Zucchini Preserves
This yummy recipe comes from The Joy of Jams, Jellies, and other Sweet Preserves 
by Linda Ziedrich. During the winter last year we tried our hand at making many of her jams and marmalades; all of which were a huge success. Ours friends gardens continue to produce zucchinis like crazy and we’ve been gifted our fair share…so now is the time to put them in a jar.
These zucchini preserves turned out beautiful. At first, I thought that my cubes were too big but they are just the perfect bite size. The picture does not do them justice as each little cube looks like a piece of crystal candy in a sunny sugar sauce. I’m not sure what I will eat them with our if they will make a solo appearance. I bet they’d be good with some vanilla ice-cream. Linda recommends you try them “atop biscuits or white yeast bread.”
RECIPE FOR ZUCCHINI PRESERVES:
- 2 1/2 pounds peeled, seeded very large zucchini, cut into approximately 3/4″ cubes
- 1/4 cup strained lemon juice
- grated zest of 1 lemon
- 1 tbsp minced fresh ginger, in a spice bag (I prefer a spice ball)
- 3 1/2 cups sugar
- Mix all ingredients together in a preserving pan and let the mixture stand at room temperature for 24 hours. Most of the sugar will dissolve during this period. Note: use a large pan because the zucchini produces a lot of water that will need to be boiled down later.
- Place the pan over medium heat and heat the mixture until the sugar is completely dissolved.
- Raise the heat to medium-high and boil the mixture uncovered until it reaches the thread stage or 230F; this will probably take about 20 minutes. Remove the pan from the heat and stir until the boiling stops. Remove the spice ball holding the ginger. Let the preserves cool in the pan; the zucchini chunks will plump as they cool. (we let it cool for about 10 minutes…it was still hot when we jarred it)
- Ladle the preserves into 250mL or 500mL mason jars. Add lids and rings, and process the jars for 10 minutes in a boiling water bath. Remove lid and let stand uncovered for 5 minutes before taking jars out.
THREAD POINT: This was the first recipe I used that called for this kind of gel test but it really is nothing to worry about. A thread test is a term used to describe a thicker syrup (thicker than jam). Simply drop a bit of the syrup into a cool glass of water, the syrup should form a thread to the bottom of the glass, about 2″ long. If a ball forms instead, the syrup has been overheated. If the syrup dissolves in the water without forming a thread, you will need to continue to heat the syrup until it reaches the thread point. Be sure to use a clean glass of cool water each time you do the test. I wish I had a photo of this…next time. Linda recommends using an instant read digital thermometer as the syrup will form a thread at 230F. This is what we did as well as the cool water test…it worked perfectly.
Put up Total:
- 1 x 375mL diamond mason jar
- 1 x 500mL wide mouth mason jar
Our yield was off by 125mL but this may be because we didn’t let the zucchini cool enough?
Chunky Zucchini Pickles
This is a new recipe for us but I have one huge and I mean super huge Zucchini from our great gardening growing friends, also Turnbulls.
RECIPE FOR CHUNKY ZUCCHINI PICKLES from Bernardin:
- 14 cups seeded, unpeeled zucchini (I peeled half of them because this zucchini was huge and the skin was tougher than smaller zucchini)
- 6 cups finely chopped onions
- 1/4 cup pickling or canning salt
- 3 cups granulated sugar
- 4 tbsp Clearjel (I have never seen this in stores but you can purchase it online ~ I used 2 tbsp of corn starch)
- 1/4 cup dry mustard
- 1 tbsp ground ginger
- 1 tsp ground turmeric
- 1/2 cup water
- 2 cups white vinegar
- 1 red bell pepper, seeded and finely chopped
- In a large glass or stainless steel bowl, combine zucchini and onions. Sprinkle with pickling salt, cover and let stand at room temperature for 1 hour. Transfer to a colander placed over a sink and drain thoroughly. Note: I also rinsed half the mixture because that is what I’ve done in the past with pickles…but it says DRAIN not rinse. They still seemed salty.
- Prepare for water-bath canning. Sterilize jars in the oven on 250F for 30 minutes.
