Woman's Institute Library of Cookery Volume V Part 21

101. CHOW CHOW.--Still another relish in which a variety of vegetables is used is chow chow. This relish is well and favorably known to housewives for the zest it imparts to meals.

CHOW CHOW

2 qt. small green tomatoes 6 green peppers 6 red peppers 1 small head of cabbage 2 bunches celery 1 pt. small onions 1 qt. small cuc.u.mbers 3 qt. vinegar 1 Tb. salt 2 c. brown sugar 1/2 tsp. black pepper 2 Tb. mustard seed 2 Tb. tumeric 2 Tb. allspice 1 Tb. cloves 1 Tb. cinnamon

Wash the vegetables and cut them into very small pieces. Cover them with salt water made by adding 1 cupful of salt to a gallon of water, and let them stand in this for 6 to 8 hours. Drain at the end of this time, and wash with cold water. Heat the vinegar, and to it add the salt, sugar, and spices. Add this to the vegetables and cook until they are soft.

Pack into sterilized jars, seal while hot, cool, and store.

102. BEET RELISH.--A relish in which cooked beets are the princ.i.p.al ingredient may be made up from the accompanying recipe. As pickled beets in any form are usually well liked, this relish may be put up for the variety it offers.

BEET RELISH

1 qt. cooked beets, chopped 1 c. horseradish root, grated 1 c. vinegar 1 Tb. salt 1/2 c. sugar 1 tsp. cinnamon 1 tsp. cloves

Cook the beets in the usual way. When they are tender, remove the skins and chop quite fine. Add the grated horseradish to the beets. To the vinegar, add the salt, sugar, and spices and heat to the boiling point.

Pour this mixture over the vegetable mixture, pack all into hot sterilized jars, seal, cool, and store.

103. CHILLI SAUCE.--Chilli sauce is a well-known relish in which ripe tomatoes, red or green peppers, and onions are combined with spices and vinegar. Although not so many vegetables are used in this relish as in those which precede, it merits a place among the canned foods prepared for future use.

CHILLI SAUCE

2 qt. medium-sized ripe tomatoes 2 red or green peppers, finely chopped 2 onions, finely chopped 2 c. vinegar 1/2 c. sugar 1 Tb. salt 1 tsp. ground cloves 2 tsp. ground cinnamon 2 tsp. celery salt

Blanch the tomatoes in boiling water until the skins loosen. Then remove the skins and stem ends, chop the tomatoes, and put them into a preserving kettle with the chopped peppers and chopped onions. Heat gradually to the boiling point, add the vinegar, sugar, salt, and spices, and cook slowly until the mixture is quite thick. This will require from 2 to 3 hours. Then put the hot sauce into sterilized bottles or jars, seal, allow them to cool, and store.

104. GREEN-TOMATO PICKLE.--A pleasing relish may be made from green tomatoes after the frost has come in the fall and tomatoes on the vines will not mature.

GREEN-TOMATO PICKLE

3 qt. green tomatoes, sliced 2 qt. onions, sliced 1 qt. vinegar 1 pt. water 1 Tb. salt 1-1/2 lb. brown sugar 2 Tb. cinnamon 2 tsp. cloves 2 tsp. allspice 3 Tb. celery salt 1 Tb. mustard seed

Select firm green tomatoes, wash them, and slice them. Peel the onions, and slice them into slices of the same thickness as the tomatoes, about 1/4 inch being perhaps the most desirable. Mix the tomatoes and onions, sprinkle them generously with salt, and allow them to stand for 24 hours. At the end of this time, pour off any excess liquid; then pour a small quant.i.ty of fresh water over them, and drain this off, also. To the vinegar and water, add the salt, sugar, and spices. Heat this mixture to the boiling point, pour it over the mixture of tomatoes and onions, and put into jars. Seal the jars while hot, allow them to cool, and then store.

105. RIPE-TOMATO PICKLE.--Ripe tomatoes form the basis of another relish known as ripe-tomato pickle. Like other relishes in which tomatoes are used, this relish is very satisfactory for meals in which pickles or relishes may be served.

