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I'm trying to make a Roasted Poblano and Black Bean Enchilada recipe and I don't know if the tomatillo cream sauce will be freezer-friendly. Basically I process the following ingredients in a food processor to make the cream sauce. I plan on freezing the sauce in ice-cube trays for individual servings. The sauce will then be thawed and spread on a baking dish and also used to top the enchiladas and cook in a 400 degree oven. Thanks! INGREDIENTS: -26 ounces canned tomatillos, drained -1 onion -1/2 cup cilantro leaves -1/3 cup vegetable broth -1/4 cup heavy cream -1 tbsp vegetable oil -3 garlic cloves -1 tbsp lime juice -1 tsp sugar -1 tsp salt

I have been hearing about using copper vessels for making jam and jelly. Is there an advantage over conventional stainless pans? I live very close to Santa Clara del Cobre, where what seems like the entire population is engaged in either making or selling all kinds of copper products, from small decorative pieces to huge kettles for making carnitas and everything in between . So I could easily convert from my traditional cookware--stainless--to copper if there's a real advantage. Thanks for your advice/ideas.

Persian Pickled Grapes I have no idea where I got the original recipe from, but I have fiddled with the amount of sweetness and the additional flavourings over time. These are great with cold meats, cheese platters etc, and are so easy they hardly constitute a "recipe". 1 bottle good wine vinegar (750 ml)- white or red is fine, but I might try pomegranate next time. 1/4 cup Golden Syrup; sugar works OK but does not give the slightly caramelly flavour. Honey might be good. 2 teaspoons salt. a bunch of grapes. a stick of cinnamon if you are so inclined. Boil the vinegar, syrup, and salt together. Cool. Pour over little bunches of the grapes that you have snipped off from the big bunch, and put into sterilised glass jars (with the cinnamon stick if you wish). Seal and keep in a cool dark place for a month before eating (if you can!). Keywords: Easy, Fruit, Condiment ( RG1735 )

Jamie's Velvet Thighs Serves 4 as Main Dish. Dedicated to JamieMaw, to thank him for his gift of a jar of the delicious Mission Hill Plum and Pinot Sauce, and named for the velveting technique borrowed from Chinese cuisine. 6 large boneless skinless chicken thighs 4 egg whites 2 T cornstarch 3 T duck fat 1 c Mission Hill Plum and Pinot Sauce 1/2 c heavy cream salt and pepper Using a fork, beat the egg whites lightly with the cornstarch. Drop in chicken thighs and mix well with hands to coat chicken. Let rest for 30 minutes. Heat duck fat in a large skillet until very hot (don't use nonstick!). Drop in chicken pieces, season the side facing up, and let them cook over a medium-low heat. The chicken will stick to the pan, but cook until bottom side is golden brown. Turn chicken, scraping up the stuck golden bits. Cook like this, turning and scraping occasionally, for 15-20 minutes. Pour the plum sauce over the chicken, turning gently to coat chicken evenly. When the coating has absorbed the sauce, pour the cream evenly over all. Cook, turning, until chicken is done through and crispy golden. Adjust seasoning. Made like this, the chicken is just slightly spicy. Increase the amount of plum sauce for a spicier dish. NOTES : Use the very best chicken you can get. Keywords: Main Dish, Easy, Chicken, Hot and Spicy ( RG1640 )

