TOMATO JAM

September 28, 2019September 29, 2019Leave a comment

I love gardening … flowers, vegetables, it doesn’t matter. So after returning from a two-week trip to England, I was anxious to see how my vegetable garden had faired without my constant attention. Because it was the middle of September and I knew the veggies, especially tomatoes, would be ripening on the vine, I told friends and family to just ‘help themselves’. Of course, no one did, so when we returned the garden was bursting. Yikes!

It took not one, but three trips with a basket from the kitchen to the garden, to pick all the beautifully ripe, red, sweet tomatoes. The first thing I did, of course, was to put as many into the freezer as there was room for. (Yes, I freeze tomatoes. All summer, I had been stocking the freezer with all sorts of tomato-based soups, stews and salsas.) The next thing was to look online for inspiration … something completely different using these luscious fruits … something I hadn’t made before.

Tomato Jam! The “world wide web” had done it again! Tomato Jam it was going to be. I narrowed it down to three of what appeared to be, from the reviews, reasonably successful recipes on three reasonably successful websites. Before trying any recipe from any website, I always check out the reviews. Most of the reviews are merely comments from people saying “how good that looks”, or “I can’t wait to try this” yet never having made it. Or, “this was delicious after I added ‘this, that or the other’ and ‘cooked it for'”. So, it can be a bit frustrating and does take a bit of sifting through each review to find those who actually have made the ‘original’ recipe.

The first recipe said 1 cup sugar to 1-1/2 lbs. of tomatoes. Seems like a lot of sugar to me. The second recipe said 1-1/2 cups sugar to 2 lbs. of tomatoes. Same ratio. The third recipe said 3/4 cup sugar to 4 lbs. of tomatoes. Okay, now I’m interested. They all said chop the tomatoes, put them into a heavy saucepan and then add lemon juice, cinnamon, cloves, freshly grated ginger and salt. At least they agreed on something.

Again, the first recipe said to bring to a boil, reduce heat and simmer for an hour and 15 minutes until thick and jam-like. The second recipe said the same except after an hour the jam should be ready. The third recipe stated it takes two to three hours for the fruit to break down and become thickened. This is beginning to sound like Goldilocks and the Three Bears. All the recipes did agree, however, that the jam would be sweet, spicy and delicious … a wonderful spread on sandwiches, with cream cheese and crackers, as a condiment or dip.

I started with 10 lbs. of tomatoes, washed, hulled, and cut up. Put the chopped tomatoes into my Le Creuset stock pot (love that pot), added the lemon juice, grated ginger, cinnamon, cloves and one cup of brown sugar and one cup of white sugar (more tomatoes, less sugar per pound was my thinking). Because we like a bit of spice, I added a heaping teaspoon of red chili flakes. I then brought the mixture up to a boil, reduced the heat to a sputtering simmer and waited.

Feeling quite confident, I made a cuppa tea and relaxed in front of the telly. An hour later, I check on the pot. It’s soup. Huh? Okay, it’s obvious that because I used more tomatoes, it’s going to take a bit longer. An hour later, it’s still soup. It has reduced down, but it’s still soup. Patience is not one of my strong points. An hour later (now three hours into this, I chop up an apple, thinking the pectin from the apple is going to help with the thickening. Another hour goes by. No thickening! I’m getting annoyed … take out my immersion blender and start pulverizing. The time is now 10 pm and I’m tired, but I’m not about to give up. Go to the cupboard and get powdered pectin. Add two heaping tablespoons, mix everything together, cover the pot, turn off the heat and go to bed.

Next morning, I check. Still soupy, but better. Back on the heat it goes. Another hour goes by and it’s beginning to thicken. By hour no. six, I’m done with this. Off goes the heat, I let it cool, taste it for seasoning … and it’s surprisingly good. Spicy and sweet, but not overpoweringly so. Jam? Not really. I pour it into individual plastic containers, cover, label and put them into the refrigerator.

