Pickling Spice for Charcuterie

Adapted from "Charcuterie" by Michael Ruhlman and Brian Polcyn

Time: 10 minutes

2 tablespoons black peppercorns
2 tablespoons mustard seeds
2 tablespoons coriander seeds
2 tablespoons hot red pepper flakes
2 tablespoons allspice berries
1 tablespoon ground mace
2 small cinnamon sticks, crushed or broken into pieces
24 bay leaves, crumbled
2 tablespoons whole cloves
1 tablespoon ground ginger

1. Combine peppercorns, mustard seeds and coriander seeds in a small dry pan. Place over medium heat and stir until fragrant, being careful not to burn them; keep lid handy in case seeds pop. Crack peppercorns and seeds in mortar and pestle or with the side of a knife on cutting board.

2. Combine with other spices, mix. Store in tightly sealed plastic or glass container.

Yield: 1 cup.

Banana-Pineapple Jam

     Banana-Pineapple Jam is amazing on toast, but if you really want to get creative, use it as a crepe filling with -- do I dare say it -- Nutella. There goes my diet. Might as well tell you now that it's lovely on pancakes and waffles too. Or add a couple spoonfuls to your morning yogurt smoothie, or just do like I do...grab a spoon and scoop out  a dollop and pop it in your mouth. You'll wonder why it took you so long to discover how tasty "preserved" bananas can be.

• 2 pounds perfectly ripe Bananas, ~ 7 bananas, no brown spots
• 1 Pineapple, peeled, cored and chunked
• 3 cups  white sugar  
• 1/4 cup bottled lemon juice

Note: Prepare canning jars before starting your preserving project.

1.) Peel and slice bananas, and add all remaining ingredients together in a large preserving pan. 

2.) Bring to a boil -- stirring often to reduce sticking to the bottom of the pan -- and then reduce to a simmer for the next 20 minutes. While the mixture is simmering, use a potato masher, or large sturdy slotted spoon, to periodically mash the fruit down, between bouts of stirring to prevent any preserves from sticking.

3.) Cooked bananas are thick by nature and cooked pineapples tend to gel nicely, so your jam is ready when it has reached desired consistency and texture.

4.) Ladle jam into clean hot jars, leaving 1/4" headspace.

5.) Using a chopstick or plastic knife, pop any air bubbles you might see in the jam.

6.) Wipe rims spotlessly clean and place a sealing lid on top the jar. Next, screw a band onto the jar until it's "finger-tight". Process jars in a Boiling Water Bath for 10 minutes (half pints) and 15 minutes (pints).

> If jars lid seals it will easily keep for one year in a cool, dark place. If jar doesn't seal, place it in your refrigerator and eat within 3 months, or within one month of opening.

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Peach Chipotle BBQ Sauce

     Got fresh peaches, right off the tree? If you do, then it's probably prime grilling season too. How about whipping up this sassy sauce, then using it to baste your favorite grilled meats?

    Vegetarian or vegan? This recipe is perfect for you too. Grilled Tempeh with Peach Chipotle BBQ Sauce? Mmmm. (If you're gluten-intolerant, I've read that both San Marcos and La Costena-brand chipotles are gluten-free.) 

     In this recipe I created one of my favorite flavor profiles: Sweet & Spicy. I started to say "this is a fun project" but then I realized I say that a lot...but it's true. It's pretty darn easy to make Peach Chipotle BBQ Sauce if you have the ingredients on hand, of course. Do yourself a favor and keep a can of chipotle chiles in your pantry. After tasting this, I have a hunch you'll find other ways to use them.

• 2 lbs fresh peaches (about 5 medium peaches)
• 2 chipotle chiles with adobo sauce (from a can)
• 1 lime, juiced 
• 1/4 cup bottled lemon juice
• 1/4 cup apple cider vinegar
• 2 TBS agave nectar or honey
• 1 TBS ground cumin
• 1 TBS smoked paprika
• 1 tsp (or more) sea salt

Note: Prepare canning jars before starting your preserving project.

1.) Blanch & peel peaches, then cut peaches in half and remove pits.

2.) Chop into chunks; put peach chunks in a blender or food processor.

3.) Remove chipotle chiles from can, slice in half, then remove the seeds and discard them. (Chiles will be in adobo sauce. Don't remove the flavorful sauce that clings to them; instead try to keep as much of it as possible and add it to the peach mixture.) Add the halved chiles - with their sauce - to the blender (or food processor).

4.) Add lime juice, lemon juice and all other remaining ingredients, then process until the mixture is smooth.

5.) Pour peach mixture into a heavy-bottomed nonreactive pan, cover and simmer for 30 minutes. Lift lid and stir occasionally to be sure it isn't sticking to the bottom of the pan. The main reason for covering the peach mixture is to prevent burns & stains from the simmering sauce, which has a tendency to splatter.

6.) Taste sauce and add more salt, if needed.

7.) Ladle into jars, and process for 10 minutes in a Boiling Water Bath. 
Alternately you can store the sauce tightly covered in your refrigerator for up to 3 months or in your freezer for 6 months. 

Step-by-Step Photos for making Peach Chipotle BBQ Sauce

Peach~Bourbon Jam

When using fruit to make jam, cooking down the fruit concentrates its true flavors, and the natural sweetness of whatever fruit you decide to use becomes even more evident. If you can find some delicious eating peaches, chances are they're going to make great jam.

Fresh peach jam is lovely in it's purest form, just peaches, sugar and lemon juice, but if you like the way fruit & alcohol tastes together, why not add a splash of bourbon? A vanilla bean adds richness and a bit more complexity to an already winning combination.

