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Posts tagged ‘Washington’

Mar 21

9 Comments

Bruschetta In Eleven Minutes Tops!

Bruschetta landscape

A favorite in our home because we love Italian food anything, it’s healthy and a snap to make.

Bruschetta in the making

When my daughter was four she came in from munching sweet cherry tomatoes and basil in the garden and exclaimed ” We have a grocery store in our backyard!”  Then she asked…”can we grow a mozzarella plant?” She asked the proper question; can we? If only that were possible. “I wish we could.” was my answer. However, these questions did open the door to researching how mozzarella is made, and where it comes from. I’ve not yet ventured to make it myself, but I hear Mozzarella is pretty easy to produce, so I’ll have to try it and get back to you about that.

Until then, here’s our favorite bruschetta recipe:

Bruschetta

1 Local baguette sliced (I love the Mazama Store’s because it has a wee bit of salt on top)
2-3 Red, preferably heirloom, garden tomatoes (however with snow still on the ground, organic vine-ripened tomatoes have the most flavor)
15 Basil leaves or as many as you have slices of bread
Fresh mozzarella (you can find the pre-sliced kind at some stores) to top the slices of bread
salt for sprinkling
Olive oil (Italian) to drizzle
Balsamic Vinegar (aged has a sweeter flavor, but any will do) to drizzle

Bruschetta olive oil drip drop bottle

Action:

1. Toast the slices of bread, or if you have time put them over the grill or gas burner, to toast
2. Add sliced mozzarella
3. Add Basil face up to catch some of the oil and balsamic drizzle
4. Add sliced tomatoes to each
5. Sprinkle with salt
6. Drizzle with Olive Oil and Balsamic Vinegar

Bruschetta Ready To Eat!

Buon Appetito!

* Thank you to Diane, Geof, Linda, Marc, Hannah and Eva for patiently waiting to devour these tasty bites while E.A did his photo dance to capture the bruschetta when freshest.

Head Shot RachelleRachelle @ Caramelize Life

“making life a little sweeter, through food, travel and community”

Mar 1

3 Comments

Methow River Steelhead

It’s true, today March 1st is the opening day for anglers on the Methow River.

Weymuller Photography-fishing

Have a wonderful weekend!

 

Head Shot Rachelle Rachelle @ Caramelize Life

“making life sweeter through food, travel and community”

 

Feb 14

RKW_0062 Eva hand rock Harts Pass HIke 2012

We

We

We at Caramelize Life wish you a wonderful Valentine’s Day filled will all that matters most to you.

Cheers!

Head Shot Rachelle Rachelle @ Caramelize Life
“Making Life a Little Sweeter through Food, Travel and Community”

Dec 11

Hotspot Firepits
6 Comments

Soup Sensations of the Season

Soups are definitive of the winter palate.  In the days of summer heat, a steamy soup might strike us as absurd.  But as soon as winter sets in, I begin craving those foods that warm us from within.

Hot entrées are a must, but soup recipes are some of the best, not only heating the body from tummy to toes, but providing perks like great nutrition, improved digestion and an adventure in flavors.

And with this backyard view of snowy white, the inspiration has sprung to put the soup on!

Current backyard view, Alder Mountain

current backyard view

Last month I published a culinary article for our local newspaper, Methow Valley News, which showcased five soups from area chefs.  Here is one of those and one of my own, with some lovely embellishments.

~Chicken Pesto Tortolini Soup~

Hearty without being heavy, and nutritious without compromising flavor, this soup is a comparably quick recipe that suits many tastes.  The zing of lemon-almond pesto lends flavor sensations.  Fortunately, there are many batches of pesto from this summer’s abundance of garden basil and garlic.  Frozen in the hot months, my pesto batches come out of the freezer nice and fresh.

~Recipe~

DSCF3607

garden basil for pesto a’plenty

1 lb. chicken, skinned and boned, cut into 1 inch pieces

3+ tablespoons extra virgin olive oil

2 large yellow onions, minced

5 stalks celery, minced

6 cups chicken stock

1 lb. cheese tortellini

1/3+ cup pesto

salt and pepper to taste

fresh lemon juice to taste

fresh basil for garnish

~Almond-Lemon Pesto~

4-5 cloves garlic

1 cup + fresh basil leaves

1/3 cup roasted almonds

1/2 cup extra virgin olive oil

1/2 cup parmesan cheese

2 teaspoons freshly squeezed lemon juice

salt and pepper to taste

garden garlic

garden garlic

1~ Begin by preparing pesto; combine all ingredients in a food processor and blend until smooth.  Pesto can be made ahead and frozen for later or kept refrigerated for up to 3 days.

