Well just like that, we are in September! Is it just me or summer went really too fast! September for most of us mean back to school time, but it is also time to harvest our garden. We are in full season for tomatoes, onion, carrot, potatoes, peppers, and cucumbers. Therefore, I thought for this month I would give you some recipe for pickling. Do not worry if you do not have a garden there is plenty of farmer market in and around Calgary to provide you with fresh vegetables and fruits to do those recipes. In the city, some of my favorite markets are the Crossroad Market and DJ Market. However, my favorite one is the Millardville Market, just southwest of the city. I had a hard time deciding which recipe I would put in this month blog because honestly, there is so much and they are all so good! I finally decided on traditional pickles and a fruit ketchup.
Dill Pickle
(About 2 jars of 500 ml)
- 3 Tablespoons fresh dill, coarsely chopped
- 4 Cups White vinegar
- ½ Cup coarse salt
- 4 Cups water
- 1 Tablespoon pickle spices
- 3 liters pickling cucumber, chopped in bite-size
Put 1 tablespoon of dill in each jar and add the cucumber, set aside.
- In a pot, mix the vinegar, salt, water, and spices. Bring to boil and mix until the salt as dissolved. Pour the hot mixture over the cucumber and close the jar. Let cool and refrigerate. They will keep for up to 3 months unless you canned them.
Fruit Ketchup
(About 4 jars of 500ml)
- 10 ripe tomatoes
- 2 pears
- 2 peach
- 1 red apple
- 1 green bell pepper
- 1 onion, small diced
- ½ Cup sugar
- ¼ Cup brown sugar
- 1 tablespoon salt
- ½ Cup vinegar
- 1 Teaspoon pickle spice
Mix all the ingredients together and simmer for about 1h30. Pour in a jar and keep in the refrigerator for about 3 months. Another option is to freeze it. In that case, it will keep for a year.
Note: If you need help with canning, I suggest the two websites below to explain really well all the processes behind it.
Ricardo cuisine: https://www.ricardocuisine.com/en/articles/food-chemistry/614-a-beginner-s-guide-to-canning
Bernadin: https://www.bernardin.ca/EN/Default.aspx
Here is the address for the farmer market I mention:
- Crossroad Market 1235 26 ave SE, Calgary
- DJ Market 4645 12 st SE, Calgary
- Millardville Farmer Market 306097 192 st, Millardville