FRESH BRUSCHETTA

Tomato served on top of crusty Italian bread with basil, garlic and onion. Delicious!

 

Ingredients for  FRESH BRUSCHETTA
	Yield: around 4 cups
Red Onion, Finely Diced	1/2
Tomatoes, Fresh i.e. Roma, Diced	500g
Garlic Cloves, Minced	3-4
Fresh Basil Leaves, Shredded	2 tablespoons
Olive Oil	2 tablespoons
Balsamic Vinegar	1 tablespoon
Salt, Finely Ground	Pinch
Pepper, Finely Ground	Pinch
Plus wholemeal toast, garlic butter and balsamic reduction, to serve.

    

METHOD:  

1.  Finely dice onion and place into a bowl. Cover diced onion with water and set aside while you dice, mince and shred the other ingredients.

2.  Drain the onion.

3.  Combine all ingredients in a large bowl and mix well.

4.  Refrigerate for 1 hour before serving (recommended) or consume within days (best eaten fresh).

 

SERVING IDEAS:

o  Toast thick slices of wholemeal vienna (or ciabatta);

o  Rub slices with a garlic clove (halved) or lightly spread with homemade garlic herb butter

(to make the butter: blend salted butter, garlic, green herbs and pepper until smooth);

o  Top with fresh bruschetta mix (see above);

o  Drizzle with balsamic reduction

o  Serve immediately. Repeat. Enjoy!

 

Author: Megan Radaich          

Image Credit: Megan Radaich          

Publication: www.foodpreserving.org

JALAPEŇO BACON (DRY CURED)

INGREDIENTS:

1kg raw pork belly 
35-45g finely ground salt 
20g brown, white or raw castor sugar 
2.5g cure salt #1 (1/2 teaspoon) 
1g ground black pepper 

1-2 de-seeded fresh jalapeño chillies
3-4 fresh garlic cloves 

       

METHOD:
1. Discard bones from the pork belly. 
2. Make cure mix: combine finely ground salt, sugar, cure salt and pepper together. Mix well. 
3. Sprinkle the cure mix all over the pork belly. 

4. Puree jalapeños and garlic together until smooth.

5. Rub the puree onto the salted meat.
6. Place prepared pork belly into a dish and cover (or seal into bag).  
7. Refrigerate for 5-7 days, turning over daily. 
8. Rinse and dry bacon.  
9. Refrigerate bacon for 1-2 days to equalise. 
10. Optional: cold and/or hot smoke bacon. 
11. Slice bacon. 
12.  Tightly wrap/vacuum seal portions of cured bacon, label and date, and refrigerate or freeze. 
13.  Cured bacon will keep for up to 7 days in the refrigerator and up to 6 months in the freezer. 
14.  Bacon must be fully cooked before consumption. 
   
TIP: 
Ask your butcher to de-bone the pork belly for you!
     
LEARN MORE:
FOOD PRESERVING GUIDES

FRESH CHORIZO PASTA SAUCE

An Italian-style pasta sauce featuring fresh chorizo sausage that is a family favourite!
   
INGREDIENTS:
1 tablespoon olive oil
2 garlic cloves
1 chilli (optional)
2-3 fresh chorizo sausages
2 tablespoons tomato paste
1/4 cup red wine
1 teaspoon sugar
800g tinned diced tomatoes (or 1 litre of bottled tomatoes)
Salt, finely ground
Pepper, finely ground 
   
METHOD:
1. Peel and finely slice garlic cloves. Halve, de-seed and finely mince chilli (if using).
2. Heat olive oil in a pan and sauté garlic and chilli for 1 minute or until the garlic turns yellow.
3. Remove skins from chorizo and place seasoned sausage filling into the pan. Stir to break up the sausage into small pieces, browning all over.
4. Add the tomato paste and cook for 1 minute or until it sticks to the base of the pan.
5. Add the red wine and scrape the bottom of the pan to remove any stickiness.
6. Add the tomatoes and sugar and mix well. 
7. Simmer for 20-30 minutes or until sauce has thickened to your liking. 
8. Season with salt and pepper to taste.
9. Serve with cooked pasta, sautéed vegetables or atop roasted sweet potato.
10. Freeze sauce in labelled airtight containers for up to 3 months.
    

OLIVE TAPENADE

Tapenade is a tasty dip made from olives, capers and olive oil. Get some crackers and dig in!
   
YIELD: AROUND 1 1/2 CUPS
  
INGREDIENTS:
3 cups pickled Kalamata olives, pitted (or pitted green olives)
5-6 anchovies (optional)
1 garlic clove, finely minced
2 teaspoons capers (optional)
1/4 cup good quality extra-virgin olive oil
1 tablespoon lemon juice
Black pepper, freshly ground
   
METHOD:
1. Place olives, anchovies, garlic and capers into a small food processor. Blend until almost smooth.
2. Turn food processor back on. Slowly drizzle all but 1 tablespoon of the olive oil into the olive mixture until it thickens into a smooth paste. 
3. Add lemon juice and pepper. Stir well.
4. Pour tapenade into a clean glass jar or container.
5. Pour reserved olive oil (1 tablespoon) over the surface of the tapenade.
6. Cover and refrigerate tapenade.
7. Consume tapenade within 7 days.
   
