cut them into slivers. They sat with restrained dose of sugar, some apple cider vinegar, and a cheesecloth bundle of spices until they released their juices. Then I cooked it down until the syrup thickened but before the fruit lost its integrity. It’s delicious when you perch a bit of the pickled plums on top of a slice of Truffle Tremor.

The lovely folks at Cypress Grove a cheese prize pack to one lucky Food in Jars reader. It will contain a Humboldt Fog Mini, a wedge of Truffle Tremor, and a hunk of Midnight Moon in a snazzy Cypress Grove cooler pack. You’ll also get some other Cypress Grove-branded goodies, including a cheese wire for easy Midnight Moon slicing. Additionally, I’ll throw in small jars of these two preserves, so that the winner can try my pairings.

Here’s how to enter:

Leave a comment on this post and share your favorite cheese and preserve pairing. Cheddar with caramelized onion jam? Apricot jam with chevre? Grilled cheese with tomato chutney? Let me know!
Comments will close at 11:59 pm east coast time on Saturday, September 27, 2014. The winner will be chosen at random and will be posted to the blog by the end of the day on Sunday, September 28, 2014.
Giveaway is open to US residents.
One comment per person, please. Entries must be left on the blog, I cannot accept submissions via email.

Disclosure: Cypress Grove sent me a package of cheeses for pairing and photography purposes. They are also providing the prize for the giveaway. No additional compensation was provided. 

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Upcoming Events: New York! Philadelphia! Lancaster County!

I’m taking a break from international travel for the next little while, but I still have a few fun classes and events coming up. Here’s where I’ll be over the next few weeks!

September 25, Hudson, NY

I’m teaching a class at Valley Variety in Hudson, New York. Everyone gets to make a jar of pickled cauliflower and I’ll demonstrate a small batch of pear vanilla jam. We’ll also have some tasty jam, pickle, and cheese pairings for class participants to sample. The class runs from 6:30-8:30 pm and you can sign up by clicking here.

September 30, Philadelphia

It’s the final meal in the series of preserving-focused dinner at High Street at 9 pm. You come, you have a lovely meal, I say a few words about canning and preserving, and you head off into the night. It costs just $25 and you can call (215) 625-0988 to reserve your seat.

October 2, Downingtown, PA

I’ll be demonstrating small batches of jam and book signing at the Growing Roots Partners Farmers Markets, 3-8 pm.

October 3, Old City, Philadelphia

I’ll be at the Chemical Heritage Foundation in Old City for a pair of small batch jam demonstrations at their monthly First Friday event. Demos are at 5:30 and 6:45 pm and the evening is entirely free. I’ll have books available for sale and signature. This event will also be livestreamed and once I have the link, I’ll share it.

October 4, South Philadelphia

I’ll be at Fante’s in the Italian Market from 11 am – 2 pm to demonstrate my small batch technique and to sign copies of Preserving by the Pint. This is a free, drop-in event.

October 5, Havertown, PA

I’m teaming up with the nice folks at the Havertown Free Library to teach another hands on class. This time we’re making pickles! The class runs from 2-4 pm and costs just $5 to sign up (it’s a steal of a deal). Click here to sign up.

October 8, Swarthmore, PA

I’ll be teaching a canning class Harvey Oak Mercantile from 6-8 pm. There will be books available for sale and signature. Registration details to come.

October 9, Princeton, NJ

Thanks to a friend who has made all the arrangements, I’m headed to Princeton to offer a batch canning demonstration at the Whole Earth Center. Event is from 7-9 pm and tickets can be obtained here. Books will be available!

October 11, Lancaster, PA

I’m spending a Saturday at Fillmore Container, offering a pair of canning classes in their warehouse. The first class is from 10 am – 12 noon, in which we’ll focus on preserving pears in batches large and small (including information about how to use Pomona’s Pectin). From 1-3 pm, we’ll dig into how to preserve tomatoes, including how to make tomato jam and how to preserve whole peeled tomatoes. To register for both classes (they’re $35 a piece), click here. We’re also going to offer a book signing at the end of the day.