2~ For soup, begin with a large sauce pot and heat olive oil; sauté chicken for a few minutes and add onions and celery, cooking until soft but not transparent.

3~ Add stock and bring to a boil; reduce heat to a simmer and add tortellini, cooking until softened but not pillowy.

4~ Stir in pesto and adjust flavor with salt, pepper and lemon; remove from heat.

5~ Garnish with freshly minced basil and/or parmesean, serve and enjoy.

Yield: about 8 servings

Hotspot Firepits by Alpine Welding

~Roasted Squash Soup with Fennel & Pear~

Cooking with chef Stewart Dietz (www.dietzcatering.com) is delightfully creative.  Her many culinary creations draw on classic French cuisine, flavors from around the world and our local gardens.  I was happy to cook with her throughout her catering season this summer and learned to make this delectable soup, which I reproduced at home in vast amounts.

With fall harvest vegetables and fruits in storage, this soup utilizes seasonal bounty. For those looking for dairy and gluten free recipes that don’t compromise complex flavor, this recipe is highly recommended. Stewart adapted a similar recipe from Dorie Greenspan’s book, Around My French Table, and serves it to large groups at catered parties.

This bisque-like soup is highly nutritious and can be made with meat stock or completely vegan with vegetable stock. Distinguishing elements include the warm spices of fennel and ginger, zesty orange overtones and a perfected silky texture.

~Recipe~

5 lb. butternut squash
3 yellow onions
olive oil, salt & pepper for sauté
1 fennel bulb
1 tablespoon ground ginger
2 teaspoons ground cumin
1/2 teaspoon nutmeg
2 tablespoons minced garlic
6 cups chicken stock
3 ripe pears, peeled, cored and chopped
1 orange
salt & pepper to taste
additional stock to thin, optional

1~ Cut squash in half lengthwise, core seeds and pulp, brush with olive oil and sprinkle salt and pepper; roast flesh side down on a baking sheet at 400 degrees F or until easily pierced.

2~ Chop onions and sauté in olive oil, salt and pepper on medium high in an 8 quart sauce pot; add one fennel bulb, rough chopped with core and stems removed and sauté until softening but not mushy.

3~ Add garlic and spices and sauté one minute more.

4~ Add stock, set heat on medium high and bring to a simmer; add squash and pears and return to a simmer.

5~ With a vegetable peeler, take three long strips of peel from orange and add to soup; cover at a low simmer for 20 minutes.

6~ Remove from heat and cool enough to handle; blend in food processor or blender until smooth and adjust flavors with stock, salt and pepper.

7~ Serve as is or garnish with chives, sour cream, croutons or a combination.

Yield: 6-8 servings
Notes: 1) by using vegetable stock, this recipe can be vegan and gluten-free and, 2) making this soup a day ahead benefits flavors

Love from our kitchen to yours!  Georgina @ Caramelize Life

Hotspot Firepits

Oct 2

Smoked Kind Salmon, Chèvre and Apricot Date Chutney Crostini
2 Comments

Caramelize Life Cooking Class @ Sun Mountain Lodge

It was quite a joy teaching garden to table, Methow based cooking to visitors from around the country this month.

We were invited by Methow Arts Alliance to beautiful Sun Mountain Lodge where I taught original recipes and methods while Rachelle took fabulous photos and video while we prepped.  Our attendants asked for full recipes and photos published on our site, so this article includes methods for all that we made in class.

Luckily for us at the time, the garden was at it’s height, so most all of the ingredients we used were pulled straight from the backyard.  Heirloom tomatoes, hericot vert, fresh herbs, a chèvre selection from Sunny Pine Farm and my husband’s Columbia River King Smoked Salmon received praise all around for a delightful light-fare meal we all enjoyed.

About Sun Mountain Lodge

Honored for many years with it’s five star, four diamond status, Sun Mountain draws visitors to the Methow from around the globe.  Exquisite natural beauty as well as world class skiing and trail sports make the mountain a prime destination.  The best in fine dining is guaranteed at Sun Mountain, but what we particularly appreciate is the chef’s use of local, organic ingredients in their culinary creations.  Check out their menu for great inspiration.

