Harvest Pumpkin Butter Grown Close to Home

As we speak I am attending the Food and Wine Writers Workshop south of here. Modern technology allows me to be in 2 places at once and tell you about what I was up to last Sunday and inform you about my latest foray into canning as well as have wine tastings, market tours and gourmet dinners all at the same time. I will tell you all about the workshop when I get back.  

In the meantime a few weeks ago I received an e-mail from the Loblaw's Corporation to participate in their Grown Close to Home campaign. They asked me if I would like to receive a Bernardin Canning kit to highlight our local Canadian produce. Let me think about that for a nano-second. YES was my unequivocal reply!!!!What arrived was a rather large package with President's Choice measuring cups, organic sugar, white vinegar, a Bernadin Home Canning Kit featuring a 21-quart canner, an instructional DVD and a gift card to purchase local produce. I hesitate to tell you how many years it has been since I canned from my own home grown produce but I was more than ready to get started again. Thanks Loblaws and Bernadin!!

From British Columbia's plump and juicy raspberries, to the firm, sweet cantaloupes of Ontario and Quebec's succulent berries - fruits and vegetables from across Canada are arriving in Loblaw store produce sections all over the country.  Loblaw has emerged with the most ambitious local food campaign, which it calls “Grown Close to Home.” Launched for the third consecutive year, it showcases items from growers in “your part of the country” and puts a “spotlight on local fresh produce during harvest season. Loblaw's Grown Close to Home(TM) program offers Canadians up to 40 per cent of produce from all across Canada found in Loblaw stores sourced from Canadian growers during the peak season. The actual local season starts in May with asparagus and ends in October with apples.

The 100-Mile Diet, originally a book about the challenges of living on food grown within 100 miles of home, is now shorthand for a movement that advocates environmentally responsible food consumption. The country’s biggest food retailers – with Loblaw Co. Ltd. leading the charge – have taken notice.

"How come my local grower can't sell their produce in my local store?'"At this time of year, local produce is in the spotlight as the harvest season enters its peak period and consumers complain that too little local produce seems to make its way into large supermarkets such as Loblaw.  The "goal," Loblaw says, is to be "100 per cent local in season," but Loblaw can't always meet that target. It's partly a problem of supply. Even a stellar strawberry season wouldn't fill all of Loblaw's 1,000 stores across the country and the past two summers have been cool and wet. As well, the supermarket chain sets certain standards for safety reasons not all farmers can meet. For example, fruit must be "pre-cooled" as soon as it's picked to prolong its shelf life. Not all farmers can afford the refrigeration facilities. The bottom line is that Loblaw's is working on a solution which is certainly commendable. Last year it achieved a record breaking goal during the key harvest season by raising awareness with its "Grown Close to Home" program.

I had my heart set on making pumpkin butter as my first seasonal canning project. Thanks to Loblaw's and Bernadin I was able to achieve excellent results. Pumpkin butter has been called pumpkin pie in a jar, and though it can’t technically be called fruit butter because pumpkin is a winter squash, it falls into this class of preserved spreads. It is essentially cooked pumpkin that is pureed and combined with sugar and spices common in pumpkin pie, like warm cinnamon, ginger, nutmeg, and allspice. It has a very thick texture which is similar to butter.  Many people find it truly delicious and so different from the numerous fruit spreads they might ordinarily use. It is excellent on a variety of toasts or breads, and some people enjoy it on granola or as a topping to yogurt. Fans of pumpkin ice cream may revel in topping vanilla ice cream with a dollop of pumpkin butter. I like to mix it with some creamed cheese and slather it on warm toast for a delicious snack.You can probably find many recipes that call for pumpkin butter as well such as a pumpkin cheesecake, layer cakes, muffins, waffles and perhaps even thumbprint cookies can be made that have their centers filled with this spicy spread.

