- Author: Dayna Ravalin, UC Master Food Preserver
- Editor: Jennifer Hopkins
Have you ever wondered what to do with leftover wine or perhaps a bottle that didn't quite suit your taste? I know I have been in this predicament a few times. It's a shame to pour it out, so what do you do with it? How about make some wine jelly? The procedure is simple, and it will yield a flavorful product that can accompany a variety of cheeses, meats, and charcuterie boards. Or, if you're like me, enjoy it on a cream scone or slice of sourdough toast with a cup of tea. YUM!
Recently, I opened a bottle of champagne and didn't like the taste so I decided to use it to make wine jelly. I chose the Herbes de Provence Wine Jelly recipe from the Ball® Complete Book of Home Preserving 2012 edition. Since I used champagne instead of still white wine (my champagne was flat) and dried lavender for the Herbes de Provence, the variation I made is called Lavender Wine Jelly.
First, before starting any preservation project, make sure your workspace is very clean, including all equipment. Wash your hands with soap and water for at least 20 seconds before you begin. Next, gather your supplies.
Then, measure your ingredients using appropriate utensils for the job. Use dry measuring tools for non-liquid ingredients and liquid measuring tools for liquids, of course!
Next, wash all your jars, lids, and rings and prepare them according to the manufacturer's recommendations. As you can see from the photo, I use reusable lids for my canning projects. Single use lids work very well too.
Pour your measured wine into a stainless-steel pot and add the dried culinary lavender.
Note: Make sure the variety of lavender you are using is meant to be used in cooking. Not all lavender is created equally.
/span>
Bring the lavender and wine to a boil, cover, and remove from the heat and allow to steep for 20 minutes.
After steeping, I transferred the liquid using a strainer lined with several layers of cheesecloth set over a deep bowl and let it drip for several minutes. You can also use a dampened jelly bag for this step. You will need 1 ¾ cups of infused wine. You may need to squeeze the cheesecloth or jelly bag to get enough liquid.
Meanwhile, heat your jars in your atmospheric steam canner or boiling water canner. I use a steam canner, when possible, to minimize the amount of needed water for processing and ease of use. The processing time is the same as for a boiling water canner. Recipes must require less than 45 minutes of processing time and be considered a high acid food in order to be safely canned in an atmospheric steam canner.
Transfer the steeped wine into a large stainless-steel pot. As you can see, my wine turned a beautiful rose color thanks to the newly dried lavender pigment.
Stir in the sugar all at once.
Bring to a full rolling boil that cannot be stirred down and stir in the pectin.
Boil hard for 2 minutes, stirring constantly.
Remove from heat and quickly skim off the foam.
Quickly pour the hot jelly into the hot jars removing air bubbles and adjusting headspace to ¼ inch. Wipe jar rim and lid your jar.
Apply the jar ring and load into the canner.
Process these jars in a boiling water canner or atmospheric steam canner for 10 minutes. Remove jars from the canner after the recommended wait time and allow to cool for 24 hours.
After 24 hours, check seals, remove rings, and store in a dark cool place. Make sure to place any unsealed jars in the refrigerator to enjoy right away.
This recipe is such fun and doesn't require the longer preparation time that other jelly recipes do. Enjoy this during the upcoming holidays or enjoy now during the warmer months as part of a charcuterie board, or just pair it with a wedge of brie cheese and your favorite cracker. Either way, you'll always want to have some in the pantry! It also makes a great gift!
Recipe:
Lavender Wine Jelly
Ingredients
2 cups dry white wine
1 Tbsp. dried culinary lavender
2 cups granulated sugar
1 pouch (3oz.) liquid pectin
Directions:
- In a large stainless-steel saucepan combine wine and lavender. Bring to a boil over high heat. Remove from heat, cover and let steep for 20 minutes.
- Transfer to a dampened jelly bag or a strainer lined with several layers of dampened cheesecloth set over a deep bowl. Let drip undisturbed, for 20 minutes. Measure 1 ¾ cups infused wine. If you do not have the required amount, squeeze the bag.
- Meanwhile, prepare canner, jars, and lids according to manufacturer recommendations.
- Transfer infused wine to a clean, large, deep stainless-steel saucepan. Stir in sugar.
- Stirring constantly over high heat, bring mixture to a full rolling boil that cannot be stirred down. Stir in pectin. Boil hard, stirring constantly for 2 minutes. Remove from heat and quickly skim off foam.
- Quickly pour hot jelly into hot jars, leaving ¼ inch headspace. Wipe rim. Center lid on jar. Screw band down until resistance is met then increase to fingertip tight, or according to manufacturer directions for reusable lids.
