Garden Vegetable Soup

For sometime, it seemed like Old Man Winter wasn't going to pull his usual tricks this season in eastern Massachusetts. A glance out the window today proves otherwise. Warm up your body and soul with this simple and quick tomato-based soup loaded with nutritious vegetables. It's also a great way to include any summer favorites you put up, whether canned, dried, or frozen.

Garden Vegetable Soup
Makes about 9 pints

Ingredients:
• 1/4 cup olive oil
• 2 cups chopped onion
• 2 tbsp minced garlic
• 2 scant cups carrots, chopped into rounds
• 2 scant cups diced potatoes (I used an unpeeled Russet)
• 2 cups green beans, broken or cut into 3/4-inch pieces
• 2 quarts (64 oz) chicken or vegetable stock
• 4 cups tomatoes, chopped or crushed
• 1 can tomato paste (no or low sodium)
• 2 scant cups corn kernels
• 1/2 tsp freshly ground black pepper
• 1/4+ tsp dijon mustard
• 1/4 cup packed, chopped fresh parsley leaves
• 1-2 tsp lemon juice
• salt and herbs to taste (I used dried tarragon and basil)

Directions:

Heat the olive oil in large, heavy-bottomed stockpot over medium-low heat. Once hot, add the onion, garlic, and a pinch of salt and sweat until they begin to soften, approximately 7 to 8 minutes. Add the carrots and potatoes and continue to cook for 4 to 5 more minutes, stirring occasionally.

Add the stock, increase the heat to high, and bring to a simmer. Once simmering, add the tomatoes, tomato paste, corn kernels, green beans*, and pepper. Reduce the heat to low, cover, and cook until the vegetables are fork tender, approximately 25 to 30 minutes. Remove from heat and add the parsley and lemon juice. Season to taste with salt and herbs, if desired. Serve immediately or store in the fridge (about a week) or freezer (2-3 months) in pint or quart containers.

This soup can be as simple or complex as you would like. Consider additional or different veggies- whether fresh, frozen, or canned- and herbs for an individualized dish. Some particulars I had in mind were mushrooms, English peas, hearty greens like kale, collards, or even Swiss chard, reconstituted dry beans like cannellini or kidney, or winter squash.

*Unlike the original recipe, I recommend leaving out any tender green vegetables, like fresh green beans, peas, or chard, until the last five or so minutes of cooking for brighter colors and flavors.

This recipe is NOT intended for canning.

Rebekah

Image by Rebekah Carter (2012). Recipe adapted from Alton Brown's Good Eats.

Classic Marmalade

'Tis the season for quality citrus. Let the distinctive aroma and taste of oranges, lemons, and grapefruits in the form of homemade marmalade whisk you away from the cold, dark days of winter in New England to memories of warmer seasons and places. The following recipe, which utilizes the whole fruit (pith, membrane, and seeds are added for the natural pectin they yield when boiled), makes for a sweet and slightly bitter preserve to spread on bread and other baked goods, stir into plain yogurt, or brush on pork, poultry, or fish as a glaze.

Classic Marmalade
Makes about 7 half-pints

4.5 lbs of citrus fruit*, whole (I used only navel oranges)
6 cups sugar
4 cups zest poaching liquid
*Should yield roughly 2.5 cups zest and 4+ cups flesh

Instructions:

Wash/scrub all fruit. Using a paring knife or vegetable peeler, remove zest from fruit, leaving as much pith on the fruit as possible. Cut the zest into thin slices, about 1/8 to 1/4 inch thick; longer zest "ribbons" may need to be cut in half as well. In a medium-sized pot, add zest ribbons to 6 cups of cold water; bring to a boil, reduce heat, and simmer for 30 minutes.

In the meantime, separate the fruit from the pith, seeds, and membrane (watch this 48-second tutorial to see how the pros do it) into two bowls. Bundle the pith, seeds, and membranes in cheesecloth, tying off tightly to ensure no pieces escape.

Drain the zest, reserving 4 cups of poaching liquid in a large, non-reactive pot (stainless steel or enameled cast iron work well). Add poached zest, raw fruit, sugar, and the cheesecloth bundle to the pot and bring to a boil; cook vigorously until the marmalade reaches and sustains 220 degrees F for at least a minute (takes about 30-45 minutes). Remove the pot from heat and gently stir for a minute to help evenly distribute the zest throughout the marmalade.

