CHAPTER 7
From Down Deep
Ground-dwelling vegetables, such as carrots, beets, and onions, are packed full of sweet, delicious goodness that makes them perfect for jams, pickles, and more.
Slather this jam onto pieces of toast with a little cream cheese and your breakfast will taste like dessert.
PREP: 25 minutes COOK: 21 minutes PROCESS: 10 minutes
2cups finely shredded carrots
(4 medium)
1cup finely chopped, peeled pear (1 medium)
115-ounce can crushed pineapple (juice pack), undrained
2tablespoons lemon juice
1teaspoon ground cinnamon
½teaspoon ground nutmeg
11.75-ounce package regular
powdered fruit pectin
4cups granulated sugar
2cups packed brown sugar
¼cup flaked coconut or raisins (optional)
1teaspoon vanilla
1 In a 4- to 6-quart heavy pot combine carrots, pear, pineapple with the juice, lemon juice, cinnamon, and nutmeg. Bring to boiling, stirring constantly; reduce heat. Simmer, covered, for 20 minutes, stirring frequently. Remove from heat. Sprinkle mixture with pectin; stir until pectin dissolves.
2 Bring carrot mixture to boiling, stirring constantly. Add granulated sugar and brown sugar. Return to a full rolling boil; boil for 1 minute, stirring constantly. Remove from heat. Quickly skim off foam with a metal spoon. Stir in coconut or raisins (if desired) and vanilla.
3 Ladle hot jam into hot, sterilized half-pint canning jars, leaving a ¼-inch headspace. Wipe jar rims; adjust lids.
4 Process filled jars in a boiling-water canner for 10 minutes (start timing when water returns to boiling). Remove jars from canner; cool on wire racks. Makes 7 half-pints.
PER TABLESPOON: 48 cal., 0 g fat, 0 mg chol., 3 mg sodium, 13 g carbo., 0 g fiber, 0 g pro.
Save yourself some work! Young, tender carrots seldom need peeling. Just give them a good scrub with a stiff brush.
Serve these crunchy orange veggies as an appetizer before an Asian-inspired dinner.
START TO FINISH: 55 minutes
1pound carrots, bias-sliced into ¾-inch pieces (halve any thick carrots lengthwise)
1teaspoon salt
¼cup thin strips of peeled
fresh ginger
3whole allspice
¾cup water
¾cup rice vinegar
⅓cup packed brown sugar
4whole cloves
4whole black peppercorns
1 In a covered large saucepan cook carrots with salt in a small amount of boiling water for about 3 minutes or until crisp-tender; drain.
2 Pack carrots into three sterilized half-pint canning jars or other jars. Divide fresh ginger among jars; place one of the whole allspice in each jar.
3 In a small stainless-steel, enamel, or nonstick heavy saucepan combine the water, vinegar, brown sugar, cloves, and peppercorns. Bring to boiling; reduce heat. Simmer, uncovered, for 5 minutes.
4 Pour hot vinegar mixture over carrots. Wipe jar rims; adjust lids. Cool. Seal and label. Store in the refrigerator for up to 3 months. Makes 3 half-pints.
PER ⅓ CUP: 18 cal., 0 g fat, 0 mg chol., 135 mg sodium, 5 g carbo., 1 g fiber, 0 g pro.
Use a vegetable peeler or a paring knife to remove the tough brown outer skin of fresh gingerroot before cutting it into thin strips for this recipe.
Top a bed of vinaigrette-dressed greens with these perfectly spiced beets and sprinkle with crumbled blue cheese and toasted walnuts for an elegant winter salad.
PREP: 20 minutes COOK: 30 minutes PROCESS: 30 minutes
3pounds small (2-inch- diameter) whole beets
2cups vinegar
1cup water
½cup sugar
1teaspoon whole allspice
6whole cloves
3inches stick cinnamon
1 Wash beets. Cut off beet tops, leaving 1 inch of stems; trim root ends. Do not peel. In a large saucepan cook beets, covered, in boiling, lightly salted water for about 25 minutes or until tender; drain. Cool beets slightly; trim off roots and stems. Slip off and discard the skins. Quarter beets.
2 For pickling liquid, in a medium stainless-steel, enamel, or nonstick heavy saucepan combine vinegar, the water, and sugar. Place allspice, cloves, and cinnamon in the center of a double-thick, 6-inch square of 100%-cotton cheesecloth. Bring up corners; tie closed with clean kitchen string. Add spice bag to saucepan. Bring to boiling; reduce heat. Simmer, uncovered, for 5 minutes. Remove and discard spice bag.
3 Pack beets into hot, sterilized half-pint canning jars, leaving a ½-inch headspace. Pour hot pickling liquid over beets, maintaining the ½-inch headspace. Wipe jar rims; adjust lids.
4 Process filled jars in a boiling-water canner for 30 minutes (start timing when water returns to boiling). Remove jars from canner; cool on wire racks. Makes 6 half-pints.
PER ⅓ CUP: 29 cal., 0 g fat, 0 mg chol., 17 mg sodium, 8 g carbo., 1 g fiber, 0 g pro.