That evening I take one container out and, yes, it’s finally thick, rich, sweet, spicy Tomato Jam! Hooray! What the problem was, I will probably never know. Were my tomatoes too juicy? Should I have removed the seed pods? Did the other recipes intentionally mislead readers? As for now, Tomato Jam is on the table and we’re going to enjoy it tonight as a spread on our leftover pot roast with goat cheese, arugula and sauteed onion sandwiches.

If you want to try your hand at making Tomato Jam, here’s MY recipe!! And take it from me, start in the morning. Good luck!

TOMATO JAM
Length of time …? How much will it make …?

10 lbs. of good quality, fully ripened tomatoes – hulled, chopped, with seed pods removed
1 cup brown sugar
1 cup white sugar
Juice from one large lemon
1 tablespoon minced/grated fresh ginger
1 teaspoon cinnamon
1 teaspoon cumin
1/2 teaspoon ground cloves
2 teaspoons salt
1 teaspoon red chili flakes (or more to taste)
1 large apple, chopped
powdered pectin, if needed

In a large stock pot, add all the ingredients. Bring to a boil and then reduce heat and simmer until thick and ‘jam-like’. The mixture should coat the back of a spoon and there should be no separation. Taste and season according to your likes. This could take anywhere from two to six hours depending upon the level of liquid from your tomatoes. If necessary, mash with your potato masher or get out the immersion blender and blend the pulp. When ready, pour into individual jars or plastic containers. Will keep in refrigerator for up to two weeks. To keep longer, freeze or can.

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CHICKEN “POT” PIE WITH ROASTED VEG

January 24, 2019January 24, 2019Leave a comment

I wonder why Americans add “pot” in the name of a meat pie. In the U.K. this is a “chicken pie with roasted veg”, but here in the states, it is a “chicken pot pie”. It doesn’t really matter to me what it is called, as long as its delicious … which this pie is!

Pot pies or pies in a pastry crust seem to have gone out of fashion. You can’t beat them, however, when the weather is as cold and gloomy as it has been and you need something hearty and comforting. They’re also a great way to use up whatever leftovers you may have in the frig. If you want a real time saver, you can buy pre-made pie dough at the grocery store, and along with a rotisserie chicken and a package of frozen vegetables (all of which I’ve done before), just assemble and bake.

Not today though. The chicken is going to be marinated and the vegetables are going to be roasted, which gives this pie a whole new dimension and depth of flavor. Although this is a ‘from scratch’ recipe, all of it can be done ahead of time … make the dough one day (up to three days in advance) … the vegetables another … and the chicken another. But it’s a very wintry day, and I’m in the mood to bake.

CHICKEN AND ROASTED VEG PIE
Preheated oven – 400°F. Roasting time – 20 to 30 mins. Baking time – 30 mins.

2 to 3 lbs. skinless chicken (breast, leg, thigh or combination)
Pie Crust for 2 9” pies
Marinade:
1/4 cup white wine or chicken broth
2 tablespoons balsamic vinegar
1 tablespoon fresh sage, chopped
1 tablespoon fresh rosemary, chopped
1 teaspoon salt
1 teaspoon pepper
2 cloves garlic, minced
Stock:
1 cup chicken stock
1/2 cup white wine or water
2 teaspoons cornstarch + 2 tablespoons water = slurry
1/2 cup cream
Vegetables:
6 cups vegetables – cut in chunky pieces
– carrots
– sweet potatoes
– onions
– bell peppers, red and/or green
– mushrooms
(or any combination – Brussel sprouts, parsnips, cauliflower, etc)
olive oil
salt and pepper
1 egg

Early in the day (or the day before) prepare the marinade. Mix all in a bowl and set aside. Cut the chicken into cubes, about 2”. Pour the marinade over the chicken, cover and refrigerate … at least two hours. When you are ready to assemble, preheat the oven to 400°F.

Peel and cut the vegetables into chunky pieces. Put them into a bowl and drizzle with olive oil, season with salt and pepper. Spread the veg on a roasting pan and roast for about 30 to 40 minutes until tender and browned. After they are beautifully charred, let them cool and, if too big, cut into bite-sized pieces.

