Food in Jars (9 page)
Authors: Marisa McClellan
T
HIS IS A PRESERVE FOR PEOPLE WHO LIKE THE
marriage of sweet and tart. The orange plays with the rhubarb beautifully and the sugar serves as flavor brightener as much as sweetener. I particularly like it stirred into Greek yogurt and topped with toasted walnuts. Occasionally, I'll add a bit of ground cardamom to really good effect. Because this is a stovetop butter, it requires a bit more tending than ones made in the oven or slow cooker. It's great for those days when you've got multiple kitchen projects going, so that the regular stirring doesn't feel like a chore. If it starts to splash over your stove, top the pot with a splatter shield so that it can continue to cook down without making a mess.
8 cups chopped rhubarb (about 3 pounds/1.4 kg rhubarb)
2 cups/400 g granulated sugar
2 cups/480 ml orange juice
Combine the rhubarb, sugar, and orange juice in a large, heavy saucepan and bring to a simmer. Reduce the heat to low and let it gently bubble, stirring every 5 minutes or so. If it's sticking to the bottom of the pot, lower the heat a bit more. Continue cooking like this for at least an hour, until the butter has reduced in volume and has turned a deep, rosy color.
Thirty minutes before the butter is finished, prepare a boiling water bath and 2 regular-mouth 1-pint/500 ml jars according to the process on page 10. Place the lids in a small saucepan, cover them with water, and simmer over very low heat.
When the butter is done, remove the pan from the heat and ladle the butter into the prepared jars. Wipe the rims, apply the lids and rings, and process in a boiling water bath for 15 minutes (see
page 11
).
The sealed jars can be stored in a cool, dry place for up to 6 months.
C
HERRY-FLAVORED FOODS OFTEN GET A BAD RAP.
And really, artificial cherry syrups and candies deserve every ounce of the criticism they get. Happily, this fruit butter has absolutely nothing in common with those fakers. It is rich and complex, with more in common with really good wine than cough drops. It's important to acknowledge that pitting cherries is a lot of work. I recommend spending the money to buy a real pitter and committing to standing at the kitchen sink for the hour it will take. You'll be grateful come January.
6 cups pitted and chopped sweet cherries (about 3 pounds/1.4 kg cherries)
2 cups/400 g granulated sugar, divided
Juice of 1 lemon
Combine the cherries and 1
½
cups/300 g of sugar in a large pot and bring to a simmer. Reduce the heat to low and let it gently bubble, stirring every 5 minutes or so. If it's sticking to the bottom, lower the heat a bit more. Cook like this for at least an hour, until the butter has reduced in volume and it has taken on a deep wine color.
Using an immersion blender (or working in batches in a blender), carefully purée the fruit. (I purée the butter after it has cooked down almost all the way because it splashes less during the cooking process this way.)
Taste and add the remaining sugar if you feel it needs it. Add the lemon juice and stir to combine. If it doesn't seem at all watery and the texture seems sufficiently thick, the butter is done. If not, continue to cook until the butter is thick and spreadable, keeping in mind that it will thicken a bit more as it cools.
When the butter is nearing completion, prepare a boiling water bath and 2 regular-mouth 1-pint/500 ml jars according to the process on page 10. Place the lids in a small saucepan, cover them with water, and simmer over very low heat.
When the butter is done, remove the pot from the heat and ladle it into the prepared jars. Wipe the rims, apply the lids and rings, and process in a boiling water bath for 15 minutes (see
page 11
).
The sealed jars can be stored in a cool, dry place for up to 6 months.
T
HOUGH I'VE BEEN A LIFELONG FAN OF BLUEBERRY
jam, it was only very recently that I took a stab at making blueberry butter. The result is just wonderful: Less sweet and sticky than a traditional jam, it ends up tasting like blueberry pie in a jar.
8 cups puréed blueberries (about 3 dry quarts/1.7 kg blueberries)
2 cups/400 g granulated sugar
Zest and juice of 1 lemon
2 teaspoons ground cinnamon
½ teaspoon freshly grated nutmeg
Put the puréed blueberries in a 4-quart capacity slow cooker. Cover and turn it to low. After it has cooked for 1 hour, remove the lid and stir. From this point forward, you will want keep the lid slightly cracked. Propping it open with a wooden spoon or chopstick allows for the evaporating steam to escape.
This butter will need between 4 to 8 hours total in the slow cooker. The time varies depending on how hot your slow cooker cooks. Check the butter at least once an hour to track the progress.
In the final hour, add the sugar, lemon zest and juice, and spices. If you want to speed the evaporation, remove the lid and turn the cooker up to high. If you do this, make sure to check and stir the butter every 10 minutes to prevent scorching.
When the butter is nearing completion, Prepare a boiling water bath and 4 regular-mouth 1-pint/500 ml jars according to the process on page 10. Place the lids in a small saucepan, cover them with water, and simmer over very low heat.
Once it is as thick as ketchup and spreadable, determine whether you like a chunky or smooth butter. Purée the butter for a smoother texture; for a slight chunkiness, leave it as it is.
Turn the slow cooker off and ladle the butter into the prepared jars. Wipe the rims, apply the lids and rings, and process in a boiling water bath for 10 minutes (see
page 11
).
The sealed jars can be stored in a cool, dry place for up to 6 months.
E
ACH FALL, I EAT THE SAME BREAKFAST EVERY
morning for at least one month. It consists of a scoop of Greek yogurt, a tumble of granola, and a generous dollop of pear butter. Stirred together, it tastes like pear crisp topped with cream. With the help of the slow cooker, making pear butter couldn't be easier. The pears simply get cored and chopped (no need to peel) and cooked down in a slow cooker. Lightly sweetened and gently spiced, it's good for breakfast and even better as part of a cheese platter.
10 cups cored and chopped pears (about 5 pounds/2.3 kg pears)
2 to 3 cups/400 to 600 g granulated sugar, or as needed
Zest and juice of 1 lemon
3 teaspoons ground cinnamon
1 teaspoon ground ginger
½ teaspoon freshly grated nutmeg
Place the pears in a 4-quart slow cooker. Cover and cook on low for 1 hour.
Remove the lid and give the pears a stir. From this point forward, you will want keep the lid slightly cracked. I have found that propping it open with a wooden spoon or chopstick gives just enough room for the evaporating steam to escape.
Continue to cook the pears down for an additional 5 to 7 hours, checking every hour and stirring. After it has cooked for 4 hours, blend the butter for a smoother texture. For a chunkier consistency, use a potato masher to help break down the pears.
In the final hour of cooking, taste the pears and add 2 to 3 cups of sugar. Use your judgment and taste buds to determine the correct sugar level. Add the lemon zest and juice and the spices and stir to combine.
If you need to speed up the process of cooking the pears down, remove the lid and turn the slow cooker to high. Stay close when it's on high and stir often.
When the butter is nearing completion, Prepare a boiling water bath and 4 regular-mouth 1-pint/500 ml jars according to the process on page 10. Place the lids in a small saucepan, cover them with water, and simmer over very low heat.
When it has reached a consistency that is thick and spreadable, ladle the butter
into the prepared jars. Wipe the rims, apply the lids and rings, and process in a boiling water bath for 15 minutes (see
page 11
).
The sealed jars can be stored in a cool, dry place for up to 6 months.
