Jams And Jars: Grown-Up Applesauce

With dozens of apples taking up valuable real estate in my fridge, it seemed inevitable I'd get around to making some applesauce. I'd never actually made homemade applesauce before even though it's something I've loved since childhood. I'd eat big bowlfuls of the stuff whenever I was under the weather, and it's still something I crave every so often.

This 'grown-up' version, from Fine Cooking magazine, is wonderful, especially when still slightly warm. I'm sure the fact that the apples were only a day or two off the tree had something to do with it, but let's not discount the role the butter and brandy play. The addition of half a vanilla bean, and the recommendation that the pod steep in the sauce as it cooks, also elevates this to something far greater than what you'd typically pick up in the grocery store.

Jams And Jars: Slow-Roasted Plum Tomato Sauce

Thanks go to my foodie friend Bonita, she of the fabulous Bon Eats blog, for telling me about this wonderful sauce from Cuizoo. I'd been searching in vain for a tomato sauce recipe that started with fresh Romas as opposed to canned ones -- who knew it would be so difficult? -- and I'm glad I went with this one, even though the making of it was slightly ridiculous. Not the author's fault, but mine, entirely.

You see, I knew full well that the sauce needed five, six hours to cook down. And yet, I let the weekend slip away, while my beautiful Romas sat untouched on the kitchen counter. Suddenly it was 8pm on Sunday and I was at risk of letting some or all of the tomatoes go bad. So I went for it, even though I knew the sauce likely wouldn't go in the oven until 9pm (meaning it'd be finished cooking at, you guessed it, 3am).

Jams And Jars: Peach Jam

Anyone who knows me knows I have a bit of a jam addiction. At any given time I have five or six varieties in my fridge, and I'd just as soon serve it over ice cream, with cheese and crackers, or whisk it into a sauce or marinade as spread it on toast.

My favourite jam is apricot, not only for its taste but its versatility, and I'd planned to make a big batch of it this year to see me through the fall and winter. Sadly, apricot season passed me by before I had a chance to do much with them -- one galette was all she wrote.

So, we entered peach season, and once I saw the lovely Red Havens on display I knew they'd make a fabulous preserve. One of my foodie friends agreed, so we set aside a Sunday afternoon to whip up a few batches. (When you're going to the trouble of making jam, why not make a whole whack of it, right?)

Jams And Jars: Pickled Red Onions

This is the first of what I hope will be many 'Jams And Jars' posts on Plum Tart. Last year I tried my hand at a few preserves, including a variety of pestos (basil, parsley, sundried tomato) and jams (Meyer lemon marmalade, strawberry, strawberry-rhubarb), and this year I want to do much more. Chutneys, pickles, compotes, sauces, you name it.

With the St. Lawrence Market -- and its weekly farmer's market on Saturdays -- a stone's throw from my door, I have the best of local fruits and veg to pick from. And there's really nothing better than crunchy homemade dill pickles beside a grilled cheese sandwich, marinara sauce with summer-fresh tomatoes served over pasta in the dead of winter, toast and jam made with Ontario berries. Although I didn't blog about it, I made my own mayonnaise -- actually lemon aioli -- recently and it was fantastic. Miracle Whip, I'm through with you.

So to kick things off: pickled red onions. These have to be the easiest preserves I've ever made as they take no time to cook. The hardest part is slicing the onions. Once that's done, you simmer them with white wine, honey, lemon juice, sugar, and salt for about 10 minutes til softened and that's all she wrote.


This recipe is from Fresh with Anna Olson, part of her Fiddlehead Salad, but the onions can be used for all sorts of things -- as a burger or sandwich condiment, over chicken or fish, or in any variety of other salads.

Pickled Red Onions
Makes 4 cups

4 cups sliced red onions
1/3 cup sugar
1/3 cup honey
1 cup dry white wine
1/4 cup lemon juice
1 tsp salt

Simmer all the ingredients, uncovered, over medium heat until the onions are tender and the liquid has evaporated, about 10 minutes. These can be refrigerated for up to six weeks.

Source: Fresh with Anna Olson, Anna Olson, Whitecap, 2009

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