Fire Roasted Red Peppers

I’ve been reading all kinds of books about canning (as you can see by the “What I’m Reading” section to the right). While reading through, Well-Preserved: Recipes and Techniques for Putting Up Small Batches of Seasonal FoodsI found a recipe for roasted red peppers. Instead of roasting the peppers in the oven, I decided to roast them over a fire out back.

There’s just something wonderful about roasting peppers and tomatoes over a fire. It gives them a wonderful smoky flavor that you just can’t beat.

I roasted some jalapeños and some red peppers, both regular red peppers and red pimento peppers. Last year I froze my fire-roasted poblano peppers and we enjoyed them chili and on pizza all winter long.

This year I decided to can them following the recipe from Well-Preserved. One piece of advice if you decide to do this, make sure you allow at least 1 inch of headspace, that she advised in the book isn’t enough. And make sure you only fill the jar 3/4 of the way with peppers, she says “the peppers expand a bit during processing”, but that’s a bit of an understatement, they expand quite a bit!

ROASTED RED PEPPERS
from Well-Preserved: Recipes and Techniques for Putting Up Small Batches of Seasonal Foods
4 pounds red peppers (8-10 medium peppers)
1 cup bottled lemon juice (I used organic)
2 cups white wine vinegar (I used organic)
1 cup olive oil
2 medium garlic cloves, sliced (I used small whole homegrown cloves)
1.5 teaspoons salt (I use Real Salt)

Roast peppers in oven or over fire (to roast in oven, place peppers on baking sheet on rack about 7 inches from broiler in oven). Broil peppers, turning them often with tongs so that they blister all over. Let peppers stand in bowl with cover until cool enough to handle. Remove the charred skin, cut in half and remove core, stem and seeds.

Combine lemon juice, vinegar, olive oil, garlic and salt in saucepan and heat just to boiling over medium heat.

Have ready 3 scalded pint jars and their bands (to scald dip in boiling water). Simmer lids in small pan of hot water to soften rubber.

Pack peppers into the jars and pour the marinade over them (only fill jars 3/4 of the way full with peppers). Using a butter knife, pop any air bubbled in the jars. See that the garlic is evenly distributed. Be sure to leave 1/2 to 3/4 inch of headspace (I would recommend 3/4), or the seal might fail. Wipe the rims, put on lids, and screw on bands.

Process the peppers in a waterbath canner for 15 minutes. Turn off the heat and allow the jars to sit in the water for 5 minutes, then remove to a towel lined counter or cooling rack. Allow to cool, check seals and store in a cool try place for up to 1 year.

I haven’t cracked open a jar of these yet, I’m letting them marinade for a few weeks before I do. I think they sound delicious for sure. I’m considering doing the same thing with eggplant as well.

Any delicious recommendations for how to use roasted red peppers?

Filed under Canning, Edible, Harvest Keepers Challenge, Recipe | Comments (18)

Pearsins or Something Like That

All those pears we picked at my mom’s house are finally getting made into pearsauce, pear butter and my personal favorite, pearsins. What are pearsins you ask? Well, dried pears of course.

This is one of the easiest ways to process pears. Simple wash, cut in half, core and then cut in half again and place skin side down on a rack in the oven. Set oven to 170 and dry until they’re leathery and dry, but not crispy. I sometimes dry them for 3-5 hours then turn off the oven for a few hours, and keep doing that until they’re finished. Periodically check them and remove the ones that are dry and store in a cool dry place.

What kinds of fruits do you like dried?

Filed under Edible, Fruit, harvest, Harvest Keepers Challenge | Comments (8)

I Heart Tomatoes

Tomatoes come in all shapes and sizes. This tomato was a surprise when I picked it yesterday.

Zapotec pleated tomatoes are deeply pleated and quite wonderful. My vines are covered with fairly large fruits. They’re quite dry inside, which is a plus for making sauce. I don’t particularly like them for eating plain, like I do other tomatoes so I happily throw them in the saucepot with many other heirlooms.

Any interestingly shaped veg in your garden?

Filed under Edible, Tomato | Comments (19)

Picking Pears

We picked pears at my mom’s house again last week. We didn’t get as many as we did last year (remember that?). There were a lot of pears on the ground, but we still had a good haul.

I gave some to my sister and we brought the rest home. Last year I canned pear halves, but that’s a lot of work. Since we still have some left, I’ll stick to easier preservation methods like: making pear sauce (like applesauce), pear butter and drying.

What’s your favorite way to preserve pears?

Filed under Edible, Fruit, harvest | Comments (20)

Quote of the Day: Jessica Prentice

“What if I had simply grown up in a time when food was seasonal? When there was, in each year, a time of more and a time of less? When food was not just there in packages on the supermarket shelf all year?”
– Jessica Prentice

I’m glad I’m living in the time I’m living, I don’t mind being able to get things like onions whenever I need them or lemons all year long. I do however only eat certain things in season. My favorite in season thing right now – tomatoes; fresh, vine-ripened tomatoes of all shapes and sizes. I eat them fresh every chance I get, I have to get my fill of fresh tomatoes during these couple months since the supermarket varieties in the off-season are just a mere shadow of a real tomato.

What’s your favorite in season fruit or veg at the moment?

Filed under Edible, harvest, Tomato | Comments (18)