~ Introduction to Gourmet, Garden to Table Methow Cooking ~

A Collaboration of Caramelize Life, Methow Arts and Sun Mountain Lodge

We are Caramelize Life: Making Life Sweeter through Cooking, Travel and Community

We are Methow Valley mothers, cooks, gardeners, photographers and writers publishing original recipes and bringing the magic of Methow foods to readers and students around the world.

We write realtime narratives, methodologies and recipes weekly in articles showcasing locally grown foods, heritage and community ~ each of them organic and self-sustaining in philosophy and heart.  In everything we write, photograph, teach and create, we’re seeking to make life a little sweeter.

MENU

~Methow Harvest Salad with Heirloom Tomatoes, Lemon-Pepper-Almond Pesto Dressing and Handcrafted Twisp River Feta

~Crostini with Columbia River King Smoked Salmon, Local Goat Cheese & Apricot-Date Chutney

RECIPES

~ Tomato & Baby Green Bean Salad with Lemon-Pepper-Almond Pesto & Feta Cheese ~

3 lb.s Tomatoes, seeded and diced

2-3 lb.s Hericot-Vert, flash boiled and diced

1 head Romaine or other hearty green

1 cup Crumbed Feta Cheese

Lemon-Pepper-Almond Pesto Dressing (see below)

Yield: 4-6 Servings

Heirlooms, basil and beans for the salad

~ Lemon-Pepper-Almond Pesto Dressing ~

1 Recipe Pesto Sauce

Juice of 1 Lemon

2 Tablespoons E.V. Olive Oil

Fresh Basil Leaves

Sea Salt and Fresh Ground Pepper, to taste

~Chiffonade basil (stack 7-8 leaves, roll them in a tube and fine slice, 1/4- inch, at a diagonal) and set aside.

~Juice lemon into a jar or small bowl and add olive oil, pesto, salt and pepper.

~ Combine with basil and serve.

Yield: 4-6 Servings

Pesto Sauce

2 cups Fresh Basil Leaves & Flowers

3+ Cloves Garlic

1/3 cup Roasted Nuts (we recommend almonds, walnuts, pine nuts or sunflower seeds)

1/2 cup Parmasean Cheese, grated

1/2 cup Extra Virgin Olive Oil

Sea Salt and Fresh Ground Pepper, to taste

~Blend nuts and garlic in a food processor until finely ground, but not sticking.

~Add cheese, salt, pepper and basil and blend until smooth.

~With machine running, slowly pour olive oil through feed tube to emulsify.

~Serve on salads and pastas, in marinaras, soups, dressings or  sandwich spreads.

Yield: about 6 servings

~ Smoked Salmon Crostini with Goat Cheese & Apricot-Date Chutney ~

1 Baguette (we used the Mazama Store‘s superb french style)

2 Tablespoons each, melted Butter & Extra Virgin Olive Oil, combined

Soft Goat Cheese, about 8 oz.

6-8 oz. Smoked Salmon

1/2 pint Apricot Date Chutney

Fresh Italian Parsley

~Slice baguette on the diagonal into 1/2 inch pieces and place on a sheet pan; drizzle olive oil and butter mixture over bread and toast in the oven at 350 F for about 7 minutes; remove from heat and set aside to cool.

~Spoon about 1 teaspoon spreadable goat cheese on each piece of bread.

~Top each crostini with 1/2 teaspoon smoked salmon.

~Garnish with a 1/4 teaspoon chutney and a sprig of parsley or serve with chutney on side.

Yield: 4-6 Servings

Georgina’s preserves, and the nectar rules. See our index of recipes on our page, Canned and Preserved 2012

~ Apricot-Date Chutney ~

6 1/2 cups Fresh, Ripe Apricots

2 1/2 cups pitted Dates

2 1/2 cups Golden Raisins

1 Tablespoon Salt

2 teaspoons ground Ginger

1 teaspoon ground Coriander

2 cups White Wine Vinegar

2 cups Water

Pint or Half-Pint Canning Jars

New Lids, Bands

~Wash, pit and chop apricots in 1/2 inch pieces.

~Combine apricots and remaining ingredients and bring to a simmer and allow mixture to thicken, stirring frequently.

~Ladle hot chutney into hot jars, leaving 1/4-1/2 inch headspace; clean rims, adjust hot lids and bands.

~Process for 10 minutes at a rolling boil in a boiling-water canner.

~Remove from canner and tighten bands; let sit for 12+ hours to seal.

~Shelve your chutney for three weeks at a minimum, 6 ideally.

