Category Archives: Recipes

Sweet Tomato Chutney

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2 LBS Ripe Tomatoes (1-LB tomatoes=2 cups )
2 Cups distilled white vinegar
2 Cups sugar
1 ¼ teaspoon salt, (or to taste)
10 cloves of garlic minced
½ teaspoon ginger (fresh or powdered), (or to taste)
2 Bay Leaves
¼ teaspoon ground fennel seeds
¼ teaspoon ground fenugreek seeds
¼ teaspoon garam masala
¼ tsp ground mace
¼ teaspoon cayenne pepper (optional)

To remove tomato skins:
Wash tomatoes set aside. Fill sink with cold water.
Set a large pan of water on stove to boil.
Once the water is boiling, quickly place as many tomatoes as will fit in the boiling water. After 15 -20 seconds remove tomatoes, and submerse in cold water. Skins will slip-off.
Cut tomatoes into 1-inch cubes.

To make Chutney:
Heat vinegar in a wide heavy stainless-steel or porcelain-lined pot on medium-low. Add sugar. Stir until sugar melts.
Add cubed tomatoes, and any accumulated juice to vinegar and sugar mix.

Grind fennel and fenugreek seeds in a coffee grinder, spice grinder, or mortar. Mince ginger, if needed.
Add all spices: ground fennel, ground fenugreek, minced garlic, ginger, bay leaves, mace, garam masala, and the salt (and the optional cayenne)

Bring mixture to boil, and then turn down to a med.-low heat enough to maintain a fairly rapid boil. Stir often!
Cook down for 65-80 minutes or until mixture thickens.
It shouldn’t look watery and it should have a nice sheen. Stir often to prevent scorching on the bottom. Remove bay leaf.

To Can:
Boil jars and lids to prepare them for hot packing. Start water in canner boiling. Enough water to cover tops of jars. Fill hot pints jars with hot Chutney to 1” of top. Place hot lid on jar and tighten canning ring. Place in boiling water-bath for recommended time.

Water-Bath Process Time at Altitudes of:

Style of Pack Jar Size 0 – 1,000 ft 1,001 -6,000 ft Above  6,000 ft
Hot Pints 15 min 20 25

Dairy-Free Pumpkin Pie

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Dairy-Free Pumpkin Pie
Preheat oven 425° F
Ingredients:

2/3 cup organic white sugar, or raw brown sugar
3 tablespoons tapioca flour
1 teaspoon ground cinnamon
1/2 teaspoon ground ginger
1/8 teaspoon ground cloves
1 – 15 oz can pumpkin puree
1/2 cup almond milk
1/2 cup water
1 teaspoon vanilla extract
1 – 9” pie crust

FOR FILLING:

MIX sugar, tapioca flour, cinnamon, ginger and cloves in large bowl.  Stir in pumpkin, 1/2 cup almond milk, water and vanilla extract until combined.

POUR into unbaked pie crust.

BAKE in preheated 425° F oven for 15 minutes.

Reduce temperature to 350° F; Bake an additional 35 to 45 minutes until center is set. Cool on wire rack for 1 hour. Refrigerate for 1 hour.

Quick Cinnamon Bread (egg-free)

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Quick Cinnamon Bread (egg-free)
Makes: 1 oiled loaf pan
Preheat oven 350 F

Ingredients:
½ cup butter, softened
1 cup sugar
1 Flax Egg = 1 Tablespoon ground flax seed soaked in 2 Tbl water
1 cup buttermilk,
2 cups flour [ white or whole wheat]
1 teaspoon baking soda

Note: You can make a quick homemade buttermilk by adding 1Tablespoon vinegar, or lemon juice to one cup of milk, then letting it sit a bit to curdle.

Cinnamon mixture:
1/3 cup sugar
2 teaspoon cinnamon

Directions:
Make “flax” egg:  Add 1Tablespoon ground flax  to 2 Tablespoons water, let it sit for 5 minutes.

Make Cinnamon Mixture: In a small dish combine 2 teaspoons Cinnamon with 1/3 cup sugar.

In a mixing bowl: Combine 2 cups flour with 1 teaspoon baking soda.
In a separate bowl, cream together ½ cup butter, 1 cup sugar, and flax egg mixture.
Slowly add flour mixture to creamed mixture, alternating with buttermilk.  Stir only until blended, do not over mix.

Method:
Place half the batter into your oiled loaf pan.
Sprinkle 3/4 of the cinnamon/sugar mixture on this first layer of batter.
Add the remaining batter to the loaf pan, and then top with remaining cinnamon sugar.
Swirl cinnamon throughout the dough by inserting a table knife into the batter, then twisting and turning the knife throughout the batter.

Bake 350F for 45-50 min,

Test bread with a clean toothpick.
When the toothpick it comes out of the batter clean, it’s done.
Cool before removing from pan.

ENJOY!