- Place jars in canner and process for 10 minutes. Once process is complete, remove jars according to canner type after recommended wait time (5 minutes for boiling water canner), and cool for 24 hours. Label jars with contents and date of preparation and store in a cool, dark place.
UC Master Food Preservers do not endorse or promote any brand of products.
- Author: Katie Brenna, UC Master Food Preserver, San Luis Obispo/Santa Barbara Counties
- Editor: Dayna Ravalin, UCCE Master Food Preserver Program Coordinator
- Editor: Katherine Soule, Youth, Families, and Communities Advisor
This project satisfies several kitchen itches, namely: makes good use of sourdough discard, shows some love for a neglected kitchen tool, and produces a simple, delicious cracker.
The original version of this recipe can be found at https://www.loveandoliveoil.com/2019/03/sourdough-crackers-with-olive-oil-herbs.html I had just purchased some toasted sesame seeds on sale at my local supermarket and decided to change it up just a bit.
Here is my version of the recipe:
Dry Ingredients:
- 1/2 cup (60g) all-purpose flour
- 1/2 cup (60g) whole wheat flour
- 2 tablespoons (12g) rye flour
- 3 tablespoons toasted sesame seeds
- 1/2 teaspoon salt
Wet Ingredients:
- 200 grams (about 1 cup) mature sourdough starter (100% hydration)
- 2 tablespoons (32g) extra virgin olive oil
- 1 tablespoons (32g) toasted sesame oil
Finish:
- Salt of choice for topping
Procedure
In a bowl, combine the dry ingredients. Add the wet ingredients. Mix to combine, kneading until the dough comes together in a smooth ball.Wrap tightly in plastic wrap and refrigerate for at least 30 minutes or up to 24 hours. Longer refrigeration results in an improved sour flavor.
Wrap tightly in plastic wrap and refrigerate for at least 30 minutes or up to 24 hours. Longer refrigeration results in an improved sour flavor.
Position oven racks in the upper 1/3 and lower 1/3 of oven; preheat to 350 degrees F. Line four baking sheets with parchment or silicone baking mats.
Cut dough in half; put one half back in the fridge while you roll out the other.
Position a small bowl of flour on a kitchen scale and tare the scale (reset the scale to zero). Set your pasta machine to the desired thickness. Setting #5 (of 7) worked well for me.
Cut small pieces of dough and weigh each aiming for 10 gram pieces. Once your eye gets calibrated, this will go faster than you think. Roll each piece of dough in the flour before removing it from the scale.Shape each 10g piece into a small ball and run it through the pasta machine. Crank the machine with one hand and place the other under the machine to catch the formed cracker in your palm. It helps to lightly four your palm and move it away from the machine as the cracker is formed. I crank with my right and catch with my left but I'm left handed, so the opposite may work better for you.
Alternatively, each piece can be rolled into an oblong rectangle with a rolling pin on a lightly floured surface and cut to desired shapes.
Lay the crackers side by side on a parchment-covered baking sheet.
Spritz or brush lightly with water; sprinkle with salt.
Bake for 15 to 18 minutes or until lightly golden brown and crispy, rotating the pans top to bottom and back to front part way through baking.
Let cool, then transfer crackers to a cooling rack. Repeat with remaining dough.
Crackers will keep nestled in wax paper in an airtight container at room temperature for about a month
One of the things I love about this recipe is that it adapts well to different flours, oils and herbs. Once you get the basics down, the possibilities are endless. One note of caution, I tried it once with fennel seeds and found they had a tendency to catch and tear the dough as it rolled through the pasta machine. Perhaps grinding them in a spice grinder would have been a better choice? At any rate, they were still delicious!!
Enjoy!
- Author: Lynn Pastusak, UC Master Food Preserver of San Luis Obispo and Santa Barbara Counties
- Editor: Dayna Ravalin, UCCE Master Food Preserver Program Coordinator
- Editor: Katherine Soule, Youth, Families, and Communities Advisor
Fava beans, or broad beans, are one of the oldest know cultivated plants carbon dated to over 10,000 years ago according to research published in an online paper in the journal of Scientific Reports. They are a major crop in many countries, but not very popular in the United States – probably because it takes so much time to prepare them (LOL)!? But, believe me, the time and effort are worth it after you have tasted these delicate, buttery, nutty flavored beans.
The plant is like a pea plant. The pods can be harvested young and eaten whole or let them grow until they are big and bumpy, and then eat the bean inside the pod. The pod can be left on the plant until the both the pod and beans are dry.