Green Tomato Chutney, Spicy and Sweet This is a condiment that is a favorite with my family in Kentucky and a family recipe that uses up green tomatoes left at the end of the season. Green Tomato Chutney, spicy and sweet. Makes about 16 pints A family recipe from Kentucky 4 pounds green tomatoes 3 large or 4 medium barely ripe mangoes (other fruit can be substituted, firm peaches, tart, firm apples, barely ripe papaya or similar fruits. You should have about 6 pounds of fruit. 3 large yellow onions (do not use the very mild or "sweet" onions) 6 banana peppers (hot) peeled and seeded. You can also use other medium hot peppers of your choice. If using smaller peppers use enough so you have about 1 1/4 cup of chopped peppers. 1 cup sultanas or other light or golden raisins. 2 cups raw sugar, use turbinado or light brown as a substitute. Or you can use 1 cup white sugar and 1 cup dark molasses. 3 tablespoons finely chopped fresh ginger - if not available, use 1 1/2 teaspoons ground ginger. 2 1/2 tablespoons kosher salt (Diamond Flake) if you use the finer grind use only 2 tablespoons. 1 teaspoon ground nutmeg 1 teaspoon ground cinnamon 1/2 teaspoon ground cloves 1/2 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper 4 cups apple cider vinegar Water Blanch and peel the tomatoes, peaches, peel the other fruit and remove cores and seeds. Chop all fresh ingredients into 1/2 inch dice, approximately. Place the vinegar, sugar, salt, ginger, spices and raisins into a large non-reactive pot. Bring to a boil. Add all the fruit and onions, stir well. If more liquid is needed to cover the fruit, add up to 1 1/2 cups of water. After liquid has returned to a boil continue cooking for about 30 minutes. Reduce heat to a simmer and cook uncovered for about 2 1/2 to 3 hours, stirring occasionally. The mixture should be thick and the fruit should look slightly translucent. About 2/3 through the simmering time, remove some to a small dish, taste and adjust flavor, adding additional spices, salt or sugar if necessary. At this point you can also add fruit syrups, hot sauces, etc., to adjust the taste if desired. This is a very versatile recipe, stamp your own mark on it by varying it to suit your taste. When done, ladle into hot sterilized jars. Clean the top rim of the jars carefully, place the lids and add rings loosely. Process in boiling water for 15 minutes. Finished amount can vary depending on how much the fruit cooks down. I have gotten as much as 20 pints using very firm fruit. My grandfather liked this made with coarsely chopped pecans or walnuts cooked with the fruit. So there was always a separate smaller pot prepared the way he liked it. I still make a couple of pints this way, just for old times. Andie Keywords: Condiment, Hot and Spicy ( RG1435 )

Sweet Green Tomato pickles 3 lb green cherry tomatoes 2 lb sugar 1 tsp vanilla essence OR cinnamon 1/2 pt vinegar Wash the tomatoes. You can peel them but I don't Bring the vinegar, suagr and 1/4pt water to the boil, add the tomaotes and reboil for 10 mins. Pour into a non-metal basin, cover and leave for a week. Strain off the liquid, reboil, add the tomatoes and boil for 5 mins. Pack into jars and seal hot. Leave for a month or two in a dark cupboard before eating. Keywords: Condiment ( RG1417 )

Green Tomato Chutney Adapted from Bulletin 21 "Home Preservation of Fruit and Vegetables", Her Majesty's Stationary Office, first published 1929 You can adapt this for any garden surplus: apples, marrow, plums etc. Liquidised and sieved you can use it as the basis for a brown (steak) sauce. The long slow cooking and maturing gives a mellow dark brown chutney. The basic ingredients should be cut up and cooked so that the result is not completely smooth, but nothing is directly recognisable. Raisins, small cubes of crytallised ginger etc may be added to give character. 8 lb Green tomatoes 2 lb Apples 1 lb Raisins 2-1/2 lb Onions 2 chillis (more if you like it hotter) 1 oz Ginger 1 oz Salt 2 lb Brown sugar 2 pt Vinegar Cut up the tomatoes, peel and chop the onions and apples. Chop the raisins if they are large. Chop up the giner and the chillis, and tie them in a piece of muslin Place everything in a large pan, bring to the boil and simmer slowly until the desired consistency - about 8 hours. Remove the bag of spices and bottle in preserving jars (canning jars) while hot. Leave for a month or more in a dark cupboard. Keywords: Condiment ( RG1416 )

