Green Tomato Mincemeat - Daring Cook's September Challenge

From the kitchen of One Perfect Bite...The September 2010 Daring Cooks’ challenge was hosted by John whose work can be found at Eat4Fun. John asked the Daring Cooks to study and experiment with food preservation, particularly canning and freezing. Participants in the challenge were asked to make a recipe and preserve it. His post, which can be found here, contains advice and recipes so clear, that those new to food preservation would have no trouble duplicating the recipes he provides. The years when the jewel tones of tomatoes, peaches, pears and sundry condiments swayed my pantry shelves have passed, but I still dabble with canning and thought it would be fun to share something a little different as my response to John's challenge. It probably gets no different than green tomato mincemeat. This recipe is very similar to ones used at the turn of the century by farm wives preparing for the holidays. Their large gardens were laden with green tomatoes that would become pig fodder were it not for relish, mincemeat and that old Southern favorite fried green tomatoes. It has been years since mincemeat contained meat. While some recipes call for suet, they have fallen from grace and are rarely used by food preservers. I can't attribute today's recipe to an individual, but it can be found in the recipe files of most extension services throughout the country. It is very easy to do and uses the most common of canning paraphernalia. Mincemeat has become very expensive and this is an inexpensive alternative to a holiday staple that is still loved by many. I'm featuring the recipe as it was written, but I actually double the amount of spice when I make this. If you like mincemeat, I think you'll like this recipe. Here's how it's done.

Green Tomato Mincemeat

Ingredients:
3 quarts finely chopped green tomatoes
3 quarts peeled and finely chopped apples
1 cup vegetable oil or butter (a substitute for suet)
1 pound raisins
2 tablespoons grated orange rind
2 tablespoons grated lemon rind
5 cups well packed brown sugar
3/4 cup apple cider vinegar
1/2 cup fresh lemon juice
1/2 cup water
1 tablespoon ground cinnamon
1/4 teaspoon ground cloves
1/4 teaspoon ground allspice
2 teaspoons salt

Directions:
Combine all ingredients in a large kettle, and bring to boiling, stirring frequently. Reduce heat and simmer until dark and thick - about 2 1/2 hours. Stir occasionally. Pour boiling hot into pint jars, allowing 1/2 inch headroom, seal promptly and process in a boiling water bath for 25 minutes. Store in a cool dry place. To freeze, pack cold mincemeat into freezer jars or containers, leaving about an inch headroom for expansion. Seal and freeze promptly. Yield: 8 pints.

You might also enjoy these recipes:
Fried Okra and Green Tomatoes - The Teacher Cooks
Fried Green Tomatoes - Delicious Dishings
Pickled Green Tomatoes - Closet Cooking
Green Tomato Chocolate Cake - Ciao Chow Linda
Green Tomato Relish - Mommy's Kitchen
Chow Chow - Town and Country Farming

This recipe is also being linked to The Daring Kitchen.

Corn Soup a la Patricia Wells

From the kitchen of One Perfect Bite...Please, Please, Please.... If you haven't had this soup, try it now while fresh corn is still available. I can't say enough good things about this very simple starter. Freshly shucked corn is scraped from the cob and simmered, along with the cobs, in a low fat milk. The flavor of the corn infuses the milk which thickens slightly as it cooks. The mixture is then pureed to almost perfect smoothness before being seasoned with salt and pepper. The soup is finished with a garnish of fresh cilantro and a sprinkling of smoked Spanish paprika. It's the creation of Patricia Wells and it is another example her simply elegant handling of ingredients. I've made no changes to her recipe. I do, however, capture and use all the "milk" from the scraped cobs and let the soup steep for an hour more than the recipe suggests. I rarely get excited about recipes, but this one made my socks go up and down. I've frozen a more than adequate quantity for our Thanksgiving dinner. It is easy, inexpensive and would make a perfect first course for a holiday meal. The sprinkling of smoked paprika takes the soup to another level, so be sure to use it. It adds flair and a unique flavor component to the soup. I know you'll love this. Here's how it's made.

Addendum: This recipe works only with fresh sweet corn. The cob and "milk" both add additional flavor that gives the soup its intensive corn taste.

Corn Soup a la Patricia Wells...from the kitchen of One Perfect Bite, courtesy of Patricia Wells

Ingredients:
3 ears fresh corn, shucked
6 cups 1% milk
2 teaspoons fine sea salt
1/4 fresh cilantro leaves (for garnish)
about 1 teaspoon hot smoked spanish pimentón de la Vera

Directions:
1) With a sharp knife scrape kernels off corn cobs. Be sure to catch any milky liquid that is released while you do this.
2) Place kernels, cobs and milky liquid in a saucepan or skillet large enough to hold them in a single layer. Add milk and salt. Cover and bring to a simmer over low heat. Cook at a bare simmer for 45 minutes. I let mine simmer for an hour and then sit for an hour before proceeding.
3) Remove corn cobs, and put milk and corn mixture in a blender and puree until corn is broken up but still maintains a bit of texture. Adjust seasoning, adding salt and pepper to taste.
4) Just before serving, garnish with pimentón and cilantro. Serve warm or cold. Yield: 6 servings.

You might also enjoy these recipes:
Farmer's Market Corn Salsa - Christine's Cuisine
Buttermilk Corn Bread - Sea Salt with Food
Chicken and Sweet Corn Soup - Closet Cooking
Fresh Corn and Tomato Pie - Sass and Veracity
Fresh Corn and Tomato Saute - The Parsley Thief
Corn Fritters with Maple Syrup - Meats, Roots and Leaves
Corn and Edamame Succotash - One Perfect Bite
Sweet Corn Ice Cream - One Perfect Bite