Quick Cinnamon Bread (egg-free)

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Makes: 1 loaf
Preheat oven 3500 F

Ingredients:
½ cup butter, softened
1 cup sugar
1 Flax Egg = 1 Tablespoon ground flax seed soaked in 2 Tbl water
1 cup buttermilk,
[if needed make homemade buttermilk: 1 cup milk plus 1 Tbl vinegar]
2 cups flour [ white or fine whole wheat]
1 teaspoon baking soda

Cinnamon mixture:
1/3 cup sugar
2 teaspoon cinnamon

Directions:
Make flax egg:  add 1 T ground flax  in 2 T water, let it sit for 5 minutes.

Make Cinnamon Mixture: In a small dish combine 2 t cinnamon with 1/3 cup sugar.

In a mixing bowl: Combine 2 cups flour with 1 teaspoon baking soda.

In a separate bowl, cream together ½ cup butter, 1 cup sugar, and flax egg mixture.

Once this is creamed slowly add in flour mixture alternating with 1 cup buttermilk.  Stir only until blended, do not over mix.

Place half the batter into an oiled loaf pan.

Sprinkle  3/4 of the cinnamon sugar mixture on this first layer of batter.

Add the remaining batter to the loaf pan, top with remaining cinnamon sugar.

Create swirls of cinnamon throughout the dough by using a knife inserted into the batter, then twisting and turning it throughout the batter.

Bake 45-50 min, [test with toothpick]
Cool before removing from pan.
Enjoy!

Tomatoes!

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Yesterday, November 2nd,  the last tomatoes were harvested!  

IMG_20170923_150913_702Even with Ashland’s early summer heat wave in late June, two months of smoke filled skies from forest fires, and an early light frost on September 22nd,  this season was the longest and most robust tomato harvest ever experienced in the Lucas garden.  

What made the difference this year?  Was it the 60 lbs of rabbit manure worked into soil in mid-February, the rice straw mulching in mid-June, the removal of all the new growth and stem suckers in mid-September, or all the above?  It’s always difficult to determine why one growing season yields a better harvest than previous years, but gardeners are delighted when is all comes together and produces a bounty of tomatoes!   

Top producers 2017:

Better Boy: Large fruit, high yielding , disease resistant.* Indeterminate, Harvest in 70-75 days

Early Girl: Medium fruit,  early producer and longer season than most varieties. Indeterminate. Harvest in 57-63 days.  

San Marzano:  Medium fruit, elongated heirloom paste tomato. Somewhat longer season than other paste tomato varieties.  Seeds stay true from generation to generation.  Indeterminate.  Harvest in 85 days.

Jeweled Enchantment: Medium fruit, heirloom slicer, long season producer. Hard to find seeds! Indeterminate. Harvest 70-75 days.

*Indeterminate–  Plants continue to grow and  fruit throughout the growing season.  Determinate – Plant stops growing when fruit sets and all the fruit ripens at approximately the same time over a 1-2 week period.

 Tomato Bisque Soup

4 cups chopped fresh Tomatoes
½ cup onions, chopped
2-4 stalks of celery, chopped
½ cup butter ( or  ¼ butter &  ¼ olive oil)
¼ cup flour
1 qt. milk (or nut milk, either Almond or Cashew)
1 ½ tsp. salt
1 tsp. dried parsley
¼ tsp. baking soda

Phase I:   Cook Tomatoes in large sauce pan for 15 minutes.
Add & stir in baking soda to hot tomatoes just before combining the Phase II mixture.

Phase II:
Salute onion & celery in butter for 5 minutes
Add flour, cook 1 minute
Stir in milk, salt, & parsley; cook on low 15 – 20 minutes or until thickened.

Slowly pour tomatoes  and the onion- celery- gravy mix into a blender. Remember to vent the blender cap and start motor slowly for stream to escape.  Pulse  or Blend until desired soup consistency is achieved.   Serve hot with a dollop of sour cream.   YUM!

Article and photos by: Carlotta Lucas

Recipe: African Peanut Soup

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20160318_103526

African Peanut Soup [Vegan]

Ingredients:
2 tablespoon coconut oil
1 large onion, chopped
2 stalks celery, chopped fine
3-4 cloves of garlic, chopped
4 cups cubed sweet potatoes – (2) 10-oz bags organic frozen, or 2 large organic fresh.
1 tablespoon ginger, minced
½ teaspoon paprika, or to taste ( use chili pepper flakes or cayenne, if you like “heat”)
1 teaspoon salt
1 can diced organic tomatoes with juice (14.5 oz can)
4 cups vegetable stock
½ cup natural peanut butter

Garnishes:
¼ cup roasted unsalted peanuts, chopped
Cilantro leaves, chopped

Using in a 5 or 6 quart Saucepan or Dutch Oven,
Sauté onion & garlic in coconut oil until onions are translucent.
Add broth, sweet potatoes, ginger ; cook on medium heat for 6 minutes.
Add salt, tomatoes, & peanut butter. Bring to boil, then reduce heat and cook an additional 7 minutes. (Note: if using fresh sweet potatoes cook an additional 3 minutes, or until sweet potatoes are tender)

Let cool slightly, puree with a handheld blender, or in small batches in a blender. Serve in bowls , garnished with peanuts & cilantro.

Made today by: Carlotta Lucas
Photo by: Carlotta Lucas

Adapted from The Baker Creek Vegan Cookbook by Jere & Emilee Gettle

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