by Marc Vetri
Remove and let cool on a wire rack. As the jars cool, the centers of the lids should get sucked down. To test, press on the centers of the lids, which should feel firm not flexy. If they feel flexy, immerse the jars in the boiling water for another 5 minutes.
PREP AHEAD
The tomatoes look beautiful on a sunny windowsill, but should be kept in a cool, dark place for longer storage, up to 8 months. Refrigerate after opening and use within 3 weeks.
Shallot MARMALADE
If you like caramelized onions, you’ll love this spread. It’s made with caramelized shallots and rosemary briefly buzzed in a food processor to the texture of marmalade. Spoon a little bit onto a plate along with any of the salumi.
MAKES ABOUT 1 CUP
1 pound shallots (about 1½ cups)
½ cup (1 stick) unsalted butter
¼ cup olive oil
2 sprigs rosemary
Salt and freshly ground pepper
½ to 1 teaspoon sherry vinegar
Pinch of sugar (optional)
Peel the shallots and cut them in half. Melt the butter with the olive oil in a medium saucepan over low heat, then add the shallots and rosemary and season lightly with salt and pepper. Cook very slowly until the shallots caramelize, about 1 hour. Toss the shallots now and then to break them up and separate the layers.
Remove the rosemary sprigs and season the shallots lightly with sherry vinegar and a pinch of sugar if necessary. Blend briefly with an immersion or upright blender until chunky, like a marmalade. Taste and add vinegar, salt, pepper, and sugar as needed.
PREP AHEAD
You can keep the marmalade in an airtight container in the refrigerator for up to 2 weeks. The mixture will solidify, so return it to room temperature or warm it briefly before serving.
Mostarda
For years, whenever I went to Italy, I would stop in a pharmacy and pick up a few bottles of mustard essence and bring it back home on the plane. But it’s basically liquid mustard gas. If one of those bottles ever fell and broke on the floor of the plane, everyone would need a gas mask. Just one drop of this stuff is plenty to put the pungent edge on a whole batch of mostarda, which is Italian fruit preserves in mustard syrup. This recipe offers a safer alternative: mustard powder, or even better, pure mustard oil. In India, mustard oil is used for cooking and for massages. Look for the oil at Indian grocery stores or some gourmet stores (see Sources). Federal Drug Administration regulations require that imported mustard oil be labeled “for external use only.” But Indians have been cooking with mustard oil for centuries with no ill effects, and I have made and eaten mostarda with it many times with no harm whatsoever.
What you do need to watch out for here is the timing and temperatures. Follow the recipe to the letter. It’s important to strain the fruit or vegetable without touching it. Don’t pluck out the fruit or vegetable by hand, which can cause the sugar mixture to crystallize. You can use any fruit or vegetable you like, but when using soft fruit like mangoes or even apples, instead of returning the fruit to the mixture and heating it as directed here, just pour the hot liquid over the fruit on Day 2 and again on Day 3. Then proceed as directed. Serve the mostarda, including any of the variations below, like a relish. It goes well with roasted or braised meats, a salumi or cheese plate, or anywhere you want a sweet and spicy counterpoint.
MAKES 1½ TO 2 CUPS
1 pound fruits or vegetables, such as quince or squash, peeled, seeded and/or cored as necessary, and chopped
1⅔ cups sugar
4 cups water
¼ cup liquid glucose or light corn syrup
2 drops essential oil of mustard, or 1 to 2 teaspoons pure mustard oil or mustard powder
DAY 1: Toss the prepared fruits or vegetables with the sugar in a bowl. Let stand overnight, uncovered, at room temperature.
DAY 2: Empty the sugary fruits or vegetables into a colander or strainer set over a larger saucepan. With the colander over the saucepan, rinse the fruit or vegetables with some of the 4 cups water and rinse the bowl with the rest (you want all the sugar to remain in the water). Set the rinsed fruit or vegetables aside. Add the glucose or corn syrup to the sugar water and attach a candy thermometer to the pan. Boil over high heat until the mixture reaches 220°F. Return the fruits or vegetables along with any additional flavorings (as in the variations below) and reheat to 220°F. Immediately remove from the heat and let stand, uncovered, overnight at room temperature.