Yield: 12 half-pints or six pints

~ Columbia River King Salmon ~ Smoked & Preserved ~ 

Recipe coming soon on caramelizelife.com

Love from our kitchen to yours, Georgina @ Caramelize Life

 

May 25

2012 garden spinach
13 Comments

Spring Start Salad ~ with Caramelized Balsamic Dressing, Roasted Nuts, Berries & Goat Cheese

Tough Greens Sweeten Up
!

Well, not exactly tough ~ but more hearty than the sweet lettuces of later spring.  The kale, beet greens and spinach called for in this recipe can be rather fibrous as adults, but more tender as babies.  So springs the recipe!

The spinach is currently exploding, so I’m using it in every meal.  This recipe is a favorite, loaded with the flavors of its dynamic, crowd pleasing, caramelized dressing.

Spinach, kale and beet greens, picked small as soon as you’re ready to thin, are a delectable treat. But they also hold their shape under a warm dressing very well. The slightly bitter taste of each adds to the complexity of flavors, which are plenty with the garlic, berry and honey content in the dressing.

Salt and a slight tang in the goat cheese tops the flavor combo…to the point that I’d love to have this salad as a main course regularly ~ if my family would agree.

The balsamic vinaigrette tends to wow guests. Sautéed garlic combines with honey, balsamic and dried fruit to caramelize into a thick, warm syrup.

Caramelizing honey, balsamic and olive oil requires a full boil.

I first tasted a version made by Julie Libby, former chef and now owner of our local book haven, Trail’s End Bookstore.  (Some of our favorite cookbooks from Trail’s End are featured on the righthand sidebar.)  I’ve modified the recipe with honey rather than sugar, added some dried berry options and expanded from spinach to a variety of tougher greens.

Healthy spring garlic ~ carefully roasted, the garlic in this recipe’s caramelized dressing works to enhance all other flavors.


~Caramelized Balsamic Dressing~

½ cup olive oil

3 cloves garlic, minced

1/2 cup balsamic vinegar

½ cup dried cranberries, huckleberries or blueberries

1/2 cup honey

Salt and pepper to taste

1~ Sauté garlic in a small saucepan in 1 T olive oil until slightly browned and fragrant.

2~ Mix all other ingredients well and add to garlic on medium-high, stirring frequently.

3~Bring to a rolling boil and reduce heat to a lively simmer, stirring constantly. Do not let boiling or stirring cease.  Allow to thicken until caramelized, about 5-7 minutes.

4~ Let cool for 10 minutes or until just warm and serve. Top each salad with prudent spoons of dressing, tossing lightly with each spoonful (it is very flavorful, so be careful:)

~ Use this dressing as soon as it is cool enough to pour and save the rest to reheat later.  It can be refrigerated for up to 2 weeks and reheated for additional meals.

~Spring Start Salad~

Spinach, Kale, Beet Greens  (full sized salad bowl, filled)

½+ cup roasted almonds (or substitute walnuts or peacans)

½+ cup crumbled goat cheese

1~ Roast slivered or chopped nuts for 5 minutes or until just brown. Set aside to cool.

2~ Tear greens in ratio to your liking.  This recipe can be made in one bowl, but we recommend plating individually because of the warm dressing ~ the presentation is better and it holds shape in smaller portions. To prepare individual salads: make a bed of 1 ½ cups mixed greens on each plate.

3~ Drizzle ¼ cup warm dressing over top and toss~barely; top with 2 Tablespoons each, cheese and roasted nuts and serve.

A little sprinkling of each topping is all that’s needed for this salad of full bodied flavor.

NOTE:  This salad can be made all year long with standard spinach and kale as well. Try experimenting by substituting different roasted nuts or other tough greens to fit your family’s fancy.

Love from our Kitchen to Yours ~ Georgina @ Caramelize Life

If it’s not time to grow your own greens, local producer’s in our Methow Valley are easy to find at METHOW NET’S DIRECTORY, or look for organic goodness at your local farmer’s market.

Kale, like spinach, grows  quickly in cool spring weather.  If your garden is populated with kale, it can be used solely for this salad, or check out a different take on tough spring greens on Sassy Radish.  The Tuscan Kale Salad with Pecorino looks divine.

We love to use SUNNY PINE FARM’S Chèvre.  Not only do we love the families who tend and milk the goats, but the product is out of this world! Thank you Vicki and Ed Welch for your amazing farm!

Logo

Sunny Pine Farm serves the local community with high quality, healthy, organic products.  Ph:(509) 997-4812

Up north, the Larkhaven Cheese Farm is superb as well.  Their goat and sheep combo feta is mouth watering and would go very well with this recipe.