October 12, Cherry Hill, NJ

I’m hopping over the bridge to South Jersey for a small batch jam demonstration and book signing at Williams-Sonoma at the Cherry Hill Mall. The event is from 1-3 pm and is free and open to all.

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Links: Plums, Tomatoes, Apples, and a Winner

Oops. I didn’t mean to drop out of sight last week, but I got home from Canada on Monday afternoon and just couldn’t find my way back to the blog. It happens sometimes.

That trip to Toronto though, it was pretty darn terrific. I met so many of my long-time internet canning friends, including Christine from Manning Canning (check out her just-launched commercial kitchen Kickstarter!), Sarah B. Hood (author of We Sure Can!), and Joel and Dana from Well Preserved. The Kitchen Party at the Harbourfront Centre was incredibly fun and I loved meeting all the dedicated food preservers who came out for it.

I also enjoyed getting to explore a little bit of Toronto and seeing the roof garden and bee hives at the Fairmont Royal York (as a Kitchen Party sponsor, they put me up in a gloriously comfy room).

This week, things will start to return to normal around these parts. Let’s get that started off with links!

Recently, Sean Timberlake (founder of Punk Domestics) took over the Food Preservation page at About.com. He’s been writing all sorts of useful things and I found his recent piece on how to safely pack oven dried tomatoes in oil really useful. He also recently addressed a question I’ve been getting a lot recently, about whether it’s safe to thicken preserved jams with chia. The short answer? No.
If you’ve ever considered making your own lacto-fermented hot sauce, look no further than this most excellent tutorial from Alana at Eating From the Ground Up.
Looking to make the crunchiest pickle possible? Caitlin (The Babbling Botanist) preserved pickles in five different ways, trying to scientifically determine which method would preserve the most snap and texture.
In another head to head showdown, Eileen pits tomato sauce made with a Victorio strainer again a batch made with an immersion blender.
Check out the gorgeousness that is Kaela’s Nectarine Plum Butter. It’s the end of the season for both fruits, but I bet you could get your hands on some if you tried.
Starting to preserve apples? If so, make sure to save the scraps and follow Kate’s advice on how to turn those odds and ends into vinegar.
Roasted heirloom tomato sauce. Safe for canning and delicious.
Raspberry plum jam. It’s the end of the season for both, so get on it!
Smokey tomato jam make with oven roasted tomatoes. Yes.
If you’re in need of a vehicle for cheese and jam, try these olive oil crackers from Meg at the Joy of Cooking blog.

When I fell off the grid last week, I failed to post the winner of the Roma Deluxe Electric Tomato Strainer Giveaway, sponsored by Blue Kitchen Canning. Oops. Now, without any further ado, the winner is #539/Rebekah Jones.

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Upcoming Events: Philadelphia! Short Hills, NJ! Hudson, NY!

It’s a little hard for me to believe, but Preserving by the Pint has been out for nearly six months now. This means that my events schedule is soon going to start quieting down (and thank goodness for that! I have another book to write). Still, there are a few more opportunities to come and see me this month! Check out the schedule and come on out (and make sure to check my Classes and Events page for the complete schedule).

September 15 – Philadelphia

Demo and signing at the Walnut Street West Free Library, 6-7:30 pm.

September 17 – Ridley, PA

Demo and signing at the Ridley Township Public Library, 6-8 pm.

September 18 – Bala Cynwyd, PA

Demo and signing at the Bala Farmers Market, 2:30-6:30 pm.

September 19 – Short Hills, NJ

Canning class (sponsored by the Farm and Fork Society) at the King’s Food Market Cooking School, 11 am – 1 pm or 4-6 pm! Click your preferred time frame to sign up.

September 20 – Philadelphia

All About Apples class at the Morris Arboretum, 10 am – 12 noon. Click here to sign up.

September 25 – Hudson, NY

Canning class at Valley Variety, 6:30-8:30 pm. Click here to sign up.