RIPE-TOMATO PICKLE

2 qt. ripe tomatoes 2 bunches celery 3 red sweet peppers 3 medium-sized onions 1 qt. vinegar 1 Tb. salt 1 c. sugar 1 Tb. mustard seed 1 Tb. ground cloves 1 Tb. ground cinnamon

Blanch the tomatoes until the skins loosen, and then peel them. Remove the stem ends, and cut the tomatoes into quite large pieces. Chop the celery, peppers, and onions coa.r.s.ely. Cook together until they are almost tender. Pour off the water. Mix all the vegetables together, and pack them into a sterilized stone jar. To the vinegar, add the salt, sugar and spices. Boil and pour this mixture over the vegetables in the stone jar, cover, and allow this to stand at least 2 weeks before using.

106. TOMATO CATSUP.--As a condiment to be served with meats, oysters, fish, baked beans, and other foods high in protein, catsup finds considerable use. This relish, which is also called _catchup_ and _ketchup_, may be made from both vegetables and fruits, but that made from tomatoes seems to be the most desirable to the majority.

TOMATO CATSUP

1/2 bu. ripe tomatoes 1/2 c. salt 1 lb. brown sugar 2 qt. vinegar 1 Tb. ground cinnamon 1 tsp. Cayenne pepper 2 Tb. celery salt 2 tsp. ground cloves

Remove the skins from the tomatoes by blanching and cut out the stem ends. Then slice the tomatoes, put them into a preserving kettle over the fire, cook them until they are soft, and force them through a sieve to remove the seeds. Return the pulp to the preserving kettle, add the salt, sugar, vinegar, and spices, and cook the mixture until it is reduced at least half in quant.i.ty. Pour into sterilized bottles, seal, cool, and store.

107. GRAPE CATSUP.--Perhaps the best-known catsup made from fruit is grape catsup. Its uses are practically the same as those of tomato catsup, and it is made in much the same way.

GRAPE CATSUP

4 qt. Concord grapes 3 c. vinegar 1 lb. brown sugar 2 Tb. cinnamon 1 tsp. cloves 1 tsp. allspice

Put the grapes to cook with the vinegar. When they have cooked soft enough, press through a sieve to remove the seeds and skins. Add the sugar and spices, and cook until the mixture is rather thick. Stir constantly to prevent scorching. Pour into sterilized bottles, seal, cool, and store.

108. PICKLED WATERMELON RIND.--An unusual, though highly satisfactory, relish may be made from the rind of melons. The accompanying recipe is for pickled watermelon rind, but if desired muskmelon rind may be subst.i.tuted. In either case, only the white part of the rind should be used.

PICKLED WATERMELON RIND

4 qt. watermelon rind cut into strips or cubes 1 oz. stick cinnamon 1 Tb. cloves 1 c. water 3 lb. sugar 1 qt. vinegar

Prepare the rind by cutting off the green skin and all the pink flesh on the inside. Cut this rind into strips 1 inch wide and 1 inch thick, and then into cubes, if desired. Cook in water until the rind may be easily pierced with a fork. Add the spices, water, and sugar to the vinegar, and boil until it becomes sirupy. Add to this sirup the cooked watermelon rind and bring to the boiling point. Then pack into sterilized jars, seal, cool, and store.

109. CRAB-APPLE RELISH.--Among the fruits, crab apples lend themselves best to the making of relish. By the addition of oranges, raisins, and spices, as in this recipe, crab-apple relish is made very desirable and agreeable to the taste.

CRAB-APPLE RELISH

4 qt. crab apples 3 c. vinegar 4 oranges 4 lb. brown sugar 2 lb. Sultana raisins 1 Tb. powdered cinnamon 1 tsp. cloves 1 tsp. allspice

Wash the crab apples, remove the cores, and cut the apples into small pieces. Put them into a preserving kettle, add the vinegar, the oranges, peeled and sliced, the sugar, the raisins, and the spices. Cook all slowly until the apples are soft. Pour into sterilized jars or gla.s.ses, seal, cool, and store.

JELLY MAKING, PRESERVING, AND PICKLING

EXAMINATION QUESTIONS

(1) (_a_) Give three reasons why the making and use of jelly has value.

(_b_) When are pickles permissible in the diet?

(2) What is necessary for the making of good jelly?

(3) Mention some important points to consider in selecting fruit for jelly making.

(4) (_a_) What is pectin? (_b_) Why are ripe fruits not so satisfactory for jelly making as partly green ones?

(5) Give the test for pectin.

(6) How may jelly be made from fruit juices that do not contain pectin?

(7) Give the best method of extracting fruit juice for jelly.

(8) What material is best for jelly bags? Why?

(9) What is the general proportion of sugar and juice for making: (_a_) jelly from very sour fruits? (_b_) jelly from slightly sour fruits?