Fill sterilized jars and process for five minutes in a boiling water bath canner for shelf-stability.


Rebekah

Image by Rebekah Carter (2012). Marmalade recipe adapted from Food in Jars.

Rhubarb Chutney

When I hear "rhubarb," a little voice inside of my head always follows with "strawberries!" For the greater part of my life, rhubarb found its way into my belly via one route only: strawberry rhubarb pie. Delicious as it may be, I wanted to try something a little different this rhubarb season, maybe even something beyond the realm of dessert fare. Then along came this recipe for a spiced rhubarb chutney. Though I'm sure it works fabulously as a glaze for pork (I'm thinking chops or ribs) or salmon, it makes for a wonderful last-minute appetizer; add goat cheese, nuts, and toasted baguette slices to the equation and POOF! You've got yourself a delicious hors d'oeuvre. Just don't forget the plate and utensils, if you feel like being fancy about it.

Rhubarb Chutney
(makes 3 half pints)

Ingredients:

• 4 cups sliced rhubarb
• 1 cup chopped onion
• 3/4 cup raisins
• 2 cups brown sugar (I used maple syrup & white sugar)
  
• 1 1/2 cups apple cider vinegar
• 2 teaspoons salt
• 1 teaspoon cinnamon
• 1 teaspoons ginger (I used freshly grated)
  
• 1/4 teaspoon ground cloves
• 1/2 teaspoon mustard seed
  
• 1/4 teaspoon hot pepper flakes (optional)

Directions:

Combine all ingredients in a heavy pot (do not use cast iron as the vinegar will strip your seasoning; enamel-lined dutch oven works well) and bring to a boil. Turn down heat and simmer gently until slightly thickened (45 minutes is suggested but decrease simmering time if you want to maintain some rhubarb shape and texture). Be sure to stir frequently as to avoid sticking and scorching. When you are satisfied with the texture, pour into clean pint jars.

If canning, process in a hot water bath for 10 minutes.

My Two Cents:

I did not can my batch nor had brown sugar on hand, so I substituted with a combination of pure maple syrup and white sugar. If you are canning this recipe but want to replace the refined sugar with something like maple syrup or honey, be sure to check with your local extension office first to ensure food safety! From what I've read, mild-flavored honey can safely replace up to half and maple syrup up to a quarter of the sugar called for in a canning recipe. I love using agave nectar whenever possible, but I am not aware of any recommendations on using it as a refined sugar substitute for canning.

Rebekah

Recipe from The New York Times Heritage Cook Book (page 547) by Jean Hewitt via Food in Jars. Images by Rebekah Carter (2011).

Homemade Stock

For some, the thought of making one's own vegetable or chicken stock may seem a daunting task best left to corporate entities. I would beg to differ. Homemade stock is really quite easy to prepare and is the perfect way to use up vegetable scraps (skins, ends and all) and the picked chicken carcass leftover from roasting a bird whole. The recipe below is simply an idea base for stock making. Depending on what you plan to make with it, you may want to add or remove certain ingredients, especially particular vegetables, herbs, and spices that will enhance the flavor of your soup or dish. Let your imagination run wild; just be sure to follow specific instructions provided by the USDA if you are making meat or vegetable stock for canning in order to prevent life-threatening foodborne illness.


Chicken Stock*

The Ingredients:

- cooked & picked chicken carcass (meat scraps, bones, cartilage, skin, pan juices)
- chicken neck (if included)
- carrots
- celery
- onion and/or shallot
- garlic
- herbs (parsley, bay leaf, thyme, cilantro, rosemary, sage)
- salt
- peppercorns
- additional spices as seen fit
- additional vegetables as seen fit (mushrooms, tomatoes, potatoes, bell pepper, fennel, leek, parsnips)


*If you are making vegetable stock, omit the chicken parts and bulk up on the veggies, especially your traditional mirepoix (pronounced "meer-pwah") ingredients: onion, celery, and carrots. I recommend going heavy on the garlic and parsley for most stocks intended for soup making.