A word of warning the cooking process of pumpkin butter changes the colour to a deep, dark, rich hue of  orange or brown. There are some uncooked recipes of pumpkin butter that retain their brilliant orange colour but these cannot be canned and need to be kept in the refrigerator and used as quickly as possible. When planning to can pumpkin butter look specifically for those recipes with canning instructions. Some recipes are very low acid and won’t work well if cans are to be kept outside of the fridge.  There is apparently much debate over the safety of canning pumpkin butter in a hot water bath. I'm of the opinion that it is fine and has been done for centuries, but for extra safety, even after using tons of sugar, I made a little room in my refrigerator.

Pumpkin choice is another essential factor in making pumpkin butter. You should select pie pumpkins, with sugar pie pumpkins being one of the best choices. These are smaller and weigh about three to five pounds (1.36-2.27 kg). Though some people use larger jack o’lantern style pumpkins, they are not as sweet or flavourful and texture can be a problem. For large recipes though, it can take several sugar pie pumpkins to get enough cooked pumpkin, so you can turn to canned pumpkin instead, which is fine.

This recipe makes a perfect holiday gift. The traditional spicing and hint of maple sweetness will enhance old-fashioned holiday meals. For food safety reasons as mentioned, do NOT reduce the amount of sugar or syrup unless you plan to store the results in the refrigerator. For complete canning instructions and tips visit the Bernadin web site and preserve the summer season in jars.

**Harvest Pumpkin Butter**

Makes 5 pints

6 cups cooked sugar pumpkin puree (see instructions below; or two 29-ounce cans pumpkin
2 cups pure maple syrup (see note)
2 cups light corn syrup (see note)
2 cups firmly packed brown sugar (see note)
2 teaspoons lemon juice
1 teaspoon ground cinnamon
1 teaspoon ground nutmeg
1/2 teaspoon ground ginger
1/4 teaspoon ground cloves
1/4 teaspoon ground mace
1/4 teaspoon vanilla

*****************
Put the pumpkin puree in a large, heavy-bottomed, nonaluminum pot; stir in the maple syrup and corn syrup. When these are thoroughly combined, add the sugar, lemon juice, cinnamon, nutmeg, ginger, cloves, mace and vanilla. Set the pot over medium-high heat. When it begins to boil, partially cover it; the mixture will spatter profusely. (Highly recommended!!!) Cook at a slow boil, stirring frequently to prevent sticking, until it thickens and turns a darker colour, about 45 minutes.

Meanwhile, wash 5 pint jars. Keep hot until needed. Prepare lids as manufacturer directs. Ladle the hot butter into 1 hot jar at a time, leaving 1/4-inch head space. Wipe jar rim with a clean, damp cloth. Attach lid. Fill and close remaining jars. Process in a boiling-water canner for 15 minutes (20 minutes at 1,000 to 6,000 feet; 25 minutes above 6,000 feet).

NOTE: To make pumpkin puree: Either bake or broil the fruit. Bake whole pumpkins on a cookie sheet in a 350-degree oven until softened and collapsed. (Be sure to poke holes in them first, or they will explode in the oven.) Scoop the pulp away from the peel. Puree the pulp in a blender or food processor. Or, boil peeled chunks of fresh pumpkin until softened, then puree the cooked pulp.

You are reading this post on More Than Burnt Toast at http://goodfoodcorner.blogspot.com. Content must be credited to this author.

This is My Type of Canning....Dessert Blueberries in Grand Marnier Syrup

Years ago I used to follow a more sustainable lifestyle like my own mother and her mother before her. At the end of the growing season we would spend countless hours pickling, boiling, prepping and canning fruits and vegetables for a long Canadian winter. Over the years I have many excuses to no longer do as much canning..in fact my canning is very limited. Over the years I have given my jars and canning equipment away thinking I would never can again. Over the years my counters used to be filled with mustard beans, salsa, canned tomatoes, pickled onions, icicle and dill pickles, pickled beets and the odd fruit jam.


