A Pretty Green Dip

I love Salsa Verde. It's so flavorful, particularly if you take the time to roast or broil the veggies. I set a recipe out here in the blog a while back, but it seems I just never make it the same way twice. 

As it happens, I was asked to make a "Jalapeño Dip" for Easter festivities. As it also happened, I had a gallbladder attack and it was removed just 2 days before Easter, so I missed the festivities - but I did make the dip. Problem was, while it looked and smelled great, I just couldn't taste it for fear of what pain I would endure. I live by my taste buds, so this was against everything I know, to allow a new recipe out to family without ever really being able to taste how the flavors worked. 

Green Jalapeno Dip

Salsa Verde made with Poblanos

I had never made a "jalapeño dip" before, so I thought about it some, and decided that I should start with a Salsa Verde, or "Green Sauce" and then add ingredients to make it a dip. I wanted to make it with a tiny bit of bite, but nothing kids couldn't handle. I decided that instead of the one green pepper for making the Salsa Verde, I would add in two Poblano peppers. These gave the sauce a much deeper color than I had ever achieved before. As it happened, this batch of Poblano peppers had no particular heat to them, so that was good. Once most of the ingredients were together, I added in one roasted, peeled and seeded jalapeño pepper. I was "tasting" things only in the sense of a quick touch of the tongue - but no swallowing (I was in some major pain, I tell you). I detected no heat, so I added a second, and then a third. Finally I felt a little tiny note of spice - and left it at that. 

I asked the hostess of the Easter festivities to please poll those who ate this dip, so I would have some handle on how good was it. Did it need anything to boost flavor? The report was that it was amazing, and once people got past the color green, they gobbled it down and the container of dip was gone! I guess that means it was good.

Meanwhile, I am doing well after my surgery, so one of these days I am making another batch so I can actually taste it. Sigh. It sure did look good.

Green Jalapeño Dip

Green Jalapeno Dip

Made 3½ cups

1½ cups Salsa Verde, made with Poblano Peppers
4 ounces cream cheese
1 cup sour cream
2 tablespoons lime juice
1 cup cilantro leaves
3 blistered, peeled, seeded jalapeño peppers (leave seeds and membranes in if you prefer the heat) 
1 teaspoon salt 

Make the Salsa Verde recipe, adding in two Poblano peppers, blistered, peeled and seeded, to the basic recipe. The recipe for the Salsa Verde makes about 3 cups, so the rest can be frozen for a later date. 

Measure out the 1½ cups Salsa Verde in a blender and add in the extra jalapenos, lime juice, cilantro and salt. Blend very fine. In a mixing bowl, with hand mixer, beat together the cream cheese and sour cream until smooth, then add the blender mixture of "doctored" salsa verde and beat to combine. Chill thoroughly before serving. Wonderful served with corn tortilla chips.
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If you wonder what else to do with the leftover Salsa Verde, it can be used as is for a dip, or it can be used as a braising liquid for a Pork Shoulder in Green Sauce. There are many wonderful uses, but the pork shoulder is such a favorite! Pollo en Jocon is another great use for it.



My passion is teaching people how to create a harmony of flavors with their cooking, and passing along my love and joy of food, both simple or exotic, plain or fancy. I continue my journey in ethnic and domestic cuisines, continuing my journey to explore diverse culinary experiences and hopefully to start you on a journey of your own. Join me also at A Harmony of Flavors on Facebook, and Pinterest.

Fermented Red Onions and Fermented Jalapenos

More fermented foods! I have been trying a few new things here and there with fermenting. Some are great successes and other not so much. It all boils down to personal taste, as with most anything else. 

Fermented Red Onions & Jalapenos

I tried making a fermented version of Ajvar, a mixture of red bell peppers and eggplant with onion and garlic. That was a definite "no" for me. For a fermented food, it had very little flavor and nothing about it made me want to eat more. I even tried it on my eggs, but nope. That one was a dud. Another I had high hopes for was Fermented Salsa Verde. I made it with basically the same ingredients as my cooked version of Salsa Verde (which is just stupendous if I do say so myself), even first charring the onions and garlic to add in some flavors. The resultant fermented version of this salsa was extremely tart with little to recommend it. I will likely slog through it, since I made it, but it is not a highlight. I read other comments on fermented salsas with a base of tomatillos with similar commentary. Too tart to enjoy. 