DAY 3: Drain the fruits or vegetables over a saucepan and boil the liquid in the pan over high heat until it reaches 222°F, 10 to 15 minutes. Return the fruits or vegetables and boil the mixture to 222°F. Immediately remove from the heat and let stand, uncovered, overnight at room temperature.
DAY 4: Drain the fruits or vegetables over the saucepan again and boil the liquid to 224°F. Return the fruits or vegetables and boil to 224°F. Immediately remove from the heat and let stand, uncovered, overnight.
DAY 5: Leave the fruits or vegetables in the liquid and heat to 226°F. Remove from the heat and let cool to room temperature. The fruits or vegetables should be softened, broken down, and covered in a medium-thick syrup. Stir in the essential oil of mustard, or add the oil or powder to taste. If using mustard powder, first carefully transfer ¼ cup of the syrup to a small saucepan. Heat over medium heat and stir in the mustard powder until dissolved, then stir the mixture back in with the rest of the syrup.
Artichoke Mostarda
Artichoke Mostarda
ARTICHOKE MOSTARDA
Use 1 pound small to medium artichokes. Trim off the stems. Snap off and discard the dark green leaves down to the tender green-yellow leaves. Trim all the dark green stem bases down to the white inner part of the stem. Cut each artichoke in half crosswise, and discard the top half of the leaves. When adding the artichokes to the saucepan, add the juice of 1 lemon, the leaves of 1 sprig rosemary, and 8 cracked black peppercorns to the pan.
WALNUT MOSTARDA
Use 1 pound walnut halves, the best ones you can find. Skip the macerating process for Day 1. Instead, just mix the sugar and liquid glucose or corn syrup in the saucepan with enough water to make the mixture look a little wetter than sand. Bring it to 220°F, then proceed as directed.
QUICK BELL PEPPER MOSTARDA
Seed and devein 2 large red and 2 large green bell peppers. Cut the peppers into 1½-inch squares (you should have about 4 cups). Then put them in a saucepan along with ⅔ cup sugar to the pan. Cook over low heat until syrupy, 1½ to 2 hours. Stir in 1 drop essential oil of mustard or 1 to 2 teaspoons mustard powder or pure mustard oil along with a pinch each of red pepper flakes and ground black pepper. Great with veal or pork.
QUICK SPRING ONION MOSTARDA
Combine 4 cups water, 4 cups sugar, ¼ cup liquid glucose or light corn syrup, 5 black peppercorns, 2 sprigs rosemary, 3 whole cloves, and the zest (in short, narrow strips) of ½ lemon in a saucepan. Add 1 pound spring onions, trimmed and coarsely chopped, and cook over medium heat until the mixture reaches 217°F on a candy thermometer, occasionally brushing down the sides with a wet pastry brush to prevent the sugar from crystallizing on the sides of the pan. Remove from the heat and let cool to room temperature. Stir in 1 to 2 drops essential oil of mustard or 1 to 2 teaspoons mustard powder or pure mustard oil.
PREP AHEAD
Use the mostarda immediately or spoon it into an airtight container, seal, and refrigerate for up to 3 weeks.
Quince BUTTER
I liked to spread quince paste (membrillo) on toast. But I always thought it was a little too firm, almost rubbery. I wanted to make something softer that would spread more like butter. Here’s the result. It needs no added pectin because quince has plenty of natural pectin. Caramelizing the sugar gives the spread a deep, dark flavor that lingers nice and long in your mouth.
MAKES ABOUT 3 PINTS
4 pounds quince (about 6)
1 tablespoon ground cinnamon
1½ cups sugar
½ cup water
; ½ vanilla bean
2 cups apple cider
Set up a canner by bringing a large stockpot of water to a boil. Drop a wire rack into the bottom of the pot. Using tongs, a jar lifter, or heatproof silicone gloves, immerse 3 pint jars and their metal lids and rings in the boiling water and boil for 5 minutes. Remove and keep warm.
Meanwhile, peel, core, and chop the quince (you should have about 10 cups). Scatter on the cinnamon and toss to mix.
Put the sugar and water in a small saucepan. Using a small knife, split the vanilla bean lengthwise and scrape the seeds into the saucepan. Bring to a simmer over medium heat and cook without stirring until the mixture turns a deep amber, 4 to 5 minutes. Add the quince and apple cider and cook until the quince is tender, about 20 minutes (it will take a few minutes for the caramel to dissolve).
