Just Like Grandma's Tomato Jam

Serve with cream cheese for breakfast on a piece of toast or english muffin, or as an appetizer on your favorite cracker.  Looks pretty on a holiday table too!

My grandmother was an amazing cook.  Her dishes were simple yet always tasty.  My favorite season at grandma's was late summer, when the kitchen became a delightful assault to the senses.  It wasn't unusual to find a cheesecloth bag tied to a cabinet knob, dripping with gooseberry juice, or a pressure cooker whining steadily from the enameled cooktop.

Grandma was the only woman I knew (Mom was much too modern) that prepared her own jellies, jams and fruit butters.  The door of her frig was always lined with half-pint sized Ball canning jars full of sweet treats we'd slather on toast or soda crackers.

One of my all-time favorite offerings, was Grandma's tomato jam.  Yes, TOMATO jam!!

Its funny how the human mind works.  I hadn't thought of that jam in years, and then one day, I had the clearest memory of sitting at my grandparents table, enjoying a piece of toasted Italian bread, spread with a hearty heaping of homemade tomato jam.  The memory was so vivid, I could taste the sweet tomatoey goodness.

Not long after my mouth watering trip down memory lane, Rick and I were dining in a fabulous little eatery in Charleston, South Carolina where he ordered pimento cheese croquettes.  Low and behold, the crispy fried nuggets of gooey red pepper enhanced neufchâtel cheese, were served on a glistening dollop of tomato jam.  I had to make that jam!

I never did found a recipe in Grandma's hand, but located two that I combined to create a truly wonderful jam. The end product, is probably a bit more 'gourmet' than Grandma's, but I love it.   The jam is easy to make with simple ingredients, but patience is required to boil the tomatoes down to a thick, paste-like consistency. 

6 pounds red tomatoes (about 18 medium tomatoes)
5 tablespoons Ball Classic Pectin (powdered pectin)
1 teaspoon grated lemon peel
2 teaspoons lemon juice
salt to taste (1/2 teaspoon)
splash of balsamic vinegar or sherry vinegar
3 1/2 cups white sugar
1/4 cup finely chopped fresh basil

Note:  Allow several hours for tomatoes to cook down.
Wash, quarter and boil the tomatoes until soft.  Extract seeds and skin (I use a food mill).  Return tomato pulp to pot and simmer until reduced to 3 cups (very important for proper consistency).  Add the remaining ingredients, except the basil.  Bring back to a rolling boil.  Boil for just one minute.  Remove from cooktop and add basil.

Wipe rims of 1/2 pint jars clean and process in boiling water bath for 10 minutes.  (A neat variation might be to use finely chopped jalapeño peppers instead of the basil).

Roasted Garlic Bulbs

Roasted garlic has a uniquely earthy taste.  I love to add it to my pasta sauce or salsa.  Its great in hummus, or simply spread on garlic toast.  Here's the easiest way to roast garlic.

whole garlic bulb (head)
olive oil

Preheat oven to 400 degrees.  Peel away the dry outer layers of skin from the garlic bulb, leaving inner skin and cloves intact.

With scissors or sharp knife, cut about 1/2 inch off pointed top portions of bulb, exposing the individual cloves.

Place the bulbs, cut side up, in a small casserole dish.  Drizzle with 1 tablespoon olive oil.  Cover casserole.  Roast 30 - 40 minutes, or until cloves are soft.

Remove roasted garlic from paper skins by squeezing the bottom of the bulb. You may also gently 'ease' out the cooked clove with a sharp paring knife.

Roasted Red Peppers with Garlic

Layer these yummy, roasted peppers on a baguette with goat or feta cheese, add to a salad of mixed baby lettuces with pickled beets, or serve with fresh or marinated mozzarella. Toss into a cold pasta salad, or serve with a scoop of egg salad.