How to Make it:

Simple math should tell us that the more surface area our ingredients have, the more flavor we can extract from them. This said, break up your carcass and peel and chop your vegetables and aromatics (the more fragrant ingredients, including alliums, herbs, and spices), being sure to keep the peels, skins, and ends. Depending on the amount of scraps you have from prior cooking, you may also want to include additional fresh vegetable pieces for a more flavorful stock. Put all of the ingredients in a large stock pot; add cold water (Why cold? To better release the collagen in the chicken, which thickens the stock) until it covers all ingredients by a few of inches; you can always add more water if the level drops too much during cooking. Over medium-high or high heat, cook the mixture just until the point of boiling; reduce heat to maintain a simmer for 3-4 hours if making chicken stock or 2-3 hours for vegetable stock. With tongs or a slotted spoon, carefully remove large pieces of the chicken and vegetables, placing in a metal mesh strainer and pressing on the scraps to retain liquid in your stock pot. Once you've removed all of the chicken parts and the larger vegetable pieces, carefully pour your stock through the same mesh strainer; press on the "catch" left in the strainer and discard.

How to Store it:

If you are using your stock immediately, simply add it to your soup or dish when needed. If you are refrigerating it, portion it into glass jars (those used for traditional canning work well) or airtight plastic containers for easier storage. If you are freezing it, portion it into airtight plastic containers; label and date each container. Stock kept in the fridge should be used and consumed within a week of preparation; frozen stock should be used within three months for flavor and food safety.

My Two Cents:

I generally make stock one day and my soup the day after. While I will use vegetable scraps from prior preparations (such as roasting the bird), I always include additional whole veggies and herbs, roughly chopped, to ensure a delicious outcome. For extra flavor, I scrape off and add the schmaltz (the congealed chicken fat that rises to the top of the stock after refrigeration) to my mirepoix veggies when making the soup instead of using butter or oil. Just one more way to make slightly better use of your food dollars!

Rebekah

Images by Rebekah Carter (2011).

Food Preservation Workshop

Last month, Waltham Fields hosted a workshop exploring two traditional food preservation techniques: water-bath canning and lactic-acid fermentation, used for sauerkraut and kimchi, a traditional Korean dish of fermented vegetables. Taught by the farm's own Jericho Bicknell and guest instructor Audra Karp, the duo showed a small class of local adults the step-by-step processes for making dill pickles and sauerkraut. For more information about food preservation, please reference the USDA Home Canning Guide.

Dill Pickles

(Makes seven pints)

30-40 medium pickling cucumbers, about 5 inches long
3/4 cup sugar
3/4 cup canning salt
1 quart apple cider vinegar
1 quart water
7 fresh dill heads
7 cloves garlic

Mix together sugar, salt, vinegar, and water, and bring to a boil. Scrub cucumbers, remove stem and blossom ends; cut lengthwise into quarters, not longer than the shoulder height of the jar. Put 1 whole head of fresh dill and 1 clove garlic into each clean, hot jar. Pack the jars with cucumbers upright. Pour in the boiling brine (vinegar mixture), leaving 1/2 inch headroom. Adjust lids. Process in boiling water bath (212 F) for 10 minutes. Remove jars and let cool.

Sauerkraut
(Makes 1 quart)

1 medium head of cabbage (remove outer leaves)
1 onion
2-3 carrots, scrubbed
3-4+ cloves of garlic
Sea salt (1 heaping tsp to 1 lb of veggies)

Chop or shred carrots and cabbage, being sure to remove any bruised or dark spots. Toss vegetables in a bowl with salt and mix well. Chop the onion and mince the garlic, then add them to the bowl. Let the salt pull out some water from the cabbage for some time, stirring occasionally. Press the ingredients into a clean glass jar until liquid comes out the top, leaving about an inch of air space. Cover and leave at room temperature for 3-4 days, pushing down the veggies once per day as they produce gas. Transfer the kraut to cool storage and let it ferment at least two additional weeks. The sauerkraut can be eaten immediately, but improves with age.

Suggested Reading: Putting Food By by Janet Greene, Ruth Hertzberg, and Beatrice Vaughan

Originally published in 1973, Putting Food By is considered an excellent resource for home food preservation techniques. It includes information on freezing, pickling, drying, curing, and preserving, as well as new canning procedures, processing times, and tested recipes.

Media (text and image) created and published by Rebekah Carter 2010.