Puree the mixture in a blender, then ladle the quince butter into the warm jars to within ⅛ inch of the top. Wipe the rims clean, put on the lids, and tightly screw on the rings. Using tongs, a jar lifter, or heatproof silicone gloves, immerse the sealed jars in the boiling water for 10 minutes.
Remove and let cool on a wire rack. As the jars cool, the center of the lids should get sucked down. If they don’t, immerse them in the boiling water for another 5 minutes.
Refrigerate after opening and use opened jars within 3 weeks.
APPLE BUTTER
If you don’t have quince or prefer apples, use 4 pounds of apples, such as Pippin, Bramley, Cortland, or McIntosh, and omit the apple cider.
PREP AHEAD
You can keep the sealed jars of quince butter in a cool, dark place for up to 8 months. It will keep for 3 months in the refrigerator after opening.
Hazelnut HONEY
For such a simple recipe, this little condiment packs a lot of flavor. I love it drizzled on sliced cooked sausage and meat terrines. When I’m making sandwiches with Lamb Mortadella, I even use it as a spread. Any honey variety will work, but single-flower honeys like orange blossom, sage, and tupelo are some of my favorites.
MAKES ABOUT 2¾ CUPS
1 cup hazelnuts
¾ cup plus 1 tablespoon honey, preferably single flower rather than wildflower
1 cup extra-virgin olive oil
2 teaspoons fresh thyme leaves
Pinch of red pepper flakes
Salt and freshly ground black pepper
Toast the hazelnuts in a dry pan over medium heat or in a preheated 350°F oven, shaking the pan often, until fragrant and lightly browned, 5 to 7 minutes. If the hazelnuts have skins, wrap them in a cloth and rub off the skins while still warm. Then coarsely chop the nuts.
Meanwhile, whisk together the honey and olive oil in a bowl until blended. Stir in the thyme, pepper flakes, and hazelnuts. Taste and season with salt and pepper.
PREP AHEAD
The honey keeps in an airtight container at room temperature for up to 3 weeks. A cool, dark place is best. You can also refrigerate this, but the honey may crystallize. If it does, just reheat the jar under hot tap water until the honey can be stirred smooth.
Strawberry Pâté di Frutta
Strawberry PTÉ DI FRUTTA
When they’re done, these soft, sweet little cubes will charm the pants off your guests. But when you’re making them, the recipe is all about pectin and temperature. Different fruits have different amounts of natural pectin, which is what causes them to clump together after they cook and cool as in, say, a jam. Apples and pears have a lot of pectin. Watermelon has very little. So you have to adjust the amount of added pectin according to the fruit. Experiment with different fruits (see the variations at the end of the recipe for a few examples). When cooled, the pate should be soft and squishy rather than firm and jiggly. Two to 3 teaspoons of powdered pectin is a good base amount to add. But you may need to go up to 1½ tablespoons or down to 1½ teaspoons depending on the fruit. Try mixing low-pectin fruit like cherries with high-pectin fruit like apples for different flavors and colors. Adjust the sugar according to how sweet and ripe the fruit is. Either way, these make delicious nibbles after a meal or between courses. Or anytime.
MAKES ABOUT FORTY 1-INCH SQUARES
2 pints fresh strawberries
1 tablespoon powdered pectin
2¾ cups sugar, plus more for coating
½ cup liquid glucose or light corn syrup
¼ teaspoon fresh lemon juice
Line a 9 by 7-inch baking dish with microwaveable plastic wrap. Puree the strawberries in a food processor, then strain through a fine-mesh sieve. Measure out 3⅓ cups of the puree and pour into a medium saucepan. Warm over low heat.
Mix the pectin and ¼ cup of the sugar together, then stir into the warmed puree. Bring to a boil and add the remaining 2½ cups sugar in three stages, stirring each addition until dissolved before adding the next.