Chocolate Mayonnaise Cake This is the hand written recipe for Mayonnaise cake as our family makes it. I have seen recipes that call for 3 tablespoons cocoa but this tastes chocolatie enough for me. 1 cup dates or raisins 1 cup boiling water 1 cup mayonnaise 1 cup sugar 2 cups all-purpose flour 1 tsp. baking soda 1 tsp. salt 1 tsp. cinnamon 1 Tbs. cocoa 1 tsp. vanilla Preheat oven to 350. Grease a 9x13x2” or a bundt pan. Pour boiling water over raisins or dates. Blend together mayonnaise and sugar. In a bowl, mix dry ingredients Mix raisin mixture, mayonnaise mixture and dry ingredients together with vanilla. Bake for about 40 minutes. Test with cake tester. ( RG1392 )

Curry Chutney Spread Serves 10 as Hors d'oeuvre. There are many variations on this, including ones that substitute smoked almonds for the bacon (a great tip for vegetarians), but this is my all-time favorite. I often forgo the processing of the chutney - as long as your chutney isn't super-chunky, you should be able to make this without dirtying your Cuisinart! 8 oz cream cheese (light or regular), at room temperature 1 T curry powder 8 oz mango chutney (one jar) 6 strips bacon, cooked until crisp, drained, and crumbled 1 bunch scallions, finely chopped In a small bowl, combine the cream cheese with the curry powder until mixture is well-blended and smooth. In the bowl of a food processor, pulse the chutney a few times (until lumps are gone). Spread cream cheese mixture evenly over the bottom of an 8-inch quiche or pie dish. Spread the chutney on top, then top with crumbled bacon. Add the scallions evenly to the top. Serve with hearty crackers or small whole-grain toasts. Spread will keep, covered in plastic wrap and stored in the fridge, for up to two days. Bring to room temperature before serving. Keywords: Hors d'oeuvre, Dip ( RG1384 )

Lemon Mayonnaise This is an easy, delicious sauce to prepare, and is endlessly flexible - add any herbs you like at the end of the process, let the mayo sit in the fridge for an hour to blend the flavors, and use it on everything. Great in chicken salads, on sandwiches, over warm asparagus... 1 egg yolk, at room temperature 1 T Dijon mustard 1 tsp Champagne vinegar Kosher salt 3/4 c peanut or safflower oil 1/4 c best-quality olive oil Juice of one lemon In a heavy bowl that will stay put as you mix, whisk together the egg yolk, mustard and vinegar. Season with salt. As you whisk, add the peanut oil a few drops at a time, incorporating it thoroughly after each addition. Once the mixture begins to thicken, add the oil in a thin stream. A thick emulsion should be forming. Whisk in the olive oil and add lemon juice to taste, and salt (if needed). Keywords: Side, Intermediate ( RG1320 )

Honey Mustard Sauce Just like Houlahan's Sauce 4 T Hot Mustard, Mr. Mustard 6 T Mayo 4 T honey 4 T chives Mix well, refrigerate at least 2 hours, serve. Keywords: Easy, Sauce ( RG1315 )