Fava beans can be eaten raw, boiled, steamed, stewed, mashed, sautéed, fried, or roasted.
Freezing is a good way to preserve fava beans. Here is a step-by-step guide to harvesting and freezing fava beans.
Step 1. Harvest the beans. Look for large green pods that feel like there are little balls inside.
Photo credit: Lynn Pastusak
Step 2. Remove the beans from the pod.
Photo credit: Lynn Pastusak
After the beans are removed from the pods, you will have a beautiful bowl of shelled beans.
Photo credit: Lynn Pastusak
Step 3. Put the beans in a colander and rinse with cold running water.
Photo credit: Lynn Pastusak
Step 4. Now it's time to cook the beans and get them ready to freeze. For best quality, it's recommended to fully cook the beans. (There is no approved method for blanching fava beans before freezing.) Bring the water to a boil. Add some beans and bring back to a boil. You want to cook the beans in small batches to prevent over cooking. Cook each batch for about 4 minutes.
Photo credit: Lynn Pastusak
Step 5. Remove the beans from the boiling water with a slotted spoon and place in a bowl of ice water. Let the beans sit in the icy water for about 4 minutes to cool completely.
Photo credit: Lynn Pastusak
Step 6. Place the beans on a clean towel and dry. Put the dry beans in a single layer on a cookie sheet lined with parchment paper, nonstick foil, or waxed paper to prevent sticking. This method of freezing is called Individually Quick Frozen (IQF). It's a great way to freeze small sized foods and prevents them from freezing in a “clump”. Place the tray with the beans in the freezer for about 2 hours.
Speaking of “clump” – don't make the same mistake I did. I removed the outer layer of skin before layering the beans on the cookie sheet, froze them, placed them in a bag in the freezer and ended up with a wad of fava beans stuck together! Apparently, if the skin is removed, the bean remains moist and they will freeze together. I find leaving the skin on, also protects the bean from freezer burn and they have a fresher texture after thawing. Read more about when and how to remove the outer skin in Step 9.
Photo credit: Lynn Pastusak
Step 7. When the beans are frozen, place them in a freezer safe bag or container. If you have a vacuum sealer, now is a good time to use it. Label the container with the name and date they were frozen.
Photo credit: Lynn Pastusak
Step 8. The beans are frozen. Now what? When you are ready to eat some, remove the amount you want from the container. Place the beans in a bowl of lukewarm water.
Photo credit: Lynn Pastusak
Step 9. There is a layer of skin that needs to be removed. Yes, that is correct…another layer to be removed before you get to that yummy bean! Remember, I mentioned earlier not to remove the layer of skin until now? Put a small hole in the skin with your finger and pop the bean out. It's quick and easy!
Photo credit: Lynn Pastusak
Now you have a nice bunch of fava beans that are ready to eat.
Photo credit: Lynn Pastusak
Fava beans can be eaten cold (add them to a salad or munch on them as a snack). Or, they can be heated as a side dish, added into stew, fried rice, or used in a recipe in place of peas.
Here's my favorite recipe which is quick and easy. It takes less than five (5) minutes to cook.
Sautéed Fava Beans
1 c. fava beans, thawed and shelled (skin removed)
1 tbsp. olive oil
1 clove garlic, chopped
Salt and pepper, to taste
Fresh basil leaves, coarsely chopped
Heat olive oil in a pan. Add garlic and sauté just to soften, about a minute. Add beans, salt, and pepper. Continue sautéing until mixture is almost heated through. Top with basil, stir, and continue sautéing until basil is wilted and beans are completed heated.
Photo credit: Lynn Pastusak
This is a yummy side dish with lemon rice and crab cakes.
- Author: Katherine Soule, Youth, Families, and Communities Advisor
- Editor: Dayna Ravalin, UCCE Master Food Preserver Program Coordinator
Photo credit: Katherine Soule
In the last few months, the UC Master Food Preserver Program in the County of San Luis Obispo has received a couple of donations to support our mission to teach research-based practices of safe home food preservation to the residents of San Luis Obispo County. In one instance, a local community organization donates several cases of wine as the COVID-19 pandemic meant they would not be able to use the wine at any events this year. Last week, we received quite a few pounds of figs that otherwise would have been treated as food waste. With these donations, we knew the perfect recipe to make: Rosemary, Fig, and Red Wine Jam a safe, home-based recipe from Ball®.
The first step was to sort and clean the figs. Figs that were spoiled were composted. The rest of the figs were washed, wiped with clean towels, and then destemmed. Fig skin is very thin, so I did not scrub them with a vegetable brush.
