Fall canning is well under way and there are many choices still available. Salsa is a favourite all year long and it’s still not too late to make a batch for the winter. The recipe I’m offering today gives us a chance to use up the many zucchini in your garden. Antipasto is a challenge because it usually contains low-acid foods such as fish and olives and cannot be safely canned at home without a pressure canner. The safe method below, without the fish and olives, uses the boiling water canner and was developed so you can add tuna, salmon or olives just before serving.
It’s time now to turn to the huge varieties of apples grown in our area. There’s pie fillings, pickles, chutneys and, of course apple sauce to name a few. When choosing apples for sauce, choose apples that are naturally sweet, like red delicious, gala, Fuji, winesap, McIntosh, yellow delicious, mutsu and always use a mixture — never just one type. The Fujis and galas give it an aromatic flavour! Honeycrisp and pink lady are also excellent, sweet, flavourful apples (but a bit watery). An important tip at orchards is to ask for “seconds,” “culls” or “drops.” These are smaller apples, sometimes odd shapes or with imperfect appearance; but they are perfect for applesauce and apple butter and usually cost 1/3 to 1/2 the price of the top grade apples.
The recipe below is an incredibly easy method for making and canning apple butter in a slow cooker or crock pot. Slow cook the apples overnight and your kitchen will smell heavenly in the morning. I’ve also included a recipe for apple butter and what can be nicer than home-canned apple butter slathered on lightly toasted and buttered fresh bread in the middle of the winter.
Salsa with Zucchini and a Hint of Lime
8 cups peeled and diced tomatoes
Olive oil
1-1/2 lbs zucchini (6 cups shredded)
1/2 teaspoon salt
4 cups diced sweet onions
3 yellow hot banana peppers or 3 jalapenos
1 – 2 habanero peppers, minced
1 red bell pepper, diced
1 orange bell pepper, diced
4 chipotle chilis in adobo, minced
6 garlic cloves, minced
1 tablespoon cumin
1 tablespoon dried parsley
1 tablespoon dried oregano
1/2 teaspoon salt
1 teaspoon ground black pepper
1/3 cup light brown sugar
1 lime, juice and zest of
1-1/2 cups vinegar, 5% acid
12 ounces tomato paste
1 Tbsp. fresh basil or 1 Tbsp. fresh cilantro, minced
Place tomatoes in a strainer over a bowl to catch all the juices.
Very lightly oil a large heavy bottom pot, add shredded zucchini and 1/2 tsp. salt, sauté to release juices and reduce the liquid. Add the tomato juice to the reduced zucchini and cook for 10 minutes or till most liquid is gone. Add onions, all the peppers and chilis, garlic, tomatoes, spices, salt, black pepper, sugar, lime juice and zest, vinegar and paste. Simmer over medium heat for 30 minutes. Stir in fresh basil or cilantro.
Fill into hot sterile jars with hot salsa, leaving 1/2-inch head space. Being careful not to leave any salsa on the rims, wipe jar rims with a clean, damp paper towel. Put on lids and screw on metal bands. Process for 10 minutes in a hot water bath. Label and store in a dark place. Use within one year.
Vegetable Antipasto
2 cups red wine vinegar
1-3/4 cups packed brown sugar
1/4 cup Worcestershire sauce
3 tbsp. pickling salt
3 cans (5-1/2 oz/156 ml) tomato paste
2 tsp. hot pepper sauce
2-1/2 cups green beans, cut in 1/2-inch pieces
2-1/2 cups cauliflower florets
2 cups chopped onions
2 cups chopped sweet red pepper
2 cups chopped sweet green pepper
2 cups diced peeled eggplant or zucchini, unpeeled
1-1/2 cups chopped carrots
1-1/2 cups chopped celery
4 cloves garlic, minced
1 tbsp. dried basil
In large heavy saucepan or Dutch oven, combine vinegar, sugar, Worcestershire sauce, salt, tomato paste and hot pepper sauce; bring to boil, stirring occasionally. Add beans, cauliflower, onions, red and green peppers, eggplant, carrots, celery and garlic. Bring to boil; boil, stirring occasionally, for 5 minutes or until vegetables are softened. Remove from heat. Stir in basil.
Pour into prepared 2-cup (500 mL) canning jars, leaving 1/2-inch headspace. Seal with prepared discs and bands. Process in boiling water canner for 25 minutes.
Home-canned Apple Sauce
6 lbs. apples, mixed sweet varieties
1 cup water, apple cider or apple juice
1/2 tsp. cinnamon, optional
Juice of 1 lemon
1/4 cup packed brown sugar, optional
Peel, core and slice apples.
In saucepan, combine apples, water (or other choice), cinnamon (if desired) and lemon and sugar, if using; bring to boil. Cover, reduce heat to medium, and simmer, stirring occasionally, for 25 minutes or until tender. Remove from heat and either mash with potato masher, or put small batches at a time in a food processor, or push through food mill to desired consistency.
Fill prepared 1/2 pint sterilized jars to 1/4-inch from top. Wipe tops; add lids and ring and process in boiling water canner for 25 minutes. Remove, cool for 24 hours. Check lids to be sure they have sealed, wash jars and store in a cool place. Makes 8 jars.
Canning Apple Butter in a Crock Pot
Apples, enough to fill your crock pot very full
1 – 2 cups sugar (to taste)
1 tsp. cinnamon
1/4 tsp. ground cloves
1/4 tsp. salt
Peel, core and slice apples; put into crock pot, and fill it up to the brim. The apples will settle quite a bit as they cook and soften.
In a bowl mix sugar, cinnamon, cloves and salt. Pour this mixture over the apples. Cover and cook about 10 hours. Stir occasionally. Leave the lid slightly ajar to allow moisture to escape; this will help the apple butter to thicken up nicely.
As the apples cook you will be able to go from stirring with a spoon to a whisk. They will whisk up nice and smooth. The colour will get darker and darker as the apple butter thickens as well. I love to let them cook good and long. It makes the apple butter so yummy.
Fill small, sterilized canning jars to 1/4 inch from the top. Process in hot water bath for 10-15 minutes. Remove and cool. Check seals after 24 hours. Clean and store in a cool place.
Cathi Litzenberger is The Morning Star’s longtime food columnist, appearing every other Wednesday and one Sunday per month.