One that I tried and like just fine is Fermented Red Onion. Anyone who has used red onions will know that adding in vinegar will make them turn bright hot pink, just as it will do with red cabbage. Unfortunately with fermenting foods, adding in more than the tiniest splash of vinegar will inhibit the fermentation process. I found a recipe online at www.killerpickles.com/hot-pink-onions/ and it sounded like it might be good, so I only made the tiniest of variations, but this woman's recipe called for topping the mixture with a slice of red beet, which will give great color to the onions while they ferment, without the use of vinegar. Genius!

I chose not to chop the onions very fine, as did the person at "killerpickles". I halved the recipe, as I was not sure how they would taste and didn't want to have huge jars of something I would not eat. Ultimately, it is a wonderful tasting condiment, and would be great on hot dogs or brats, or as in the case of a couple of salads I made recently, they add great piquancy.

Fermented Red Onions

Fermented Red Onions

Makes about 1 quart

1 pound red onion
1½ teaspoons sea salt
½ teaspoon black peppercorns
1 bay leaf
1 - 2 slices red beet

This is best made in a Fido type jar, with the latching mechanism. I did not use an air lock device, but left the ferment, submerged and weighted, just under the latched jar and it went well.

Prepare the onions as desired. I sliced them thinly and then did a rough chop. Place them into a bowl and sprinkle with salt. Toss well and let the mixture set on the counter for 10 to 15 minutes. The onions will begin releasing liquid. Mix in the peppercorns and pack the mixture into a jar at least 1.2 to 1.5 quart. This mixture releases a lot of liquids. Stick the bay leaf down into the mixture as you add it to the jar. Press down the onions tightly using hands or some other tamping tool. Set the beet slice or slices on top (I used a wide jar, so I used 2 slices of small beet) and then weight the mixture with glass weights, another jar that will fit inside or very clean stones (not limestone, as they will dissolve). Clamp the lid on the jar and set the jar in a dark place, or cover it with a towel to keep out of light. Keep in a cool area (not cold!) and allow to ferment for about 6 weeks or until all signs of bubbling have ceased. 

The mixture should release enough liquid to submerge the onions, beet and weights within 24 hours. If it does not, mix a small amount of brine, using ½ teaspoon of sea salt in ½ cup water and add this brine to the jar until everything is submerged by at least ½ inch.

Once the bubbling ceases, remove the weights and the beet slices and refrigerate. This will keep for a long while in the refrigerator. 

Fermented Red Onions & Jalapenos

When I made fermented Jalapeno peppers, I chose to slice them across into rings and push out most of the seeds. I was not being picky to get all the seeds, but I wanted to be able to eat them. I added in some carrot slices also, as I had always added carrot to my pickled Jalapenos in the past. In the case of fermenting, carrot slices help foods retain some crispness.

To make the Jalapenos:

Slice about enough peppers to make about 4 cups, packed. Press these into a 1.2 to 1.5 quart jar, adding in some carrot slices along the way. Press the peppers down well and top with a cabbage leaf or a butterflied pepper or two to help them stay submerged once topped with brine. Set a weight on top to keep everything down and pour on a brine made with: 2 - 3 tablespoons of sea salt with 1 quart of filtered water, stirring until the salt is dissolved. The brine is poured over the peppers to cover everything by about 1 inch at least. Cover the jar, preferably a clamp type jar such as a Fido. If an airlock is desired this is a great addition, to keep air out of the mixture. Air is the enemy to a proper ferment.

Ferment the jalapenos for up to 3 weeks in a cool, dark place. Refrigerate them whenever they look and taste as you prefer. They will keep for a long while in the fridge. 


My passion is teaching people how to create a harmony of flavors with their cooking, and passing along my love and joy of food, both simple or exotic, plain or fancy. I continue my journey in ethnic and domestic cuisines, continuing my journey to explore diverse culinary experiences and hopefully to start you on a journey of your own. Join me also at A Harmony of Flavors on Facebook, and Pinterest.

Orange and Jalapeno Marmalade

A while back, when I was having a run with making jams, using oranges, and rhubarb and such, I got the idea to try again with making a jam, this time Orange & Jalapeno Marmalade, and using the temperature to see when it was done. I had never seen anything before where a certain temperature was to be reached, marking the point where a jam actually sets. That temp is supposed to be 220 degrees F.