6 pounds(about 16 large) red, yellow and orange bell peppers, cored, seeded and cut in half
6 cloves garlic, minced
2 cups white vinegar
1 cup lemon juice
1/2 - 1 cup olive oil
1 1/2 cup liquid, drained from roasted peppers
2 teaspoons kosher salt

On a foil lined cookie sheet, about 4 inches from element, broil the peppers until charred and blistered. Transfer to a colander placed over a bowl, cover with plastic wrap, and let stand about 3 hours.

Later, measure the amount of liquid in the bowl.  There should be about 1 1/2 cups.  If there is less, reduce the amount of vinegar so there is only twice the amount of vinegar as  pepper juice.

Peel the peppers and cut or tear into 2 inch wide strips.  You should have about 3 packed cups of peppers.  Toss peppers and garlic into a large bowl and set aside.

In large kettle, combine the pepper juice (drain pepper/garlic mixture if needed), vinegar, lemon juice, olive oil, salt and sugar. Bring to boil and stir until sugar is dissolved.

Divide the peppers and garlic evenly among the jars.  Add brine to within 1/2 inch of rim.  Remove air bubbles.  Process in boiling water for 10 minutes.

Caponata

Serve this yummy Sicilian dish like brushetta, with garlic toasts, or spooned alongside grilled chicken, lamb or fish. You may substitute pitted green olives for the Kalamata olives (or use both). For a more earthy flavor, char/roast the tomatoes, and grill the diced eggplant.  

5 large ripe tomatoes, peeled, cored and diced
2 large eggplants, peeled and diced (1/4 cup salt)
1 sweet onion, peeled and sliced
4 T olive oil
2 cloves garlic, minced
1/2 cup pitted Kalamata olives
3 T capers, drained
1/3 cup, fresh, snipped basil
1/4 cup (or more) red wine vinegar
1 -2 T sugar, to taste (optional - I use)
salt and pepper to taste
6 - 7 half pint jars

In large bowl, sprinkle eggplant with 1/4 cup salt and let stand at room temp for an hour. Drain and rinse.

In a large kettle, over medium heat, lightly brown eggplant in oil.  Remove from pot and repeat with onion.  Add garlic, tomato, olives, capers and vinegar.  Bring to a boil, stirring constantly.  Reduce heat, stir in basil and eggplant and simmer for five minute. Until thick.

Adjust salt, pepper, sugar and vinegar, to taste.

Ladle into hot jars, leaving 1/4 inch headspace.  Process in boiling water for 20 minutes.

 

Cheesy Artichoke & Spinach Dip

Who doesn't love a good, hot, cheesy artichoke dip?  I've looked for years for a really good recipe - one worth taking the calorie plunge for - and this is it!  Make it ahead - freeze it- and bake it when company comes!

6 T butter
4 T crushed garlic
1 bag fresh baby spinach
3 cans artichoke hearts, rinsed and drained
3 T flour
1 1/2 cup milk
8 oz softened cream cheese
1/2 cup feta
1/2 cup parmesan
3/4 cup grated pepper jack cheese
1/4 t cayenne pepper
pita wedges

Melt 3 tablespoons butter in skillet.  Sautee garlic in butter for just a minute or two.  Stir the spinach into the butter-garlic mixture, and cook until the spinach wilts.  Remove the spinach from the skillet and place it in a colander to drain further.

Roughly chop the artichoke hearts and saute them in the warm skillet to remove excess water.  Remove the artichokes, and set aside.

Melt the remaining 3 T butter in the same skillet.  Add the flour to form a paste.  Over low heat, slowly add the milk, whisking to prevent lumps from forming.  Stir and cook until the milk mixture has thickened (add a bit more milk if too thick).

Throw all four cheeses into the thickened white sauce.  Sprinkle with cayenne pepper, and stir until the cheeses are melted and thoroughly blended into the sauce.

Now add the artichokes and spinach. Stir well.  Pour the mixture into a buttered size appropriate baking dish.  Top with an extra bit of grated pepper jack and bake at 375 for 15 minutes (top should be melted, gold and bubbly).

Serve with pita wedges, chips or crackers.