Although this recipe calls for small whole beets, you can use larger ones. Follow the directions, then after cooking and removing skins, cut the beets into 1-inch chunks or ¼-inch slices.
Many kinds of cheeses and roasted meats taste delicious with this conserve. Try it with slices of creamy Havarti or Danish blue cheese—or slices of crisp-skinned roast pork.
PREP: 20 minutes COOK: 40 minutes
216-ounce jars sliced or whole pickled beets
2medium pears, cored, peeled, and coarsely chopped
½cup sugar
2tablespoons lemon juice
1cup chopped walnuts, toasted
2tablespoons snipped fresh sage
1 Drain beets, reserving liquid from one of the jars (you should have ¾ cup liquid). Coarsely chop beets. In a large saucepan combine beets, pears, and the reserved liquid. Bring to boiling; reduce heat. Simmer, uncovered, for about 10 minutes or until pears are soft, stirring occasionally.
2 Stir sugar and lemon juice into beet mixture, stirring until sugar dissolves. Bring to boiling; reduce heat. Simmer, uncovered, for about 30 minutes or until mixture is thickened, stirring often. Remove from heat. Stir in walnuts and sage. Cool.
3 Transfer conserve to a sterilized jar or an airtight container. Seal and label. Store in the refrigerator for up to 2 days or transfer to a freezer container and freeze for up to 3 months. Makes 4 cups.
PER 2 TABLESPOONS: 61 cal., 2 g fat (0 g sat. fat), 0 mg chol., 75 mg sodium, 10 g carbo., 1 g fiber, 1 g pro.
Beets reach their best canning potential in midsummer, when they are small and tender and before they have grown tough and woody.
For an incredible appetizer, top baked squares of puff pastry with this savory-sweet conserve, goat cheese, and fresh thyme. For a more intense flavor, use aged sherry vinegar in the conserve.
PREP: 30 minutes COOK: 30 minutes PROCESS: 5 minutes
¼cup butter
¼cup olive oil
2½pounds Vidalia onions or other sweet onions (such as Walla Walla or Maui), quartered
2teaspoons sea salt
2tablespoons fresh thyme leaves
1teaspoon freshly ground black pepper
1cup pure maple syrup
¼cup sherry vinegar
1 In an extra-large skillet heat butter and oil over medium-high heat until butter melts. Add onions and salt. Cook for about 5 minutes or until onions start to soften, stirring frequently. Reduce heat to medium-low; add thyme and pepper. Cover skillet; cook for 10 to 12 minutes or until onions are very tender, stirring twice.
2 Increase heat to medium-high. Add maple syrup; bring just to boiling. Reduce heat to medium. Cook, uncovered, for 15 to 20 minutes or until most of the liquid has evaporated, stirring frequently. Remove from heat; stir in vinegar.
3 Ladle hot mixture into hot, sterilized 4-ounce canning jars, leaving a ¼-inch headspace. Wipe jar rims; adjust lids.
4 Process filled jars in a boiling-water canner for 5 minutes (start timing when water returns to boiling). Remove jars from canner; cool on wire racks. Makes about 5 (4-ounce) jars.
PER 2 TABLESPOONS: 109 cal., 5 g fat (2 g sat. fat), 6 mg chol., 180 mg sodium, 16 g carbo., 1 g fiber, 1 g pro.
Remove the aroma of onions from your hands by rubbing your fingers on a stainless-steel spoon.
These crunchy-sweet pink spheres are delicious on a tossed salad, as a condiment alongside a roast chicken, or simply as a stand-alone snack.
PREP: 40 minutes CHILL: 1 to 2 hours COOK: 15 minutes PROCESS: 10 minutes
2pounds radishes, tops and roots removed
2½cups water
2tablespoons kosher salt
1½cups water
1¼cups white vinegar
¾cup honey
¼cup red wine vinegar
2tablespoons mixed peppercorns
1Cut each radish into halves or quarters. In a large stainless-steel or glass bowl combine the 2½ cups water and the kosher salt. Add radishes. Cover and refrigerate for 1 to 2 hours. Drain and rinse radishes; set aside.
2In a medium saucepan combine 1½ cups water, white vinegar, honey, red wine vinegar, and peppercorns. Bring to boiling, stirring occasionally. Reduce heat, cover, and simmer for 15 minutes.
3Pack radishes into hot, sterilized half-pint jars, leaving a ¼-inch headspace. Ladle hot vinegar mixture into jars, being sure to get some peppercorns into each jar and maintaining the ¼-inch headspace. Discard any remaining vinegar mixture. Wipe jar rims; adjust lids.
4Process filled jars in a boiling-water canner for 10 minutes (start timing when water returns to boiling). Remove jars from canner; cool on wire racks. Makes 6 half-pints.
PER ¼ CUP: 43 cal., 0 g fat, 0 mg chol., 509 mg sodium, 10 g carbo., 1 g fiber, 0 g pro.
Radishes are at their crispest—with the most peppery-sweet flavor—in spring. Radishes harvested in the summer heat are softer and less crunchy and can have a sharp, almost biting taste.