Jambalaya Serves 125 as Main Dish. Jambalaya is normally a one pot dish involving meats and/or seafoods, vegetables for flavoring a texture, and finished with rice. There are two principle ways of making the dish. The first way, as in the most common, is to cook down the sausage or meat involved, add the vegetables and tomatoes and cook them down,add seafood at this poin, and then add stock in a proportionate amount to the rice that is to be added at the very end of the dish. This type of jambalaya is known, generally, as "red jambalaya". The second way is to cook all of the ingredients seperately from the rice and to cook the rice in some savory stock, in this case shrimp stock is used, and then to blend them together GENTLY (rice should be blended with very large wooden spoons by sliding them down the side of the container and lifting up-never pushing down or smashing the rice. Rice is your friend. Be kind to it. There is nothing worse than smooshed, gooey rice. This is them panned up in shallow pans and baked at 350 COVERED tightly with foil, until warmed through (if is not served immediatley-either way it is just as delicious) This is known as "white jambalaya". This is a very large recipe, and it is great for large parties as you can make the goo one day and the rice on another. In fact, you can make it and freeze the red part (without the shrimp) ahead of time if you need to. So you will need some time and a big wallet full of money. This is really good and wherever you live in the world, as long as you don't have any complex dietary restrictions, you can enjoy a great dish from Louisiana. Have fun and enjoy! Remember, you can use the scale button at the bottom of the recipe to decrease or increase quantity. I made this for a graduation party I "catered." For more on Jambalaya, please check the Gumbo, Jambalaya, Etouffee, Creole..., Please Advise topic. 10 lb smoked sausage, sliced 10 lb chicken thighs, cubed 12 c onions, chopped 3 c diced, celery 3 c green peppers, chopped 1-1/2 c yellow bell pepper, cupped 11-1/2 c red bell peppers, cupped 12 cloves garlic, chopped 3 tsp Thyme 12 bay leaves 3 tsp Dried basil 6 tsp salt 3 tsp Cayenne 10 1 lb Cans chopped tomatoes 6 1 lb Cans Rotel Tomatoes 6 6 oz Cans tomato paste 3 lemons, halved 10 lb shrimp, peeled and deveined 15 lb Basmati Rice 1)Salt and pepper chicken and then brown in a hot pan with just enough oil to get it started. Remove and set aside. 2) Brown sausage. 3) Add next 11 ingredients and cook for 5 minutes or until onions and bell peppers are wilted. 4) Add the tomato ingredients,the chicken, and the lemons. 5) Bring to a low simmer, uncovered, and simmer for 30 minutes. Stirring occasionally to keep from scorching. 6) Add the shrimp and cook the shrimp for 5 minutes . 7) The rice should be cooked, seperately, as per the cooking instructions for the rice. Rather than cooking the rice in plain water, cook it in a light shrimp or other savory stock. 8) Once the rice is done, while both ingredients are hot, mix as per the instructions above and then either serve or put into pans to be refrigerated or frozen until you are ready for use. Keywords: Main Dish, Intermediate, Dinner, Seafood, Shrimp ( RG1268 )

Mango Chutney with Ginger and Garlic Serves 2 as Side. Mango Chutney is become one of the favorite condiment in Indian restaurants all over U.S. Now you can make this chutney with this simple recipe and also create your own versions by adding your favorite ingredients. 6 firm half-ripe mangoes, peeled and thinly sliced 1 c cider vinegar 1 c packed light brown sugar 2 T minced garlic 1 2-inch fresh ginger, peeled and thinly sliced 1 T cayenne pepper salt and freshly ground pepper In a large skillet bring all the ingredients to boil, over medium heat. Reduce the heat to low, simmer for 25 to 30 minutes, stirring constantly from sticking to the bottom of the skillet. Remove from heat and let the chutney cool before serving. Always keep it refrigerated. Keywords: Side, Fruit, Easy, Condiment, Indian ( RG1240 )

Joe's Jambalaya Serves 4 as Main Dish. When most people think of Jambalaya, they generally think of a dish that includes rice, tomatoes, and various meats. This recipe is different -- a modern interpretation of an old favorite -- because it follows a more northern Louisiana tradition and omits the tomatoes. I think it makes the dish more elegant and subtle. It refridgerates reasonably well, and I like to serve it with a simple Italian country loaf of bread. It's a fairly flexible recipe, so feel free to experiment. 1 whole chicken breast 2 links of andouille sausage 1 c shrimp or other seafood (optional) 1 c long grain white rice 1 c water 1 c dry white wine 1 c chicken stock (preferably homemade) 1 large red bell pepper 2 ribs of celery 1 hot pepper of your choice (optional) 1 tsp Tabasco (or more) 2 T unsalted butter T fresh Italian parsley 1 tsp dried thyme salt and pepper to taste Dice the chicken breast into 1 inch cubes. Salt and pepper the chicken to taste. Heat a large dutch oven over a medium flame. Add the butter, and when it begins to foam, at the chicken to the pot. Brown slightly, but be sure not to over cook. Add the bell peppers and celery, coarsely diced, and stir for a minute. Then add the rice. While your performing the above tasks, bring the wine, water and stock to a bare boil in another pot. Add the liquid mixture to the dutch oven, along with the thyme, tabasco, and parsley. Add the sausage, cut into 1/4 inch slices to the same pot. If desired add a diced jalapeno, habanero, thai pepper, or whatever. Simmmer covered for 20-25 minutes or until the rice is softened but not pastey. If desired you can add shrimp or other seafood a few minutes before serving. Careful not to overcook the seafood. Taste and add additional salt if needed. Garnish with choped fresh parsley sprigs. Keywords: Main Dish, Easy, Chicken, Dinner, Hot and Spicy, American, Lunch, Pork, Fish, Rice ( RG1225 )

