Plain Old Tomato Paste (YAWN) |
It short, it is the "most uninteresting can in the world."
So why keep it around then? That's a good question! Perhaps it serves as a reminder of a different time in our lives. Perhaps we might need this in a pinch one day in the near future, however I doubt that very much. It has as much use now as that old jar of Herdez brand salsa, which has since been washed out and now contains syrup for pancakes (recycling! It works!).
Recent Garden Harvest-Salsa Anyone? |
Snobs we are. Because that's what we do. And, perhaps, it might be the reason why I haven't been blogging much as of late. August means harvest season in the Bird Back 40 -- and what a whopper of a harvest it's been. Although it's petered off somewhat, the garden will continue to produce as long as weather permits. And if the good Lord gives us the kind of weather that pays off in another 15 pint jars of lip smacking Roasted Garlic, Pepper and Heirloom Tomato Salsa, Herb-infused tomato sauce or additional quarts of whole heirloom tomatoes -- I won't complain.
Herbed Picante Tomato Sauce |
If there's one other hard lesson I've learned about home-canning efforts, it's this. One does not make an appointment with the garden to tackle a canning project. The garden doesn't make an appointment with you, either (next Sunday good with you? OK!). The vegetable garden tells you when it's ready. Best be prepared. Miss a day? Miss a lot. When the garden is ready, you're ready. Those fifty ripe tomatoes aren't going to sit around and wait for you forever and a day.
Whole Tomato Canning Project-Summer 2012 |
Exact measurements are an absolute must for projects like these. If you're not following time-tested canning recipes to the letter, or pushing the envelope a bit, you're risking a trip to your local hospital and a stomach-pump procedure. Although a procedure like this has never been performed on yours truly, it doesn't exactly sound like a fun way to spend a Saturday night!
A Caitlin Contreras Original |
The wife that is Venus approved. Caitlin's double-entendre name selection also earned her a free jar of salsa.
The payoff for all this hard work comes in the dead of winter. Grocery stores are selling rocks disguised as red tomatoes for $3 lb. or more. Although you can pick up two or three cans of off-brand sauce for a buck, there's nothing quite like the feeling or SMELL of opening a jar of heirloom tomatoes that you processed the previous summer. That fresh-from-the-vine harvest smell and experience wafts up and encompasses an entire kitchen.
Summer's Bounty: Heirloom Tomatoes |
Snobbery has its rewards.
Did someone say recipes? You can find the recipe for our original Roasted Garlic, Pepper and Heirloom Tomato Salsa here. Another favorite is posted below. All have been tested and are "canning safe."
Herbed Picante Tomato Sauce
(a Sharon Howard original recipe)
NOTE: Food processor or blender required...You will also need canning equipment like this.
24 cups smooshed tomatoes whirred smoothish
4 cups chopped herbs of your choice
1 cup finely chopped jalapeno peppers (including seeds)
12 TBSP bottled lemon juice
2 TBSP coarse salt.
12 TBSP bottled lemon juice
2 TBSP coarse salt.
I use basil, oregano and parsley but you can
use only one or two or
three and you don't need to use equal amounts, in other words you can go 2/3
basil 1/3 parsley just DON’T increase the amount of herbs or peppers. Bill and Venus use whatever herbs they have in large amounts from the herb garden. This includes basil, oregano, sage, majoram, spicy oregano, thyme, etc.
Fresh Garden Herbs |
Place your one-pint canning jars in the dishwasher, when the
jars are done so is the sauce. I
generally cook about an hour, you can go longer. I don't like to cook less
than an hour 'cause I want some thickening to take place while canning so it
doesn't need to much cook time when I use it.
Place canning lids into a pot of hot water after washing. Bring to a simmer, but not a full boil.
Place canning lids into a pot of hot water after washing. Bring to a simmer, but not a full boil.
Fill jars as normal. Wipe tops of jars to ensure a tight seal. Seal to finger tight
with lids and rings. Hot Water Bath for 45 minutes. Or pressure can at 15 lbs. for 25 minutes.
3 comments:
I think Almost-As-Hot-As-Dave would have been fine, but Venus is pretty hot too.
Yeah? I need some of Dave's fresh garlic then for a name like that!
Wow, I received a salsa-naming credit. Too cool!
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