Larkhaven Farm  (509) 486-1199.


May 4

Spring Aspen leaves pop
7 Comments

FIND YOUR MARKET

Spring has sprung literally in the last week, here in the Methow Valley.

We’ve enjoyed the first couple of Farmers Markets held each Saturday 9am to noon. Our early spring heat wave has been kind to all the vendors and welcomed shoppers with a warm embrace.

For years I’ve been a patron to any farmers markets I can find either at home or abroad.  The market can be a unique window into local communities health and its products.  Market atmospheres are lively and festive. They celebrate our earth and what it can produce. Markets highlight and strengthen our ties to how and where our foods are processed and originate. Not everyone can live on a farm and learn from family traditions handed down each generation but most everyone can find a farmers market and take the opportunity to meet and learn from the farmers themselves.

Markets move with the seasons from the beginning seedlings in the early spring to the mounds of apples, spices, jams and jellies in the late summer harvest times.  This seasonal reminder of what our local land provides is something that becomes forgotten in the long outer isles of the mega supermarkets. I know, I love bananas in my smoothies and pineapple too.  I am not ready for a strict change but I do appreciate the fresh reminder to clean out the cob webs in my brain and love the fact that I can challenge myself to finding Saturday night’s dinner at the market.

So tempting…but no she didn’t…really.

If you would like a little help in the area of spring cleaning of the cerebral spider webs there’s an app for that! Ok, not really but if you are tech savvy and have an iPhone, sorry Blackberry and Android, you can download an App to find out what’s in season it’s called NRDC Eat Local.
Wendy Gorden of the Huffington post described the app perfectly in her blog   New App Answers: What’s in Season Near You?  it is worth the read.

I also adore the life lessons the market imparts to our children. They learn from example and experiencing the arts and local agricultural producers at a personal level is such a gift. Taken a little further and the market is inclusive allowing children to try their hand at their own entrepreneurial endeavors. Read my post life lessons a budding entrepreneur at the farmer’s market  to learn more on this topic.

Each Market has it’s own structure and set of guidelines to help it run smoothly so check in with yours before you jump in feet first.

Market Dinner or Breakfast Challenge:

Simple Scramble with Chevre and Spring Greens

Ingredients:

4 eggs
1 Tbsp oil (your choice; coconut oil gives a nice change in flavor, olive or grape seed oil or butter)
1 Tbsp chevre we used organic chevre from sunny pine farms
1 cup spring greens (washed, torn or chopped and stems removed) For a fun you could forage and use Dandelion greens! (remember to properly identify the plant, make sure it hasn’t been sprayed and pick young fresh leaves. Their bitterness will mellow and blend nicely with the eggs).
1 Tbsp chopped fresh seasonal herbs (your choice; chives, rosemary, thyme, parsley, cilantro etc)
salt and pepper to taste

A slice from a fresh baguette or rosemary bread to toast.

Each market is unique to its region and what it can offer, when in France, I love to add olives to this scramble or capers.

Directions:

~Wash, tear or chop spring greens and herbs and set aside
~Pre-warm two serving bowels
~Slice bread and put in the toaster
~Crack eggs in a medium-sized bowel and beat with a fork until mixed. Then add half of your seasonal herbs, and a pinch of salt and pepper.
~In a preheated nonstick or cast iron saute’ pan add oil, and then the egg and herb mix. Scramble the eggs turning from the outside in.  Right before eggs are fully cooked add the chevre  and remove from heat. Then, divide into equal portions (or as much as you are hungry for)and place in your warmed bowel.
~Next, add a tablespoon or so of water and wilt greens in your saute’ pan turning constantly until wilted and then pour over chevre and egg scramble.
~Sprinkle with the second half of the fresh herbs.
~Add salt and pepper to taste

~ enjoy!

Find your Farmers Market!

Here in the Methow we are lucky to have a few:

Methow Valley Farmers Market Saturdays 9am to noon, April through October
Winthrop Market Sundays 10am to 2pm, Memorial Day to Labor Day
Mazama Market Wednesday afternoons, during the growing season

The folks at Local Harvest. Org make it easy to do just that. Click on the link and enter your zip code or state and they will point you in the right direction. It is a great tool to use especially if you are traveling.

Here are a few more links to help you find a market near you:

The USDA Farmers Markets, Food and Wine articles on the Worlds Best Food Markets, Open Air’s market list, and the Huffington Post Photo’s of the worlds largest farmers markets.