Curry leaves spice rub/dry chutney My mother in law submitted this recipe to a contest in Mumbai and won the first prize. She competed with 80 women. This dry chutney can be used as a spread for bread, sprinkled on warm rice, or as a topping for whipped salted yogurt. 1 c curry leaves 2 T sesame seeds 2 T roasted peanuts 1 tsp dried mango powder 1/2 tsp red chili powder Pinch of sugar Salt to taste Place the curry leaves in a large skillet and dry roast over medium low heat till all the moisture dries out. The leaves will begin to darken. Pick one up and if they crumble easily between your fingers, they are ready. Let cool. In a blender combine with all the other ingredients - grind to a fine powder - it may to slightly sticky due to the peanuts in the mix. this is okay. Store refrigerated for upto a week in an airtight container. This recipe has been adapted from my book "The Spice is Right - Easy Indian cooking for Today." by Callawind Publications Keywords: Easy, Indian, Appetizer, Vegetarian ( RG1160 )

Honey Fig Jam 1 pt figs 1 c honey 1 tsp cinnamon 1 tsp all spice 1/4 tsp salt 1 tsp ginger, freshly grated 1 lemon or small orange, finely grated zest and juice Wash, remove the stem and blossom end of figs, cut in quarters. Put in heavy bottomed pot with the rest of the ingredients. Bring to a slow simmer, cover and cook for 1 hour. Remove lid, remove figs with a spoon to a food mill fitted with large holed disk. Pass fruit through back into pot, discard skin left in the food mill. Stir pulp into liquid. Simmer for another 10 minutes or so then place into clean jar and store in the fridge. Yields about 1 cup. Keywords: Fruit, Dessert, Vegetarian, Intermediate, Breakfast, Topping/Frosting ( RG1156 )

Miso-mayo sauce for nama harumaki/goi cuon (spring rolls) This miso-mayonnaise sauce is served with goi cuon/nama harumaki (spring rolls). 2 tsp rice wine vinegar 2 T red miso paste 2 tsp sesame oil 1/2 tsp chili flakes 1/2 lemon, juiced 1/2 c mayonnaise Whisk in a bowl until all ingredients are blended. Taste and adjust seasoning. Chill and serve with spring rolls. Keywords: Easy, Dip, Japanese ( RG1152 )

Vietnamese Pickled Vegetable Salad If you've ever been to a Vietnamese restaurant, you'll recognize this salad as the garnish on almost every plate of food served. It is also an ingredient in fresh Vietnamese Summer Rolls. Adapted from a recipe in Hot Sour Salty Sweet: A Culinary Journey Through Southeast Asia by Jeffrey Alford and Naomi Duguid. 1 Carrot 1 Daikon radish, a piece about the same size as the carrot Kosher Salt 1 Red Bell Pepper 1/4 c Rice Vinegar Water 1 T Sugar Peel the carrot and daikon. Cut into julienne strips or batons. Or, use a garnish tool to make crinkle cuts. Place the carrot and daikon into a stainer in the sink or over a bowl. Sprinkle liberally with Salt. Allow to sit for 20-30 minutes. Cut red bell pepper into the same cut you did for the carrots & daikon. Set aside. Heat the vinegar with about half a cup of water and the sugar until the sugar is dissolved. Allow to cool naturally or add a couple ice cubes. Rinse the salted vegetables, which should now be slightly wilted. Combine the carrots, daikon and red bell pepper with the dressing and place in an airtight storage container. Add just enough water so that the vegetables are submerged (up to another half cup or so). Allow to marinate at least 1 hour before serving, but better the next day. Keywords: Side, Salad, Easy, Vegetables, Vegetarian, Vegan, Condiment, Southeast Asian, Healthy Choices ( RG1149 )