Stir in the glucose or corn syrup and bring to a boil over high heat, stirring to prevent clumping. Attach a candy thermometer to the side of the pan. When the mixture reaches 230°F, stir in the lemon juice and remove from the heat. When the mixture stops bubbling, immediately pour it into the prepared baking dish, where it will begin to set. Let stand on a rack at room temperature until fully set and cooled, about 1½ hours. The pate should be like soft, squishable Jell-O, set, but not so hard that it’s jiggly and would bounce if it fell on the floor.
Store at room temperature covered in plastic wrap. Do not refrigerate, or the sugar may separate out.
When ready to serve, cut the pâté into 1-inch squares. Put the sugar for coating in a bowl and add about 5 cubes to the bowl at a time, tossing to coat.
PINEAPPLE
Use 1¾ cups pineapple puree and a scant 1 tablespoon pectin. Make the puree by peeling and coring the fruit, pureeing it in a food processor, then straining the puree. One medium pineapple will yield about 3 cups puree.
APPLE OR PEAR
Use 1½ cups apple or pear puree and 1¾ teaspoons pectin. Make the puree by peeling and coring the fruit, pureeing it in a food processor, then straining the puree. Three medium apples or pears will yield about 1½ cups puree.
BLACKBERRY OR RASPBERRY
Use 4 cups fresh berries, pureed and strained to remove the seeds, and 2¾ teaspoons pectin.
BLUEBERRY
Use 4 cups fresh blueberries, pureed and strained, and 2 teaspoons pectin.
PREP AHEAD
The pate will keep, covered, at room temperature for up to 5 days. Cut out and remove squares from the pan as needed.
Honeycrisp Apple JAM
Let it be known: there is one apple that is the best. They come early in the season and are as sweet as candy. The Honeycrisp is, hands-down, my favorite eating apple ever. It makes an amazing jam, too. When you make this, the jam will look loose, but don’t worry. As the liquid cools, it will gel and get firmer.
MAKES ABOUT 2 PINTS
3 or 4 Honeycrisp apples, peeled, cored, and chopped (3½ cups)
¼ cup fresh lemon juice
½ cup water
3 cups sugar
1 tablespoon powdered pectin
Toss the apples in a bowl with the lemon juice.
Set up a canner by bringing a large stockpot of water to a boil. Drop a wire rack into the bottom of the pot. Using tongs, a jar lifter, or heatproof silicone gloves, immerse the pint jars and their metal lids and rings in the boiling water for 5 minutes. Remove and keep warm.
Bring the water and 2½ cups of the sugar to a boil in a large saucepan. Mix together the remaining ½ cup sugar and the pectin, then whisk the mixture into the boiling sugar water. Add the apples and cook until they are tender and just starting to fall apart, 10 to 15 minutes. Mash with a potato masher.
Let cool slightly, then ladle into the warm jars to within ⅛ inch of the top. Wipe the rims clean, put on the lids, and tightly screw on the rings. Using tongs, a jar lifter, or silicone gloves, immerse the sealed jars in the boiling water for 10 minutes.
Remove and let cool on a wire rack. As the jars cool, the center of the lids should
get sucked down. To test, press on the centers of the lids, which should feel firm, not flexy. If they feel flexy, immerse the jars in the boiling water for another 5 minutes.
APPLE-CHESTNUT MARMALADE
Add 2 cups cooked and chopped chestnuts along with the apples. After cooking, stir in the zest (in short, narrow strips) of 2 oranges. You can use prepared cooked chestnuts or roast them yourself: Cut a slit in the flat part of each chestnut, then roast at 400°F for 20 minutes. Using a kitchen towel or oven mitts, remove the shells and skins while the nuts are still hot.
PREP AHEAD
The sealed jars of apple jam keep well in a cool, dark spot at room temperature for up to 8 months. They look stunning in the sunlight, shimmering a translucent gold color. Tie some ribbon on the jars and give them away as gifts. Refrigerate after opening and use within 3 weeks.
Apricot JAM
The whole purpose of making marmalades and jams is to capture the flavor of perfectly ripe fruit. Then six months later, when you’re craving that taste, you can pull out a jar and enjoy the fruit all over again. Sometimes, I like to mix a little butter into the fruit as it’s boiling to give the jam a richer mouthfeel. Try it.
MAKES ABOUT 2 PINTS
2 pounds apricots, pitted and finely chopped
3 cups sugar
6 tablespoons fresh lemon juice
1 tablespoon powdered pectin