September 30 – Philadelphia

The third and final preserving-focused dinner at High Street at 9 pm. Call (215) 625-0988 to reserve your seat.

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Marinated Carrot Salad for the Fridge

On Saturday, I drove up to New York and spent a few hours at the Union Square Greenmarket, trying to look like a friendly and helpful canning expert. I talked to a lot of people, emptied three pints of jam in samples, and sold 11 books (I had higher hopes for such a highly trafficked market, but the sun was brutal and people kept moving).

Still, I think that the trip was worth it, for the people I talked to and for the fact that the stall I was positioned next to had the most gorgeous array of root vegetables I’d seen in a long time. I must have watched at least 100 people stop to take pictures of those heaps of carrots and beets (they weren’t so interested in the celery).

Standing in proximity, I started thinking about how much I rely on carrots in my daily cooking. On nights when dinnertime inspiration is low, I turn them into a pureed soup (my favorite is the recipe with toasted almonds that’s in the original Moosewood Cookbook). When I need an easy side, I cut them into sticks and roast them in olive oil. Snacks around my apartment almost always involve a sliced carrot and a tub of hummus.

And at those times when I want something that I can make ahead and keep in the fridge for those moments when hunger strikes, I blanch them lightly and toss them with a quick vinaigrette. It’s a bit like the pickled carrots you’ll find at falafel joints. I originally wrote this recipe for Serious Eats, during my phase as their In a Pickle contributor. Still, it’s a good one and worthy of another moment in the sun.

Print
Marinated Carrot Salad for the Fridge

Ingredients

1 1/2 pounds carrots
1/4 cup olive oil
3 tablespoons seasoned rice vinegar
2 tablespoons chopped mint
1 small clove garlic, minced
1/2 teaspoon sea salt
1/4 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper

Instructions

Peel carrots and slice them into thick rounds. Simmer in a pot of salted water until just tender.
While carrots cook, whisk together olive oil, vinegar, mint, garlic, salt and pepper.
When carrots are fork tender, drain them.
Toss warm carrots together with vinaigrette and let them sit until carrots are cool.
Place carrots in refrigerator and let them marinate for at least 1 hour before serving. They can be kept in the refrigerator for up to 5 days.
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Slow Cooker Peach Vanilla Butter

Last month, when I had all those peaches from the Sweet Preservation folks, I did more than just make spiced peach jam. I also cooked up a slow cooker full of peach butter with flecks of vanilla bean and made a batch of mixed stone fruit jam.

Because I’ve been running on fumes, I didn’t manage to share either of the two remaining techniques/recipes with you. However, I spent some time at various farmers markets this weekend and was reminded that there are still peaches to be had. And so, I’m trying to get them up while they still have some utility.

When it comes to making fruit butters, it’s important to remember that there are a lot of variables, and so it’s better to approach it as a technique than a strict recipe. Here are just some of the things that are up for grabs with slow cooker fruit butters.

Size of the slow cooker. My favorite model is a 40+ year old four quart cooker that cooks at a very low temperature. You might have a brand new one that has both a larger capacity and a higher cooking temperature.

Yield. Even if you had the exact same slow cooker as I did, chances are that your yield would still vary. That’s because ever batch of fruit is going to have different water and sugar content. If your fruit contains a lot of water, you’re going to have to cook longer to reach your desired consistency. Use your judgement and cook until you like the butter. It doesn’t matter if you have to run your slow cooker for five hours longer than I did, it is still okay.

Time. There is just no way for me to predict how long a batch of butter will take in your slow cooker and that’s okay. Just fill the cooker up at least 3/4 the way up with puree and start cooking on low. Stir regularly. If you need to run an errand (or go to bed), turn the cooker off, put a lid on it and turn it back on in the morning. Towards the end, if you want to speed things up, turn the cooker on high and stir every ten minutes or so.