Broccoli Salad with Tomato-Onion Mayonnaise Serves 12 as Salad. This is one of my favorite salad recipes, which is saying a lot since I usually don't like broccoli at all. Very unusual and good on a buffet of other salads. Rated intermediate for the length of time required, not the skills. 2 lb broccoli heads, trimmed and cut into florets Mayonnaise: 2 medium onions, chopped 2 cloves garlic, minced 4 T butter 2 T oil 4 tomatoes, peeled, seeded and chopped OR 1 cans tomatoes, petite cut, drained 2 tsp sugar 3 T basil chiffonade 3 T oregano leaves 1 c mayonnaise Garnish (optional) Black olives Cherry tomatoes Cook broccoli in heavily salted boiling water until it is on the verge of becoming tender. Drain and shock in cold water. Drain well. Sauté onions and garlic in butter and oil until onions are transparent. Stir in tomatoes, sugar, basil and oregano. Simmer uncovered over medium heat, stirring occasionally, until all liquid is evaporated. Cool slightly and stir in mayonnaise. Season to taste with salt and pepper. Combine broccoli and tomato mixture. Cover and refrigerate 3-4 hours. Garnish with cherry tomatoes and/or olives and/or more basil chiffonade, if desired. Note: for making the day before, refrigerate broccoli and tomato mixture separately. To cut calories, reduce butter and oil and use only one-half cup of mayonnaise. In that case, leave a bit of liquid in the onion-tomato mixture. Keywords: Salad, Intermediate, Vegetarian ( RG1115 )

Thai Basil Pepper Jelly This is good as: an appetizer when spread over cream cheese or goat cheese and served with crackers or toasted bread rounds or a condiment with pork or lamb (or even chicken!). This recipe is adapted from one called "Walt's Habanero Jelly" which can be found in various places on the net including "recipesource.com". 2 c chopped red and yellow bell pepper 1 c fresh thai basil leaves 1-1/2 c vinegar (1/2 & 1/2) rice wine and cider 5 c sugar 1 T lime or lemon juice 5 habanero chiles (orange and/or red) 1 tsp butter 1 pkg pectin (powder, sure-jell) Prepare jelly jars according to directions (wash w/ hot soapy water, sterilize lids by pouring boiling water over). I like to use the little 1/2 cup jars. Seed and stem bell peppers, chop finely CAREFULLY seed and stem habanero peppers (I highly recommend you wear a mask and gloves when you do this...these are the most toxic things I have worked with outside the lab!). Chop finely (I use a small food processor/chopper for this). Measure sugar into a bowl. Place the chiles, bell peppers, dry pectin, vinegar and butter in a large stainless steel pot. Bring to a rolling boil, stirring constantly. Add sugar immediately, return to a rolling boil and boil exactly one minute. Remove from heat and fill prepared jelly jars. Wipe rims with damp cloth, cover with lid and screw on bands tightly. Invert for 5 minutes then turn over and let cool slowly. After jars are cool check seals by pressing top of jars. If lid springs up, jar is not sealed (But can be kept in fridge!). I shake these occasionally as they cool to distribute the peppers so it looks nice. Tastes just as good if you don't and just stir before serving. ;-) Variations: You can use from 5-15 habaneros, depending on how much heat you want! I usually use about 10. I have made rosemary by subbing about 1/4-1/2 cups of chopped rosemary leaves. You might want to use all cider vinegar for that version. Keywords: Hot and Spicy, Easy, Appetizer, Condiment ( RG1106 )

