Balsamic Habanero Green Tomato Chow Chow... A Most Versatile Relish

Honestly, at our house, this stuff is treasured mainly for it's versatility and for being a spur of the moment appetizer. We've even been known to blow through an entire sleeve of saltine crackers just as vehicles for delivering this scrumptious relish to our mouths. When Chow-Chow is involved we are a shameless pair.



A few years back I was making this and realized at the last moment that I didn't have any white vinegar. Not wanting to return to the market for the umpteenth time, I found several bottles of Balsamic vinegar and decided to go with it. Now mind you, it isn't nearly as attractive as the Chow-Chow made with white vinegar, but oh the taste! It really seems to bring out flavors that were there before but never noticed. Magical marriage, I tell you. Now, we have friends who ask whether or not I'm making it with the Balsamic again, so I know they like it. Hell, they beg for it!



Actually, I wasn't even going to make it this year because I didn't do a garden. Then last Saturday morning I awoke to find a large plastic bag full of green tomatoes, given to me by my mail lady, Diane. Bless her heart! She had canned to her heart's content and was still left with an abundance of green tomatoes, so she brought them to me. I'm not sure whether I should thank her or not, but I did anyway. I mean, it's a lot of work!


However, I put my big girl panties on and set to the task at hand. Here's the recipe:


Balsamic Vinegar Habanero Green Tomato Chow-Chow:

Ingredients:

4 to 5 pounds of green tomatoes
3 large yellow onions
10 cloves of garlic
10 jalapeno peppers, seeded
8 Habanero peppers, seeded
1 green bell pepper, seeded
1 red bell pepper, seeded
1 yellow bell pepper, seeded
1 head of cabbage
1 head of cauliflower
2 cans of medium size artichoke hearts, drained

For the Pickling Liquid:

6 cups of Balsamic vinegar
2 cups of water
5-1/2 cups of sugar
1/2 cup of salt
2 teaspoons of mustard seed
1 Tablespoon of ground turmeric
2 teaspoons of celery seed
2 teaspoons whole allspice
3 cinnamon sticks
3 teaspoons whole black peppercorns
kitchen twine
cheesecloth

Directions:

1. In a large non-reactive pan combine the vinegar, sugar and salt, stirring until dissolved.

2. Cut a large piece of cheesecloth and lay it flat. In the middle, place the remaining six ingredients, pull up around the spices to make a small bag and tie it closed with a 6 inch strand of kitchen twine, trim excess with scissors, then add it to the liquid.

3. Bring mixture to a boil and allow to simmer for approximately 30 to 45 minutes, or until reduced by half.

4. During the simmering time, add all ingredients to the food processor with metal blade, in shifts, so as to not get the processor bowl too full. I only use the pulse button for this part. That way, the veggies don't get too pulverized.

5. When liquid has reduced by half, add all the ingredients and heat to just short of boiling, usually around 15 to 20 minutes.

6. Have all canning supplies standing by and ready to go. Fill each jar to just within a 1/8" of the top, with a clean moistened cloth wipe any excess of the rim, but do be careful, as the jars will be very hot. Place sterilized lid on top and secure with metal band. (Don't over tighten as that may cause the lid to bend and thus, not get a good seal.)

7. Turn the jar over to rest upside down for approximately 30 minutes or until all lids are securely sealed.

8. Here's the hardest part of all. Wait for 3 weeks before opening, allowing the mixture to soak up the liquid and pickle itself.

So, there you have it! Once it's ready for consumption, you can use it on just about any meats and for an elegant appetizer, pour the dark mixture over a block of cream cheese and serve with crackers. I've even used it as a marinade, which gives a wonderful flavor to uncooked meat as well.

Enjoy!

Texas Caviar... It Can Be Whatever You Want It To Be

Of course, this is a wonderful dip to serve for New Year's Eve, but in Texas we have it any time there is a get-together of friends or family, so you can truly make it whatever you like.


It can also be used as a side dish or relish, making it a very versatile dish indeed. I grow my own habaneros, jalapenos, black eyed peas, and tomatoes in the summer, which makes it even better.


You can also add or take away ingredients and totally change it up. All you need is a little imagination! Let's get started.

Ingredients:

3 (15 ounce) cans black-eyed peas, drained, rinsed

1 cup red bell pepper, finely chopped

1 small green bell pepper, finely chopped

1 cup thinly sliced green onions

1 tablespoon Tabasco sauce

1 tablespoon Worcestershire sauce

1/2 cup loosely packed chopped Italian parsley (or cilantro)

2 jalapenos, seeded, deveined & minced

4 large garlic cloves, crushed

1 large tomato, coarsely chopped

6 tablespoons white wine vinegar

1 cup plus 2 tablespoon extra-virgin olive oil

salt and pepper, to taste

Directions:

Combine the peas, bell peppers, green onions, Tabasco sauce, Worcestershire sauce, parsley, jalapenos, garlic, tomato, vinegar and olive oil in a nonreactive bowl and mix well.


Chill, covered, for 8 hours or longer. Stir in the salt and pepper and let stand until it reaches room temperature. Serve with tortilla chips and / or crackers.

Black Bean And Roasted Corn Salad

This has always been a popular dish at our house. Its versatility allows you to use it as a salad, a side dish, or a relish. Since the recipe is big enough to feed 6 to 8 people, we normally have it on two separate nights. For the second night I add chopped avocado and diced tomato, which really makes it a whole new dish. It's easy to make and lasts up to five days in the fridge. Besides, it happens to be really pretty with all its color.

Black Bean And Roasted Corn Salad:

Ingredients:

4 ears of roasted corn, shucked

1 12 ounce can of black beans, drained

1 large red bell pepper, chopped (or use 1/2 each of yellow & red peppers)

1 large jalapeno pepper, seeded and chopped

1 medium red onion, peeled and chopped

4 cloves of garlic, minced

1 bunch of fresh cilantro, chopped

2 limes, to be squeezed over salad

2 Tablespoons of Olive Oil

1/2 teaspoon Cayenne Pepper

salt and pepper, to taste

Directions:
 

1. Clean the ears of corn, being sure to keep the husks on. Tie small pieces of kitchen twine at the top and bottom of each ear of corn, then allow to soak in water for at least 30 minutes.

2. Prepare your fire, being certain to add hickory (or your wood preference) chips just before placing the ears of corn on the grill, in order to give the corn a nice, smoky flavor.

3. I usually cook them over medium heat for 15 minutes, then turn them over for an additional 15 minutes.

4. When the corn has cooled enough to be handled, scrape the corn off the cob and place in a large bowl.

5. Add the drained black beans, red onion, bell pepper, garlic, cilantro and jalapeno to the corn in the bowl.

6. Next, add the olive oil, cayenne pepper, salt and black pepper.

7. Finally, squeeze the two limes over the contents of the bowl and toss until thoroughly mixed.

This truly goes with just about every entree I can think of. Sometimes I use it as a relish over fish. You can come up with an amazing amount of different ways to use it. As I said above, the second night I add chopped tomato and avacado, which makes it a meal in itself.