- In a large stainless steel saucepan, combine sugar, Clearjel or corn starch, mustard, ginger and turmeric. Stir dry ingredients well. Gradually blend in water. Add vinegar and red pepper.
- Bring to a boil over medium high heat, stirring frequently to dissolve sugar and prevent lumps from forming. Reduce heat and boil gently, stirring frequently, until mixture thickens, about 5 minutes. Add drained zucchini mixture and return to a boil.
- Ladle hot zucchini mixture into hot sterilized jars, leaving 1/2″ headspace. Remove air bubbles and adjust headspace, if necessary, by adding more hot zucchini mixture. Wipe rim with a damp paper towel. Place snaps and rings on each jar, screwing bands down until they are fingertip-tight.
- Place jars in canner, ensuring they are completely covered with water. Bring to a full rolling boil and process for 10 minutes. When time is up, turn off heat, remove canner lid and wait 5 minutes before removing jars to a folded towel on the counter.
- Check seals, label, and store. Refrigerate any unsealed jars.
Put up Total:
- 6 x 500mL wide mouth mason jars
NOTE: This recipe was supposed to yield 7 x 500mL. I did have a lot of liquid left over that may have resulted in another jar if I had dispersed it better…but I don’t like too much liquid in the jars.
Dill Relish
Our friend Suzann has been very kind to give us what seems like a never-ending supply of home-grown, garden good veggies. Today I decided to turn the 10 or more huge field cucumbers into Dill Relish. Last year, we made this very same relish…from Bernardin’s Big Book and we are on our last jar. I had no idea that we went through so much relish!?! Maybe, it’s because it is sooooo good.
RECIPE FOR DILL RELISH (from Bernardin):
- 8lbs pickling cucumbers (I used field cucumbers…they recommend pickling cucumbers because the seeds are tiny and the skins are not as waxy and tough but you’ve got to use what you got)
- 1/2 cup pickling or canning salt
- 2 tsp ground turmeric
- 4 cups water
- 2 1/2 cups finely chopped onions
- 1/3 cup granulated sugar
- 2 tbsp dill seed
- 4 cups white wine vinegar
- Wash cucumbers and slice lengthwise. Using a spoon scoop out large seeds and discard. Chop cucumbers into 2″ x 2″ pieces to accommodate the food processor.
- In a food processor fitted with a metal blade or a food grinder, working in batches, finely chop cucumbers, transferring batches to a glass or stainless steel bowl as they are completed. Sprinkle with pickling salt and turmeric.
Add water, cover and let stand in a cool place (70F-75F/21C-23C) for 2 hours. (Now, this is when I called my neighbour Jim to see if he was going to the grocery store because I didn’t have the white wine vinegar and I didn’t have a vechile…I could’ve walked but I would be cutting it close) Transfer to a colander placed over a sink and drain thoroughly. Rinse with cool water and drain thoroughly again. Using your hands, squeeze out excess liquid. - Meanwhile, prepare for water-bath canning. Sterilize jars in the oven at 250F for 30 minutes.
- In a large stainless steel saucepan, combine drained cucumbers, onions, sugar, dill seeds and vinegar. Bring to a boil over medium-high heat. Reduce heat and boil gently, stirring occasionally, until slightly thickened and vegetables are heated through, about 10 minutes.
- Ladle hot relish into hot jars, leaving 1/2″ headspace. Remove air bubbles and adjust headspace, if necessary, by adding hot relish. Wipe rim with a damp paper towel. Add snaps and rings to each jar tighting the band to finger-tip tight.
- Place jars in canner, ensuring they are completely covered with water. Bring to a full rolling boil and process for 15 minutes. When time is up, turn off heat, remove canner lid, and wait 5 minutes before removing jars to a folded towel on the counter.
- Check seals, label, and store.
Put up Total:
- 5 x 500mL (3 wide mouth jars and 2 regular mason jars)
- 1 x 250mL wide mouth mason jar
NOTE: This is the second time that I have made this relish and the yield has always been at least 750mL less than what Bernardin states. I am not sure if this is because I squeeze more liquid/water out of the cucumbers than I should; however, I am very happy with the consistency.