Young ginger shoots pickled in sweet vinegar A pickle made around May-June, before rhizomes have fattened up, and served with sushi. Traditional method 5 T rice vinegar 2 T sugar 1/3 tsp coarse natural salt My method 5 T umesu (plum vinegar) 2 T mirin (sweet rice wine) to taste - umesu varies in salt levels In June, the young ginger shoots come onto the market. The immature rhizomes are sold together with about 1 foot of green shoot. These shoots are trimmed to say 6", and the rhizomes divided so that there is one knob of root for each green shoot. Peel rhizomes if necessary, or simply rub papery skin off if young. Hold the stems bunched in your hand, and immerse the ginger roots in boiling water for a few seconds. Have ready the seasoned vinegar mix - zap in the microwave to dissolve sugar, otherwise simply mix in a tall glass,　and immerse ginger. Stand the container in the fridge if you intend to keep the pickle for a few days. The pink color will continue to develop for about 12 hours. Eat within a few days. Keywords: Japanese ( RG1091 )

Sa-Go-Hachi Cultured Rice Pickle This is Akiko Murakami's recipe, translated. Her pickle recipes always respect her long experience, and are full of useful adaptations. This recipe uses about 1/3 less salt than the traditional method. Freeze-dried koji (cultured rice, used for amazake drinks, and for making miso) is available in furry mats or as loose grains. The loose type is easier to use. You can also buy dry sa-go-hachi mixes. At one time these were very salty and took a while to mature, but recently seem to be better. 1/2 c coarse natural salt 1 c loose freeze-dried koji (cultured rice) 2 c short-grained rice, raw Wash raw rice well, and put in rice-cooker with 2 and 4/5cup of water (40% more water than rice, by volume) and cook as usual. Fluff up the cooked rice, and sprinkle the koji over it (or crumble the mat-type koji over the rice), mixing as you go. Move to a bowl, cover with plastic wrap, and wrap the whole thing in a towel and leave overnight. Next day, mix in salt, and place in a lidded container in the fridge for 2-4 weeks to mature. To use, wash vegetables (carrot, daikon radish, egglant, cucumber, lotus root, etc.) and place in pickle bed. Cut harder vegetables into chunks, but leave softer vegetables whole. Leave in pickle bed for 5-12 hours, until soft. Wipe clean, and slice to serve. These pickles have a mild flavor, without the sourness of nuka-zuke. Keywords: Japanese ( RG1090 )

Nuka-zuke Ricebran pickles Bags of dry seasoned nuka-doko (ricebran pickling bed) mix are available, and vary in quality. Boxes of ready matured wet mixes are usually better quality. It isn't hard to make your own, but it takes a week or two (depending on temperature/season) to mature. It's easiest to start in spring, when temperatures are warm but not hot, and the pickle bed matures just as the first summer vegetables become available. Pickling bed 2 kg rice bran 300 g coarse natural salt (15% of weight of ricebran) 2 l water, boiled and cooled (roughly equal weight with ricebran) Additives strip of dried kelp, wiped clean 10 dried chile peppers (adjust to taste) 3 pickled sansho berries Japanese type not Chinese Dry ground mustard, a handful, slows fermentation Vegetables to pickle eggplants, halved or quarted whole cucumbers bell peppers chunks of cabbage daikon (Japanese radish) in quarters carrot sticks Boil water and allow to cool. You can boil the salt with the water if you like. Use fresh ricebran, and use as soon as possible after purchase so that the oils do not become rancid. Some people like to dry-roast the ricebran over a gentle heat in a wok, stirring constantly. Allow to cool to room temperature. Mix water, salt, and rice bran. Add enough water so that the mixture forms a ball when squeezed, but remains loose and crumbly in the bowl. Additives can be added now or after maturing for a couple of weeks. Transfer bran mixture to a lidded container, and press some vegetables into the pickle bed. As long as they are clean, almost anything will do at this stage -- the first round or two of pickles are normally thrown out. Set container aside in a fairly dark, cool, place. You MUST mix thoroughly every day, up to 3 times daily in hot weather. If this is impossible, move the pickle bed to a plastic bag and "hibernate" it in the fridge. I suspect it would freeze OK, but have not tried it. Vegetables are ready when soft (or for carrot, when somewhat soft). Always take pickled veg out, wash or wipe clean, and store in the refrigerator if not wanted immediately - old pickles will quickly invite bad bacteria or excessive sourness. If you pickle a lot of watery vegetables such as cucumbers, remember that the pickle bed is losing salt, and as salt levels drop, fermentation and lactic acids will increase. Add a sprinkle of salt and dry mustard every time you remove vegetables in this case, and add more rice bran (and proportional amount of salt) if the bed becomes sloppy. You can drain off excess liquid, but this tends to affect the flavor of the pickle bed. Don't overdo the mustard - pickles should not taste bitter or hot. Keywords: Japanese ( RG1089 )