Again, you can certainly make this jam without bourbon.  You can even make it without the vanilla bean. You'll still end up with a praise-worthy jam on your hands. Just be sure the peaches are sweet to begin with, and not too ripe. If there are any bruises on your peaches, be sure to cut them out before using them in the recipe. Using bruised and/or overripe fruit will result in an inferior product...don't do it!

Makes ~ 7 half pints

• 12 nice big peaches, ripe & slightly under-ripe (about 8 cups peeled & chopped)
• 2 fresh lemons, juiced
• 6 cups white sugar
• 1/2 cup good bourbon, divided in half
• 1 vanilla bean (optional)

Note: Prepare canning jars and keep hot until ready to use; prepare lids according to the manufacturer's instructions. (If macerating the fruit & sugar mixture overnight, you will want to wait until the next day to prepare the jars.)

1.) Blanch & peel peaches, then cut in half and remove the pit. Chop peaches into chunks. (Bigger if you like your jam chunky, smaller if you like it smoother.)

2.) Combine chopped peaches, lemon juice, sugar, 1/4 cup of the bourbon and a vanilla bean if using, in a large bowl. Stir well to combine and cover. Let it sit on the counter at least one hour, but preferably 8 hours, or even overnight in the refrigerator. The longer it sits, the more juices will be pulled from the fruit, forming a wonderful syrup in the bowl. Stir it once in awhile if you remember. 

3.) After letting peach mixture "macerate", remove vanilla bean and set it aside for another use*. Stir peach mixture together well, scraping any sugar that might have collected on the bottom of the bowl.

4.) Place peach mixture in a heavy-bottomed non-reactive pan (don't use aluminum or cast iron). Bring to a boil over medium high heat and cook for about 10 minutes, stirring occasionally to prevent the fruit from sticking to the bottom of the pan. Stir the fruit gently while cooking to reduce foaming.

5.) After about 10 minutes the fruit should be softening and you can periodically mash the chunks with a potato masher or an immersion blender if you want smaller pieces or a smoother consistency.

6.) Cook the peach mixture anywhere from 5-15 more minutes, stirring, until the peach jam either thickens to your liking or until it reaches 220 degrees on a candy thermometer.

6.) Remove from heat and add the other 1/4 of bourbon. Stir well to incorporate.

7.) Ladle jam into clean hot jars, leaving 1/4" headspace.

8.) Using a chopstick or plastic knife, pop any air bubbles you might see in the jam.

9.) Wipe rims spotlessly clean and place a sealing lid on top the jar. Next, screw a band onto the jar until it's "finger-tight". Process jars in a Boiling Water Bath for 10 minutes (half pints) and 15 minutes (pints).

> If jars lid seals it will easily keep for one year in a cool, dark place. If jar doesn't seal, place it in your refrigerator and eat within 3 months, or within one month of opening. 

*Rinse peach mixture off vanilla bean and let vanilla bean dry completely, then add it to your sugar jar. Over time your sugar will be infused with the vanilla bean ---> vanilla sugar!

Step-by-step photos for making Peach~Bourbon Jam

Deli-style Dill Spears

This is a crispy pickle, full of true dill flavor, thanks to both the dill seed and the flowering dill weed. I always like the way a dill spear looks on a plate next to a sandwich, or on an old-fashioned relish platter with olives, carrot sticks, fresh cherry tomatoes and marinated mushrooms.

They can be eaten after a 24 hour waiting period, but will continue to become more flavorful with time. Good for up to a year  - or more - on the shelf. After a year in the jar they still crunch when you bite into them!

Makes approx. 6 quarts

You can use pints or quarts for this recipe. Just consider the length of the cucumber spears when deciding on the jars you plan to use. 

• 5 pounds large pickling cucumbers, gently scrubbed clean
  
• 1/2 cup "canning & pickling" salt
• 4 cups ice cubes
• 12 peeled garlic cloves, peeled / optional to use more or less as desired
• 6 clusters fresh flowering dill heads
• 6 hot peppers / optional to use more or less as desired
• 4 cups distilled white vinegar
• 2 cups water
• 2 TBS sugar
• 2 TBS dill seed
• 1 tsp yellow mustard seed
• 1 tsp celery seed
• 1 tsp black peppercorns

Note: Prepare canning jars before starting your preserving project.

 1.) Trim both ends* off each cucumber, then cut each cucumber into spears by slicing in half lengthwise, then slicing each half in half again. Layer the cucumber spears with the salt in a large bowl then cover with a layer of ice cubes, and set aside for 2 HOURS.

2.) While waiting, prepare jars, then into each wide-mouth pint or quart jar, put one (or more) hot peppers, plus one cluster of fresh dill, and 2 (or more) garlic cloves. 

3.) Drain, rinse and pack cucumber spears into jars as neatly as possible. You want to fill up every nook & cranny of the jar with cucumbers of you won't have enough brine.  

4.) In a pan, make your brine by combining vinegar, water, sugar, dill seed, mustard seed, celery seed and peppercorns. Bring to a boil, and then pour over cucumbers, leaving ½” head space.

5.) Release any trapped air bubbles by running a plastic knife or other thin non-metallic tool around the inside of the jar.

6.) Wipe jar rims spotlessly clean. Place a lid on the jar, screw on bands finger-tight, then process in a Boiling Water Bath for 10 minutes, being sure jars are covered by at least one inch of boiling water at all times. 

7.) Remove jars and aside to cool undisturbed for 24 hours. Check seal, and it it's concave, store in a cool dark place for one year. If seals didn't take (or if they pop back up when you press down on them) just stick the jar in the fridge. The vinegar will keep them preserved as long as you keep them cold.

*It is important to trim off the blossom end, as it contains enzymes that can make pickles undesirably soft.