See you at the Market!
Rachelle @ Caramelizelife

Mar 9

4 Comments

Fresh Fish & Zesty Salsa Warm up Winter Nights…

Perch Tacos with Salsa Verde


This taco recipe is a simple, full proof meal that can be easily modified to your liking.  Combining the sweet tang of tomatillos (even easier to grow than tomatoes) and the smokiness of jalapenos hits a perfect balance.  Paired with the light fresh texture of winter white fish, we see it pleases almost any palate.

“Son!” is the constant refrain heard from inside the Ice Shanty throughout the winter.  That’s short for “it’s on!”-a phrase we learned quickly when perch and trout fishing out on the ice with family and friends.  Once the state fish and wildlife department announces the ice is thick enough and safe, the shanty is skied out to live on Lake Paterson until the spring thaw.  (It is converted into “deer camp” in the fall.)

And through the winter, patiently braving the cold is rewarded with buckets of fresh, flaky perch, delicate trout and delectable Kokanee (lake dwelling sockeye salmon).

Since the fish and water are so cold in the dead of winter, there is never a trace of “fishy” flavor in these perch.  They may be smallish, even tiny, but are so fresh and prolific that it is completely worth the effort.  Being small fish, they are perfect for tacos, chowders or an easy fish and chips.

Ice fishing is fun and productive.  It is a wonderful first fishing experience for children because they can easily bait their own hook, catch their fish and keep going at it, all by themselves.

The first time that Phoenix  age 6, went ice fishing, he was so ecstatic that he plunged his hands into the icy water, refusing gloves, bringing up one fish after another off his line.  (That’s not to suggest you catch the perch with your hands, he was just very enthused.)

Paired with the Salsa Verde below this recipe is packed with flavor.

1 lb Perch or other white fish such as halibut or snapper
t 1.c bread crumbs
1 large organic egg or 2 small
1 c. Jalapeño Salsa Verde
1-3 T. Olive oil
8 tortillas
1 c. shredded purple cabbage
½ c. Mexican crema or creme fraiche
½  c. additional Jalapeño Salsa Verde or Tomato Salsa
1 c. chopped fresh cilantro
½ c. green onions
Lime wedges for serving

The fish works well breaded and fried, or quickly broiled.  For frying, mix your eggs, briefly soak the fish fillets, then bread.  In a heavy sauté pan over medium heat, warm the oil. Arrange the fish on the pan and cook until golden, 2 to 3 minutes. Turn over and cook until the fish is opaque throughout, about 1-2 more minutes more. Timing depends on the thickness of your fish.  Rather than time it exactly, take your cue from the fish.
To assemble each taco, place 1/8 of the fish in the center of the tortilla and top with 2 T. cabbage, 1-2 T. crema, 1-2 T. salsa, then garnish with 1 T. cilantro and 1 T. green onions.  Wrap and bake briefly or sauté in a heavy skillet.  Serve the tacos with lime wedges, sour cream or topping of choice.

Jalapeño—Tomatillo Salsa

2 Pint Yield

This salsa recipe is one of our favorites.  It combines the exotic sweetness of tomatillos with the smoky zest of jalapeños.  Without being big and chunky in texture, it is much thicker than similar tomato salsas.  Go liberal on garlic and cilantro to taste, as the salsa benefits from each.  And feel free to change up the ratios to your liking–with this recipe it is fun to get creative.

We’ve been whittling down this salsa for years and one thing is for sure: amount does not equate to quality.  Even the smallest batch of this salsa goes a long way, both because of its flavor and thickness.  It’s definitely spiced up our winter nights:)  Enjoy!

5 1/2 c. husked and chopped Tomatillos
1 c. chopped Jalapenos, fresh or roasted
1 c. chopped onion
6 cloves minced garlic
1/2 t. salt
2-3 T. freshly ground cumin
1/2 c. cider vinegar

up to 1/2 c. other pepper variety to taste such as green chills or cayennes (optional)

1/4 c. lime juice

1/2 c. cilantro

Chop tomatillos, peppers, onion and garlic separately by hand or food processor.  Combine all ingredients except cilantro and lime juice in a sauce pan over medium high heat.  Bring mixture to a boil, reduce heat and simmer for at least 5 minutes.  Add lime juice and cilantro for last 2 minutes of cooking.  Ladle hot salsa into jars.  Can in water bath or pressure cooker, or enjoy fresh.

recipe Serves 4

Note: We usually make a double or triple batch of this salsa.  It is just as good preserved by canning or freezing. 

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