Chevre & Apple Chutney Roll Serves 8 as Appetizer. The chutney part of the recipe (adapted from a recipe in a November 1996 “Bon Appétit” magazine) makes approximately 3 cups of chutney which is more than is needed for the roll. However, the chutney is excellent as a condiment and we never have a difficult time using up the "extra". The chutney is best if made at least one day before using so the flavors can mellow. Use golden raisins for a light-colored chutney and dark raisins for a dark chutney. Also, other dried fruits (prunes, apricots, etc.) can be substituted for the raisins as variations to the basic recipe. Chutney 1-1/2 c apple cider vinegar 2 c sugar 1-1/2 lb tart apples, peeled, cored, chopped into 1/2-inch pieces 10 large garlic cloves, minced 2 oz fresh ginger, peeled, minced 1-1/2 tsp salt 1 tsp dried crushed red pepper 1-1/2 c (packed) raisins, coarsely chopped 2 T yellow or brown (or a mixture of the two) mustard seeds Roll 12 oz chevre, at room temperature 1/2 c apple chutney (from above), cooled or chilled Bring the vinegar and sugar to a boil in a saucepan, stirring until the sugar dissolves. Simmer for 10 minutes. Add the minced garlic and stir. Mix in the remaining chutney ingredients (but not the chevre!). Simmer until the apples are tender and the chutney thickens, stirring occasionally while it cooks. 45-60 minutes. Cool chutney and chill until used. Pat the softened chevre onto a sheet of plastic wrap in a rough rectangular shape. Cover with another sheet of plastic wrap and roll (or pat) into a 1/4"-thick rectangle. Peel off the top sheet of plastic and spread the chevre with a thin layer of chutney. Use the bottom sheet of plastic wrap to help roll the chutney covered chevre, along the long side of the rectangle, into a tight roll. Or, you can line a small loaf pan or other mold with plastic wrap and spread alternating layers of chevre and chutney inside the mold, packing each layer firmly,starting and ending with chevre. Unmold onto a serving plate and peel off the plastic. Chill if not serving immediately (roll can be made up to one day beforehand) and bring to room temperature before serving with crackers or bread. Keywords: Hors d'oeuvre, Vegetarian, Condiment, Appetizer, Easy, Cheese, Snack ( RG1046 )

Tataki Kyuuri no Shouga-zuke ( Cucumber pickles with Ginger) Serves 4 as Side. These are a simple cucumber pickle that only need a couple minutes to marinate. Tataki is from the verb to hit or strike and they are called this because the cucumbers (kyuuri) are slightly smashed before marinating in the ginger (shouga) dressing. Try to use Japanese cucumbers if possible, if they are not available then use seedless ones. 3 Japanese cucmbers 1 T grated ginger 1/2 T rice vinegar 3 T soy sauce large pinch of sugar 1. Cut the cucumbers lengthwise into quarters, then cut them in 2 to 3 inch lengths. 2. Place them into a ziploc bag and slightly crush them with the bottom of a pan, you don't want to smash them to a pulp rather you want to just open them up a little so they can marinate faster. Some will be broken. 3 Add the rest of the ingredients to the bag and masssage it gently to mix the ingredients. 4. Let it sit for about 5 minutes then serve. Keywords: Appetizer, Japanese, Side, Vegan, Easy ( RG1041 )