Canning for a New Generation
Anja's favorite top three "new generation" canning books:
Canning for a New Generation: Bold, Fresh Flavors for the Modern Pantry
By Liana Krissoff
Well Preserved: Recipes and techniques for Putting Up Small Batches of Seasonal Foods
By Eugenia Bone
Tart and Sweet: 101 Canning and Pickling Recipes for the Modern Kitchen
By Kelly Geary and Jessie Knadler
Most Common Misconceptions about Canning:
1. It's too hard. Fun fact: Home canning guides from 1935 called for putting up 560 quarts of fruits and vegetables for a family of 5 every year.
But now days we don't need to can. We do it because it's a more tangible and meaningful way of connecting with the land, and reminding ourselves that we can take care of ourselves.
2. It's dangerous. Fun fact: Water bath canning hasn't really changed in the past 200 years. Canning is more safe than ever, due to improvements in culinary science and revamped rules and regulations from the US department of Agriculture. But now it seems scarier. It's not!
3. It's too much work. Canning is a fun and enjoyable way of connecting with friends (throw a canning party!) and a great way of making small batch preserves and canned goods for gifts for friends.
Rules of Canning 101:
1. Start small with pints not quarts! Four flats of strawberries or 2 bushels of tomatoes may seem like a great idea at 9am in the morning, but 6 hours later you may be rethinking your whole commitment to canning!
2. Make only stuff you want to eat! Only make what you really like: salsas, tomato sauces etc. Freeze the extra produce if you don't want to waste what you've grown in your garden.
3. Invest in the right tools for the job. Don't try to wing it! Buy the canning kits and follow the directions!
4. Don't tweak the recipes! Water bath canning is for high acid foods. The acid prevents the growth of microorganisms as well as the activation of their spores. High acid equals safe canning!
Recipes:
Crushed Tomatoes-from "Canning for a New Generation"
7 lbs ripe tomatoes, preferably Roma
Citric Acid (1/4 tsp per pint jarP or bottled lemon juice (1 Tbs per pint jar)
Pure kosher salt (optional)
7 fresh basil leaves (optional)
bring a large pot of water to a boil. Fill a large bowl with ice water. Near the bowl of ice water, have ready a medium bowl (for the peels and seeds) and a 6-to-8-quart preserving pan (for the crushed tomatoes).
A few at a time, drop the tomatoes into the water; after 30 seconds, remove them with a slotted spoon to the ice bath to cool. Pull off the peels and cut out the core. Rip each tomato into pieces and scrape most of the tomatoes in the preserving pan. Repeat with the remaining tomatoes.
Prepare for water-bath canning:
Wash the jars and keep them hot in the canning pot, and put the flat lids in a heatproof bowl.
Set the pan with the tomatoes over medium-high heat and bring to a boil. Boil for 5 minutes.
Ladle boiling water from the canning pot into the bowl with the lids. Using a jar lifter, remove the hot jars from the canning pot, carefully pouring the water from each one back into the pot, and place them upright on a folded towel. Drian the water off the jar lids.
Put ¼ tsp citric acid, or 1 Tbs bottled lemon juice and ½ tsp salt, if using, in each jar. Ladle the hot tomatoes into the jars, leaving ½ inch headspace at the top. If desired, tuck a basil leaf into each jar. Use a chopstick to remove air bubbles around the inside of each jar. Use a damp paper towel to wipe the rims of the jars, then put a flat lid and ring on each jar, adjusting the ring so that it's just finger-tight. Return the jars to the water in the canning pot, making sure the water covers the jars by at least 1 inch. Bring to a boil, and boil for 35 minutes to process. Remove the jars to a folded towel and do not disturb for 12 hours. After 1 hour, check that the lids have sealed by pressing down on the center of each; if it can be pushed down, it hasn't sealed, and the jar should be refrigerated immediately. Label the sealed jars and store.
Yield: 7 pints
Tomato Sauce with Capers and Olives-from "Tart and Sweet"
9 lbs tomatoes, cored and chopped
1 large onion, diced
½ cup minced garlic
1 Tbs olive oil
2 Tbs kosher salt
1-2 Tbs chili flakes
Ground black pepper to taste
¼ cup bottled lemon juice
½ cup capers
1/3 cup kalamata olives, pitted and halved
Bring the tomatoes to a boil in a large pot over medium-high heat and cook until soft. Remove from the heat. Allow the tomatoes to cool somewhat. Pass them through a food mill to remove the seeds and skins. Set the strained tomatoes aside.
In the same pot, cook the onion, garlic, and oil over low heat until translucent, about 5 minutes. Add the tomatoes, salt, chili flakes, and pepper. Bring the mixture to a boil. Reduce the heat to a simmer and cook down for 20 to 30 minutes, or until it's a sauce consistency. Add the lemon juice, capers, and olives. Season as needed with salt and pepper.
Ladle the sauce into hot jars, leaving ¼ inch headspace. Check for air bubbles, wipe the rims, and seal. Process for 15 minutes, adjusting for elevation.
Yield: 4 pints
Tomato Canning Extravaganza!
Sunday, August 12, 2012, 9:00 am
Sunday, August 12, 2012, 11:30 am
Sunday, August 12, 2012, 2:00 pm
Uptown Kitchen - 423 Norwood SE
If you've never canned before, or are looking for more delicious tomato sauce recipes, join Anja Mast of Trillium Haven Farm and the farm's "canning specialist" Mindy Hamstra for this canning extravaganza. Learn about the different varieties of tomatoes, sauces, the ins-and-outs of actual cooking and canning the sauces, and finally, get to taste some of Trillium Haven Farm's very favorite recipes. Participants will take home a pint of stewed tomatoes and the best canned tomato sauce recipes. Each class is limited to 20 participants. Register at www.grpl.org/register