The most special treat I would afford myself was a nice canned cherries jubilee or as with this recipe blueberries in a simple syrup. I would make it really special with the inclusion of a tablespoon or two (or three)...hic... of Grand Marnier or Cointreau. For the holidays I would give these treasures away as gifts until the follwing year when I would start the process all over again.


I would instruct the lucky recipients to add spoonfuls of berries and syrup to fresh autumn fruit such as diced apples, blue plums or pears for an instant compote; ladle berries and syrup over ice cream, angel food cake, a vanilla-flavored rice pudding or blanc mange; fill meringue shells with the berries and top them with whipped cream; or layer the fruit and syrup with lightly whipped fresh ricotta or mascarpone in parfait glasses. But my own bounty of blueberries in Grand Marnier would be used for my favourite treat of all and be ladled over light and fluffy buttermilk pancakes. Place them in a pan and reheat them slightly for a wonderful weekend treat!!!!!!

One pint fresh blueberries equals 1 -1/2 to 2 cups blueberries (depending on size)

**Dessert Blueberries in Grand Marnier Syrup**

2 pint baskets ripe blueberries
3 cup water
6 - 9 T Armagnac, cognac (I use Grand Marnier)
2 -1/4 cup Sugar
*******************

Sort blueberries, discarding any that are damaged or overripe, then rinse and drain them. Roll them on a terry towel to remove as much moisture as possible.

Divide berries among 3 hot, clean pint canning jars, shaking them down as you go so they are lightly packed; leave 1/2" of headspace. Pour 2 to 3 tablespoons of Armagnac, according to taste, into each jar.

Boil the water and sugar together in a large saucepan, uncovered, for 3 minutes.

Fill the jars with the syrup, leaving 1/2" of headspace. Remove any bubbles (use a long bamboo chopstick), adding more syrup if necessary.

Seal jars according to manufacturers directions; process for 15 minutes in a boiling-water bath. Cool, label and store the jars. Keeps for at least a year in a cool pantry.

Makes 3 jars

Top 10 Pics MEME

The very talented and sweet Rosie of Rosie Bakes a "Peace" of Cake tagged me for a MEME "Top 10 Food Pics". The MEME consists of choosing 10 favourite food pictures from my own collections and in return tagging 5 others to do the same.

I don't profess to be a professional photographer but it was a jaunt down memory lane to when I was preparing these dishes and memories of my travels as well. Maybe I am biased by the flavour of some of these dishes and that is why they are my favourite pics!!

1) This first picture is of a tomato pie we prepared at Keartisanal . The photo was taken by R. but it brings back such wonderful memories that it had to be included as one of my favourites.

2) This photo was taken on a Sunday in the town of Metsovo on mainland Greece. These ladies dressed in traditional costume for Sunday at church are returning from the market with their fresh produce and plants. I was lucky enough to tour the mainland and hike with Thordis our fearless leader and a small group of ladies with Astra Tours .

3) Strawberries & Cream Cheese Tart

4) Goat Cheese & Tomato Tarts

5) A Very Good Spinach Salad

6) Moroccan Preserved Lemons

7) Lemony Goat Cheese & Asparagus Stuffed Rouladen

8) Patates Riganates

9) Broccoli Pesto

10) Local fruits.

Now to choose 5 participants(this is a time consuming one which took a couple of days to complete, so, if you choose not to participate I totally understand)

Helene of La Cuisine d' Helene

Nikki of Canarygirl.com

Dharm of Dad~Baker & Chef

Holler of Tinned Tomatoes

Pixie of You Say Tomato, I Say Tomato

Putting Up Moroccan Preserved Lemons

Many Moroccan and Middle Eastern recipes call for preserved lemons. These are lemons that have been pickled in salt and their own juices. It is quite easy to do but does take about 3 weeks to a month before they are ready to be used. As the old adage goes, "Good things come to those who wait."