Since we had so many figs, I decided to make 4 batches of jam. The second step was to harvest and wash the whole rosemary leaves, after removing them from the stems. I brought two tablespoons of rosemary leaves and half a bottle of red wine to a simmer. The herbaceous and berry scents filled the kitchen with an invigorating fragrance, which I enjoyed while moving on to prepare the figs.
Photo credit: Katherine Soule
The recipe indicated that the figs needed to be finely chopped. I was surprised at how long it took to chop the figs for the first batch. Once I completed this first batch of jam, I also realized that I had chopped them larger than desired.
So for the next batch, I decided to use a food processor, making the chopping much faster and providing a more consistent result. After cutting the figs, I moved them into a large enameled pot on the stove, adding pectin, and bottled lemon juice, which I brought to a vigorous boil. The lemon juice is an important ingredient in this fig-based recipe to ensure that there is enough acid to make the product safe to consume after canning.
Photo credit: Katherine Soule
Then I measured the sugar. With this large volume of sugar, the jam would make a wonderful seasonal treat rather than as a daily complement to breakfast. While I brought the mixture back to a boil, I started to pull the canning jars out of the boiling water canner, so they would be hot when I added the jam.
Photo credit: Katherine Soule
Since this jam has so much sugar, the jars were very sticky after I filled them. I cleaned all the rims and the sides of the jars with a warm wet towel. Then, I added the lids and hand tightened the rings. To save energy and time, I used an atmospheric steam canner following the processing time in the recipe.
Photo credit: Katherine Soule
After pulling the jars out of the canner, I left them to set undisturbed for 24 hours. The next day, I took off the rings and checked the seals on all the jars. Two of the jars did not seal, so I cleaned the jar rims and replaced with new lids and rings. Then, I re-processed these two jars in the atmospheric steam canner for a second time. They still did not seal, so I stored them in the fridge.
These jams would make a lovely thank you gift or holiday present. The recipe suggests pairing the jam with blue cheese, which sounds delicious on homemade sourdough crackers. You can find this jam recipe on the Ball® website freshpreserving.com.
- Author: Debbie George, UC Master Food Preserver of San Luis Obispo and Santa Barbara Counties
- Editor: Dayna Ravalin
- Editor: Katherine Soule
Photo credit: Debbie George
What to do with all those bottles of wine? Well the obvious is to pour a glass and enjoy! The other would be to use in cooking a fabulous coq au vin or create a rich burgundy stew. But I digress...how about trying your hand at infusing together your favorite wine (or other alcoholic spirit) and salt to create a tasty finishing salt is as easy as 1, 2, 3.
Photo credit: Debbie George
First things first...line two cookie sheets with parchment paper. Gather your supplies, wine, and salt. Kosher salt and sea salt are great choices in a medium or coarse grind. (Note: Use 1 cup of salt for every 3 cups of wine.)
And in case you didn't know, a bottle of red is 25.4 oz., so a smidge over 3 cups. Use the extra bit to make sure the wine is drinkable!
Photo credit: Debbie George
Pour 3 cups of wine into a pan and bring to a boil, lower heat to simmer. Continue stirring and adjusting the temperature until the wine has reduced to approximately 1/4 cup of a thick syrup, enough to coat a spoon. This will take anywhere from 20-40 minutes...sometimes longer depending on the size of the pot and the type of the liquid used. Watch carefully as the liquid can go from thick to burnt quickly.
I find it easier to pour the salt into a bowl and add the reduced liquid and mix thoroughly to infuse the salt. If the mixture is too wet, don't fret...add more salt and keep mixing.
Photo credit: Debbie George
Once the salt is completely mixed, spread onto the parchment lined cookie sheets and allow to air dry for two days (or longer depending on the humidity), stirring frequently. Or to speed up the process, use the "heat dry" technique in the oven at 170°F or lower for two hours, stirring frequently about every 15-30 minutes. Once dry, store in an airtight container. (Note: oven drying will alter the color of the salts.)
Photo credit: Debbie George
Use your finishing salt on a variety of foods. Sprinkle on salad greens. Add it to your grilled steak, prime rib, lamb, or pork tenderloin. Use a bit on a French onion or steamy bowl of cream of mushroom soup made with rosemary and garlic. Don't just think savory, try a small amount on top of dark chocolate brownies, fudge, or a chocolate chunk cookie. Finish your pasta tossed with fresh tomatoes, basil, and garlic with a few shakes of it! Be creative…and enjoy!
For more information and other flavors go to: http://steelehousekitchen.com/homemade-flavored-salts