Red Pepper Marmalade
We had an abundance of red peppers and I was looking for something different to do with them when I came across this recipe for red pepper marmalade in Stocking Up. I received this canning book and several others from my sister for my birthday (thanks sissy-lou) so I was excited to give it a try.
RECIPE FOR RED PEPPER MARMALADE:
- 12 medium-sized red peppers
- 4 teaspoons whole allspice
- 1/2 teaspoon ground ginger
- 2 cups chopped onions
- 2 cups white vinegar
- 3 cups honey (I used Orange Blossom Honey from an apiary in Florida)
- 4 teaspoons salt (I used sea salt)
- 1 lemon chopped
- Remove stems and seeds from peppers.
- Cover peppers with boiling water; let stand for 5 minutes; drain. Repeat, and drain well.
- Put through coarse blade of food processor. (I used the finer blade) The mixture should measure about 4 cups.
- Put whole allspice in a spice ball or tie in a jelly bag. Combine with other ingredients. Boil for 30 minutes, stirring occasionally. Let stand overnight.
- Next day, bring to boil in large saucepan and simmer for 10 minutes.
- Ladle boiling hot into sterilized 250mL jars leaving 1/4″ headspace. Remove air bubbles and adjust headspace, if necessary, by adding hot marmalade. Wipe rim. Center lid on jar. Screw band down until resistance is met, then increase to fingertip-tight.
- Place jars in canner, ensuring they are completely covered with water. Bring to a boil and process for 10 minutes. Remove canner lid. Wait 5 minutes, then remove jars, cool, label and store.
Put up Total:
- 5 x 250mL regular mason jars
- 1 x 125mL
Racy Red Pepper Salsa
I am renaming Bernardin’s Tomato and Pepper Salsa…RACY RED PEPPER SALSA ’cause it’s hot…at least to me. Again, these salsas using the Bernardin premade mix are so simple to make everyone should do at least one. Next year we would like to make our own salsa mix…first, we will have to get a dehydrator. But that will make it more fun!
RECIPE FOR RACY RED PEPPER SALSA:
- 9 cups coarsely chopped tomatoes
- 6 cups chopped red or green peppers (I used Red Only)
- 1 package Bernardin Salsa Mix
- 1 1/3 cups (325ml) cider vinegar
- Wash, seed and coarsely chop tomatoes and peppers; drain off excess liquid.
- In a stainless steel saucepan, combine Bernardin Salsa Mix and cider vinegar
- Add remaining ingredients
- Stirring continuously until well mixed, bring mixture to a full rolling boil; boil gently uncovered for 5 minutes
- Ladle hot salsa into hot sterilized jars leaving 1/2″ headspace. Remove air bubbles and add more salsa if necessary
- Wipe rim, centre lid and add ring until fingertip tight
- Process in hot water bath for 15 minutes for 250mL jars and 20 minutes for 500mL jars
Put up Total:
- 7 x 500mL wide mouth jars (1 jar regular mouth)
Fish ‘n Chips
Now it may seem like our whole world revolves around food but I assure you there is drink as well. Just kidding (NOT). But, we do both have full-time jobs. Food and cooking has always been a passion for Matt and canning is the one thing in the kitchen we enjoy doing together. Canning really is better than watching TV…isn’t it?! Addictive or what? I just can’t get enough of it.
Late this afternoon while the sauerkraut was processing we ventured into our trial garden to see if we had any potatoes. I say “trial garden” because we’re new at it and we don’t have a lot of full sun. Our whole property is covered in beautiful mature trees which makes our dream of a big garden challenging. This is our second year at it and we’ve done much better…RAISED BOXES. But, again it has been a learning process (another entry).
Okay, back to the garden…Yes we do have potatoes!!! YEAH!!! As Matt dug up the first mound I was so happy and relieved to see that we had a fair number of potatoes ranging in size. Oh, they sure are a thing of beauty.
and we have fresh pickerel caught by our very skillful neighbour and fisherwoman. Fresh fish ‘n chips…and it doesn’t get better than that!
Oh, did I forget mention that Matt also made this bread fresh today too?
Putting Up With The Turnbulls 