All over the blogosphere people are singing the praises of the Meyer Lemon. Living in the "Great White North" I wasn't sure if I would ever be able to come come across this sweet lemon. It is a citrus fruit, native to China, thought to be a cross between a true lemon and a mandarin orange or sweet orange. The fruit is yellow and it is rounder than a true lemon with a slightly orange tint to the fragrant, edible peel when ripe. It has a sweeter, less acidic flavor than the more common Lisbon or Eureka lemons that are typical in our grocery stores. During my last trip to Choices Market low and behold...Meyer Lemons. They were even the same price as the ordinary lemons. I had hit pay dirt!! What would I do with these little beauties??



My friends Pixie of You Say Tomahto, I Say Tomayto and Rosie of Rosie Bakes a "Peace" of Cake are co-hosting an event called ‘Putting Up’. They are asking you to share your jam, conserve, jelly, marmalade, curd, butter, chutney, pickle, relish and preserves with the rest of the blogosphere. If you haven't met these talented British ladies move on over to their sites. Pull up a chair and spend a few hours browsing their delicious recipes. You don't want to miss this event either.



When making preserved lemons always use organic or unsprayed lemons, since you're going to be eating the skin. Meyer lemons work well for preserving with their milder flavour. I generally do 8-10 lemons at a time, but be sure to buy a few extra lemons for juicing, in case you need to add additional liquid to keep the lemons in the jar submerged while they 'do their thing'. To preserve lemons you should not use ordinary table salt due to its harsh chemical taste. It is recommended to use sea salt or kosher salt.



You can add thin strips of preserved lemons to any braising liquid during the last few minutes of cooking, which adds a nice bit of bright, lemony flavour to whatever you are cooking. Please take care when adding them to a recipe though since the lemons will certainly add a bit more of a salty flavour than you think. Rinse them well and all will be well with the world. Once my little beauties pass puberty I will come up with some dishes to utilize their lemony goodness. One of my favourite and most succulent roasted chicken dishes is Brined Roast Chicken with Preserved Lemons . Melt in your mouth goodness!



Also don't put your fingers into the brine to remove the lemons from jar...use a wooden spoon. This tip comes from Paula Wolfert, a great advocate of Mediterranean foods, whom you may hear a lot about in subsequent posts.



** Moroccan Preserved Lemons**



8-10 Meyer lemons*, scrubbed very clean

1/2 cup kosher or sea salt, more if needed

Extra fresh squeezed lemon juice, if needed

Sterilized quart canning jar (I used 4 smaller jars)



**cloves, coriander seeds, peppercorns, cinnamon stick, chili peppers or combination of one or the other.



*************************************

Place 2 Tbsp of salt in the bottom of a sterilized jar. In this case I used 4 sterilized jars. One by one, prepare the lemons in the following way. Cut off any protruding stems from the lemons, and cut 1/4 inch off the tip of each lemon. Cut the lemons as if you were going to cut them in half lengthwise, starting from the tip, but do not cut all the way. Keep the lemon attached at the base. Make another cut in a similar manner, so now the lemon is quartered, but again, attached at the base.



Pry the lemons open and generously sprinkle salt all over the insides and outsides of the lemons.



Pack the lemons in the jar, squishing them down so that juice is extracted and the lemon juice rises to the top of the jar. Add chili peppers, coriander seeds, bay leaves, peppercorns and cinnamon (or a combination of a few or only one). Fill up the jar with lemons. Press the lemons very firmly in the jar to get their juices flowing. Cover and let stand a few hours. Press down on the lemons once again to extract more juice. Make sure the top is covered with lemon juice. Add more fresh squeezed lemon juice if necessary. Top with a couple tablespoons of salt and more spices.



Seal the jar with sterilized lids and let sit at room temperature for a couple days. Turn the jar upside down occasionally. Put in refrigerator and let sit, again turning upside down occasionally, for at least 3 weeks to one month, until lemon rinds soften and are ready to use.



To use, remove a lemon from the jar and rinse thoroughly in water to remove salt. Discard seeds before using. Discard the pulp before using, if desired.



Store in refrigerator for up to 6 months.