- p i c k l i s t -
Cherry Tomatoes & Field Plum Tomatoes - Leeks - Garlic - Potatoes -
Sweet Peppers - Jalapeno Pepper - Parsley - Rosemary - Oregano
Because our farm is currently swimming in field plum tomatoes (and as a result, so are you) I am going to jump right into sauce and the preservation thereof. For starters, the book TART AND SWEET by Kelly Geary and Jessie Knadler is my canning bible. The recipes and guidance received from this book are easy to follow. Not at all intimidating. If you can get your hands on a copy, read chapter 1: CANNING ISN'T ROCKET SCIENCE. Next step, gather all your supplies. This step might be a challenge as the Upper Valley is currently a ball jar desert and I’ve heard West Lebanon Feed and Supply has begun a 2-case-per-customer mandate in the effort to spread the canning love and stop the ball jar hoarders (The latter is me). Anyhow, if anyone has any leads on where to buy ball jars please email me ASAP- I got too many tomatoes and not enough jars. Other things you will NEED to get started: 1 large pot for processing (water baths), lemon juice, jar lifter, an absurd amount of tea towels (I don't have a rack for my pot so I set my jars on tea towels in the water bath to keep from breaking), and 1-2 tall glasses of gin and tonic on ice. Once you’ve gathered all the necessary tools, get chopping. If you have questions along your way or you want to share all you’ve done, tag edgewater on insta or email me!! The pandemic is hitting me hard during this canning season as this is typically a team sport for me and my dear friends. This activity is meant to be shared- so let’s all pretend we are in a massive kitchen together chopping, boiling, sweating, partying. send me photos! Also, If canning feels overwhelming- THEN FREEZE YOUR TOMATOES! There are a number of ways to do this:
Quarter raw tomatoes, drain juice, place in ziplock bag, freeze
Roast tomatoes, cool tomatoes, place in a ziplock bag/yogurt container/jar. Remember to leave room in container/jar because liquid when frozen expands (I’VE LEARNED THIS THE HARD WAY TOO MANY TIMES)
Make sauce! Jar/container it up and freeze! Again, leave room for liquid expansion.
Lastly, If you opened the contents of this box and are cursing me and Edgewater Farm for the insane amount of tomatoes- please oh please remember that this moment is fleeting. Embrace it! The leaves are changing, the light levels are dropping, and believe it or not we are seeing a slower ripening of fruit in the field. Tomato season is not forever. Insert sad face emoji.
TIPS - TRICKS - RECIPES:
Herby tomatoes (you may want to double/triple this recipe)
FROM THE TART AND SWEET BOOK MENTIONED ABOVE
2 teaspoons olive oil
5 cloves garlic, crushed
5 pounds (plum, roma, or heirloom) cored and quartered
Herb sprigs!! (such as basil, oregano, rosemary, parsley, thyme, etc…)
Kosher salt and pepper to taste
5 tablespoons bottled lemon juice
Heat oil in a large pot over medium-high heat. Add the garlic and tomatoes and saute until soft, about 5 minutes. Add the herbs, salt, and pepper.
Place 1 tablespoon of the lemon juice in each hot jar. Pack the jars tightly with hot tomatoes, leaving ½ inch headspace.
Check for air bubbles, wipe the rims, and seal. Process in a water bath for 35 minutes, adjusting for elevation. Yield: 5 pints
Adapted from Saveur copied from smittenkitchen.com
JENNY’S NOTE: I need you to know about this sauce for not only the actual intended eating with poached eggs, but also because it is a crazy good sauce that can be jarred and canned so easily. We made and canned 10 qts last year and IT WAS NOT ENOUGH. We used the sauce as a base for pulled chicken, pizza, stew, and of course the classic shakshuka eggy breakfast.
Serves 4 to 6
1/4 cup olive oil
5 Anaheim chiles or 3 jalapeños, stemmed, seeded, and finely chopped
1 small yellow onion or leek!, chopped
5 cloves garlic, crushed then sliced
1 teaspoon ground cumin
1 tablespoon paprika
6-8 whole tomatoes, undrained
Kosher salt, to taste
6 eggs
1/2 cup feta cheese, crumbled
1 tablespoon chopped flat-leaf parsley
Warm pitas, for serving
Heat oil in a 12-inch skillet over medium-high heat. Add chiles and onions and cook, stirring occasionally, until soft and golden brown, about 6 minutes. Add garlic, cumin, and paprika, and cook, stirring frequently, until garlic is soft, about 2 more minutes.
Put tomatoes and their liquid into a medium bowl and crush with your hands. Add crushed tomatoes and their liquid to skillet along with 1/2 cup water, reduce heat to medium, and simmer, stirring occasionally, until thickened slightly, about 15 minutes. Season sauce with salt.
Crack eggs over sauce so that eggs are evenly distributed across the sauce's surface. Cover skillet and cook until yolks are just set, about 5 minutes. Using a spoon, baste the whites of the eggs with tomato mixture, being careful not to disturb the yolk. Sprinkle shakshuka with feta and parsley and serve with pitas, for dipping.
TO CAN: Place 1 tablespoon of the lemon juice in each hot jar.
Pack the jars tightly with shakshuka sauce, leaving ½ inch headspace.
Check for air bubbles, wipe the rims, and seal. Process in a water bath for 35 minutes, adjusting for elevation.
Preheating the pan helps the leeks take on some color; cooking at a lower temperature ensures they're fully tender.
6 leeks, white and pale-green parts only
½ cup olive oil
Place a rimmed baking sheet in oven and preheat to 400°. Cut leeks in half lengthwise. Rinse well and pat completely dry. Toss with oil in a large bowl; season with salt.
Arrange leeks, cut side down, on hot baking sheet and cover loosely with foil. Reduce oven temperature to 300°. Bake until leeks are lightly browned on cut side and very tender, about 1½ hours.
Uncover leeks and turn cut side up. Increase oven temperature to 400°; roast leeks until golden brown, 15–20 minutes. (Reserve the oil for making vinaigrettes or roasting vegetables. Let cool; cover and chill.)
DO AHEAD: Leeks can be baked 4 hours ahead. Let cool; cover and chill. Bring to room temperature before serving.