Sweeteners. Because fruit butters don’t depend on sugar for set (they become spreadable thanks to the fiber in the fruit), you can always sweeten your butter to taste. However, do remember that sugar is a preservative. That means that if you don’t use any sugar (or if you use a sugar substitute like Splenda or Stevia), the shelf life will be shorter.

Now, let’s talk about peeling peaches. Most of the time, when I work with peaches I take the time to peel them because I just don’t like the texture of the skin in the finished product. But not when I’m making butter with them. I find that if you puree the fruit before cooking in a sturdy blender, and then zap it again at the end of cooking with an immersion blender, you’re able to get a perfectly smooth butter, peels and all. This fact deeply pleases my inner lazy person.

After reading all that, you might still be wondering how you make peach butter. Here’s how.

Print
Slow Cooker Peach Vanilla Butter

Ingredients

Peaches
1 vanilla bean
lemon juice (optional)
sugar, honey, or other sweetener, to taste

Instructions

Puree enough peaches to fill your slow cooker at least 3/4 of the way up and pour them in.
Scrape a vanilla bean and add the seeds to the puree.
Set the cooker to low.
Put a wooden spoon or chopstick across the mouth of the cooker and set the lid on top of it. This way, you vent the cooking butter.
Cook for 2-3 hours and check. Stir and replace the propped lid.
Keep checking and stirring every hour or two.
If you need to go to bed, turn the butter off and set the lid on the cooker all the way. In the morning, prop the lid again and keep cooking.
When the butter seems quite thick and spreadable, taste it and sweeten it to taste.
Add some lemon juice at this time if you feel it could use a little brightening.
Using an immersion blender, puree the butter so that it is smooth and emulsified.
Funnel the butter into clean, hot half pint jars. Wipe the rims, apply lids and rings, and process in a boiling water bath canner for 15 minutes.
Eat on toast, stirring into yogurt, or baked into quick breads all winter long. Schema/Recipe SEO Data Markup by ZipList Recipe Plugin2.6http://foodinjars.com/2014/09/slow-cooker-peach-vanilla-butter/


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Giveaway: Roma Deluxe Electric Tomato Strainer from Blue Kitchen Canning

The time has come for my annual tomato binge. I picked up 75 pounds of seconds and a flat of assorted grape tomatoes yesterday from Three Springs Fruit Farm and I’ve been sorting and stewing since then. The seconds are destined for a life as puree, whole peeled tomatoes, and salsa (both corn and standard tomato). Some of the small tomatoes will go into tomato jam and the rest will get dehydrated into tomato candy.

Because this is my tomato week, it is also the perfect time to offer up a Roma Deluxe Electric Tomato Strainer from Food in Jars sponsor Blue Kitchen Canning. I first got my hands on one of these electric tomato presses last summer and quickly succumbed to its charms. Instead of requiring constant cranking, the electric motor does all the work. All you have to do is cut the tomatoes into quarters and heap them in the hopper.

Before we get to the giveaway, let me tell you a little bit about Blue Kitchen Canning. It’s a online shop run by long-time Food in Jars reader Emma Bates. She opened up shop earlier this year and sells all manner of canning gear, dehydrators, juicers, slicers, and other tools to help make your work in the kitchen as easy and productive as possible.

Emma also has a blog component to the shop and regularly posts recipes and tutorials. This one about how to make pressure canned baked beans looks particularly intriguing! She’s offering all FiJ readers a discount of 10% right now. Just use the code FIJ10 at check-out.

Here’s how to enter the giveaway.

Leave a comment on this post and share your favorite tomato preserve. My favorite pantry filling basic is tomato puree. The most delicious is tomato jam.
Comments will close at 11:59 pm east coast time on Saturday, September 13, 2014. The winner will be chosen at random and will be posted on Sunday, September 14, 2014.
Giveaway is open to US residents.
One comment per person, please. Entries must be left on the blog, I cannot accept submissions via email.

Disclosure: Blue Kitchen Canning is a Food in Jars sponsor and is providing the electric tomato press for this giveaway. 

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