While the vegetables are roasting, heat olive oil in a large saute pan. Remove the chicken pieces from the marinade with a slotted spoon and brown in the hot pan. Don’t fuss with them, let them brown – 3 to 4 minutes. Then add the chicken stock, the remaining marinade and bring to a boil. Meanwhile make a slurry with the cornstarch and water. After the chicken mixture has reached a boil, add the cornstarch slurry to thicken and make a gravy. When it has thickened, take it off the heat and add the cream. (I said this was hearty … not lo-cal.) Taste for seasoning.

Add the vegetables to the chicken mixture and stir to combine. Again, check for seasoning. The liquid may have thinned. If it’s too runny, add more of the slurry to thicken it.

Spoon the chicken and vegetable filling into pie plates … one very large pie plate or casserole, two 8″ pie plates, or many individual ones.

Roll out the pastry dough. Not too thin. Cover the mixture with the pie crust. Press down slightly and seal the edges. Brush with a beaten egg and then cut little slits in the crust for the steam to escape. It’s always fun to decorate with the scraps of pie dough (which, you can see, I did.)

I made one large 9″ and two smaller, single serving pies, which are going into the freezer to be baked and enjoyed another day. Bake in a preheated oven at 375°F for 40 to 45 minutes or until golden brown and the filling is piping hot.

Serve immediately with a nice crisp salad and glass of wine. So delicious. So comforting. So good!

I hope you enjoy this comforting meal as much as we did.
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Chicken and Leek Pie

April 19, 2016April 19, 20161 Comment

This classic Welsh “pie” is served on March 1st which is St. David’s Day. St. David’s Day celebrates Wales’ patron saint with celebrations all across the U.K. Born in the 6^th century, Fr. David was heavily involved in missionary work and founded a number of monasteries. As a strong leader and with a strict adherence to Christian beliefs, his loyal followers grew. Fr. David was made Archbishop while on a pilgrimage to Jerusalem, and was consecrated a saint by Pope Callistus in 1120. With more than 50 churches named after him, and the largest Cathedral in Wales, there is no doubt as to this man’s popularity.

I’m not sure why this particular dish is associated with St. David’s Day … could be because two of the key ingredients are practically national symbols of Wales (leeks and Caerphilly cheese). What I do know, however, is this is a fantastic family dish … and perfect for to be served on March 1st or any other day!

I have to admit I did not have Caerphilly cheese (and couldn’t find it), so I substituted Cheddar, but I think next time I’m going to use Stilton. I also added sliced mushrooms for a little earthiness. It was hearty, rich and delicious! As they say in Britain, “why not have a go?”.

CHICKEN AND LEEK PIE
Bake at 425° F for 20 minutes … reduce heat to 350° F for 40 minutes.

4 large chicken breasts, or 8 chicken thighs (or any combination), cubed
4 tablespoons flour
1/2 teaspoon nutmeg
salt and pepper

2 tablespoons olive oil
4 cloves garlic, minced
2 cups leeks, washed and sliced
1 cup mushrooms, sliced
2 teaspoons Dijon mustard
1 cup chicken stock
1/2 cup white wine
1/2 cup heavy cream
1 cup crumbled Caerphilly cheese (or Feta, or Gouda or Cheddar)
1 tablespoon fresh parsley, chopped
1 tablespoon fresh tarragon, chopped
1 sheet frozen puff pastry
1 egg, beaten
salt and pepper

Cube the chicken pieces. In a large plastic bag, add the flour, salt, pepper and nutmeg.

Put the chicken cubes into the flour bag and toss til the chicken is completely coated.

Into a large skillet heat the oil and sear the chicken. Remove the chicken to a plate and add a bit more olive oil to the pan.

Reduce the heat to medium and saute the leeks til soft (about 5-6 minutes). Add the garlic.

Put the chicken back into the pan and add the mushrooms.

Turn up the heat and slowly add the chicken stock and the white wine. Stir well to combine and reduce to thicken.

Then turn the heat to low and add the heavy cream, the mustard and the cheese. Taste to adjust the seasoning.

Remove from the heat and add the fresh herbs. Pour everything into a large heat-proof casserole dish.

On a floured board, roll the puff pastry sheet out just a bit to fit over the top of the dish. Brush the egg around the top of the dish for the pastry to adhere.