Cooking the Marmalade to 220 degrees F

Everything was going great, and the marmalade was actually reaching the "sheeting" stage, where it starts coming together to drip off the side of a spoon, culminating in two drips that sort of hang there for a bit before falling. The marmalade reached 220 degrees. I took it off the heat and ladled it into jars, put it in a water bath, and once processed all the jar lids popped - a very satisfying sound. 

All the fruit and peppers in the pot

Unfortunately, it didn't jell!

It is thickened, so it will be no problem to use. It was not made with the idea of spreading it on toast. It will do very well for things like pouring over a block of cream cheese as an appetizer, or pouring onto cooked pork chops or chicken either as a glaze or during the cooking process. I didn't think to wonder until the whole mess was over and done, that maybe, because our altitude here is 1,300 feet, that the temperature may have needed to be just a bit higher to reach that jelling point.

Oh well. I will use it regardless. 

After researching this a bit more, I find that the set point is about 1 degree less (than the 220 F at sea level) per each 500 extra feet altitude. Using this calculation, my marmalade should have been at set point at barely past 217 degrees. This so was not the case! I guess it is best to stick with the old tried and true, and watch for the sheeting!

Orange Jalapeno Marmalade all done and sealed

Anyway, I have made a pepper jam before, which also did not set, and that was made when I lived in Florida, AT sea level. Maybe it is more to do with peppers in the jam? There is certainly nothing wrong with the flavors in either of these. This time I used big, juicy navel oranges. The jam is so pretty with its clear color and little colorful confetti-like bits all suspended in it. Nothing at all wrong with the look or the taste. Here is the recipe:

Orange and Jalapeno Marmalade

Orange Jalapeno Marmalade

Makes about 5 cups

3 navel oranges with zest
1 cup chopped jalapeno peppers
1 cup chopped red or orange bell peppers
1½ cups cider vinegar
5 cups sugar
4 green cardamom pods
1 (4-inch) cassia cinnamon stick
½ teaspoon black pepper
¼ teaspoon salt

Using a potato peeler, pare the orange zest in approximately 1-inch strips, scraping off any white, bitter pith. Slice the zest very thinly and set aside. Peel the fruit and cut into small cubes; there should be about 2½ cups altogether.

For cooking jams, it is best to use a very wide pot. More surface area means faster evaporation, and a quicker cook time. Into a wide pot place the orange bits, the zest and all the peppers. Add the cider vinegar, bring to a boil and cook the mixture for 15 to 20 minutes. Strain out the pepper and orange mixture and measure the vinegar liquid; there should be about 1 cup of liquid, total. If there is still too much, boil it down a bit more to make 1 cup.
 

Peeling and Slicing Orange Rind

Add in the sugar and stir until dissolved. Add in the pepper and orange mixture with the spices and bring to a boil. If using a candy thermometer, and you live at sea level, cook the marmalade to about 220 degrees. Test the mixture for "sheeting" (as explained above) as well. If you live over 1,000 feet above sea level, the temperature may never reach 220 degrees, in which case you must rely on the old-fashioned sheeting test. For me, at 1,300 feet altitude, in a very wide stock pot, this took 30 minutes.

Once the mixture is at point, have jam jars scalding in a large pot of simmering water. Add in the rings. Ladle the marmalade into the sterile and drained jars, wiping the edge of the jars with a clean damp cloth. Top with a lid and screw on the rings. Set a rack into the pot of boiling water and if there is insufficient water to cover the jars by 1-inch, add more water and allow to come to a boil. Lower the jars into the boiling water and once the water returns to a full-rolling boil, time the processing as follows:

• sea level to 1,000 feet: 10 minutes
• 1,001 to 3,000 feet: 15 minutes
• 3,001 to 6,000 feet: 20 minutes

My passion is teaching people how to create a harmony of flavors with their cooking, and passing along my love and joy of food, both simple or exotic, plain or fancy. I continue my journey in ethnic and domestic cuisines, continuing my journey to explore diverse culinary experiences and hopefully to start you on a journey of your own. Join me also at A Harmony of Flavors on Facebook, and Pinterest.