TAPENADE SERVING IDEAS:

• Add extra-virgin olive oil to a spoonful of tapenade to make a dipping oil (tasty with dukkah and bread);
• Add tapenade to hummus for a tasty dip;
• Add tapenade to mayonnaise;
• Stir tapenade through cooked pasta as a sauce.

   
SMOKED TOMATO TAPENADE:
2 cups Kalamata olives, pitted (or pitted green olives)
3/4 cup cold-smoked semi-dried tomatoes
5-6 anchovies (optional)
1 garlic clove, finely minced
2 teaspoons capers (optional)
1/4 cup good quality extra-virgin olive oil
1 tablespoon lemon juice
Black pepper, freshly ground

CHICKEN, ZUCCHINI & BACON BURGERS

      
    
Mini moist, delicious patties sprinkled with cold-smoked garlic, chilli and herb salt and served with salad. Lots of veggies. Lots of salad. Fresh and tasty. Yum!  
     

Ingredients to Make 12 x MINI CHICKEN, ZUCCHINI & BACON BURGERS
Bacon, Diced	1/2 cup
Chicken Mince	500g
Zucchini, Grated	1
Onion, Dried	1 tablespoon
Garlic Clove, Minced	1
Curry Powder	1 teaspoon
Salt	Pinch
Pepper	Pinch
Olive Oil	2 tablespoons
Plus salad to serve on the side (we served ours with a garden salad, mayonnaise and a sprinkle of our cold-smoked garlic, chilli and herb salt.

   
METHOD:
1. Combine all ingredients except for oil in a bowl. Mixture will be moist!
2. Place 1/4 cup of mixture into a hot greased pan and press into a patty. Fry until brown on both sides and cooked throughout.
3. Serve hot or cold, topped with mayonnaise (or your favourite chutney) and serve with a salad of your choice.
4. Refrigerate leftover (cooked) burgers in an airtight container and consume within 3-4 days. 

BRINJAL (EGGPLANT) PICKLE

  
   
YIELD: APPROXIMATELY 7 CUPS
    
Our favourite summer spread featuring home grown eggplants (large or small varieties) with Indian spices. Toasted and simmered until deliciously thick and ready to serve with cheese, curries, burgers and more!
      

Ingredients for BRINJAL PICKLE
	3-4 Cup Batch	7 Cup Batch
Eggplants, Medium-Sized	2 (approximately 1.1kg)	4 (approximately 2.2kg)
Salt	1 tablespoon	2 tablespoons
Cumin Seed	1/2 tablespoon	1 tablespoon
Coriander Seed	1/2 tablespoon	1 tablespoon
Yellow Mustard Seeds	1/2 tablespoon	1 tablespoon
Fenugreek Seed	1/2 teaspoon	1 teaspoon
Fennel Seed	1/2 teaspoon	1 teaspoon
Ground Turmeric	1/2 tablespoon	1 tablespoon
Ground Cinnamon	1/2 teaspoon	1 teaspoon
Olive Oil	4 tablespoons	8 tablespoons
Garlic Cloves, Minced	1	2
Fresh Ginger, Finely Grated	1/2 tablespoon	1 tablespoon
Long Red Chillies, Minced	1	2
Malt Vinegar	1/2 cup	1 cup

     
METHOD:
1. Wash eggplants. Discard ends. Cut into 2cm cubes.
2. Combine diced eggplant and salt in a non-metal bowl. Set aside for 1 hour at room temperature to remove bitter juices.
3. Toast cumin seed in a dry pan until fragrant. Place into a mortar and pestle (or food processor) and repeat dry frying with coriander seed, mustard seeds, fenugreek seed and fennel seed.
4. Grind spices well in a mortar and pestle (or food processor).
5. Rinse salted eggplant in water and pat dry.
6. Combine spices and eggplant together in a bowl.
7. Heat 2 tablespoons olive oil in a pan. Add a third of the spiced eggplant mixture and fry over medium heat, until soft and slightly browned. Set browned eggplant aside in a large pan and repeat twice more with the remaining eggplant mixture.
8. Cook garlic, ginger and chilli with the remaining oil over medium heat, until softened (around 5 minutes).
9. Combine all ingredients in the large pan with the eggplant mixture and stir to combine. Simmer until eggplant is tender and mixture is very thick (approximately 30 minutes).
10. Taste eggplant pickle, adding extra salt if required.
11. Pour into hot, clean glass jars and fill to 1cm from the rim.
12. Wipe rims clean, add clean lids, label and refrigerate (not suitable for pantry storage).
13. Consume within 8 weeks.