We’ve been keeping an eye on our garden and the tomatoes are ripening — once they start, they move quickly. I’m looking for recipes using ripe and green tomatoes and we’ve had a bumper crop of cucumbers, also. Do you have any pickle recipes you would like to share? I’ll be looking forward to hearing from you.
Here is a recipe from our collection and a couple submitted by our readers. Jean from Smyrna sent me her recipe for Mustard Pickles and Marion from Patten sent me her recipe for Basil Garlic Tomato sauce. Both are great recipes!
This is my favorite salsa recipe. I came across it a few years ago and now make it every year. I’ve made it with and without the hot peppers and we liked it both ways. We also have added corn and cooked black beans a couple of times to this same basic recipe. It tastes great and you can add as much or as little as you like, make sure you have extra jars ready, as this does increase the volume. My family likes it better than the commercial salsa. I think you will like it as much as we do.
Traditional Salsa
7 cups diced, seeded, peeled, cored tomatoes (about 5 pounds)
6 green onions, sliced
2 jalapeño peppers, diced
4 cloves garlic, minced
2 tablespoons minced cilantro
2 teaspoons salt
1/2 cup vinegar, 5% acidity
2 tablespoons lime juice
4 drops hot pepper sauce
Instructions: Prepare your canning jars according to manufacturer’s instructions. Combine all ingredients in a large saucepot. Bring mixture to a boil. Reduce heat and simmer for 15 minutes. Carefully ladle hot salsa into hot jars, leaving 1/4-inch. Wipe rim clean. Place lids on. Screw down evenly and firmly just until a point of resistance is met – fingertip tight. Process 15 minutes in a hot water bath. Yield: about 4 pints.
Basil-Garlic Tomato Sauce
Makes about 7 (16 oz) pints
You will need:
20 lb tomatoes (about 60 medium)
1 cup chopped onion (about 1 large)
8 cloves garlic, minced
1 Tbsp olive oil
1/4 cup finely minced, fresh basil
Bottled lemon juice
7 (16 oz) pint glass preserving jars with lids and bands
Directions: Prepare boiling water canner. Heat jars and lids in simmering water until ready for use. Do not boil. Set bands aside.
Wash tomatoes; drain. Remove core and blossom ends. Cut into quarters. Set aside. Sauté onion and garlic in olive oil until transparent. Add tomatoes. Bring to a boil. Reduce heat and simmer 20 minutes, stirring occasionally.
Puree tomato mixture in a food processor or blender, working in batches. Strain puree to remove seeds and peel.
Combine tomato puree and basil in large saucepot. Bring to a boil. Reduce heat and simmer until volume is reduced by half, stirring to prevent sticking. Add 1 Tbsp bottled lemon juice to each hot jar.
Ladle hot sauce into hot jars leaving 1/2 inch headspace. Remove air bubbles. Wipe rim. Center hot lid on jar. Apply band and adjust until fit is fingertip tight. Process filled jars in a boiling water canner for 35 minutes. Remove jars and cool.
Mustard Pickles
8 large cucumbers, sliced
4 cups sliced onion
2 tablespoons pickling salt
2 cups white sugar
2 tablespoons all-purpose flour
2 cups white vinegar
1 tablespoon ground dried turmeric
1 tablespoon dry mustard powder
1/2 teaspoon celery seed
2 quarts cold water, or as needed
Directions: Place the sliced cucumbers and onions into a large bowl and sprinkle the salt over the top. Fill the bowl with enough water to cover the cucumbers. Let stand for 8 to 10 hours. Drain and rinse the cucumbers and onion with fresh water.
Sterilize 4 (1 quart) jars and lids. In a 6-quart pot, stir together the sugar and flour. Whisk in the vinegar, turmeric, mustard powder and celery seed to make a smooth paste. Add the cucumbers and onions and fill with enough water to cover. Stir, and bring to a boil. Cook until thickened, about 10 minutes, stirring frequently.
Pour into hot sterilized jars filling to within 1/2 inch of the top. Seal with lids and rings. Process for 10 minutes in a simmering water bath. Refrigerate any jars that fail to seal properly.
Please contact me at susieqcooking@ainop.com or c/o Pioneer Times, P.O. Box 456, Houlton, Maine 04730.
