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Post by heavyhitterokra on May 21, 2021 12:52:26 GMT -6
Big Batch Ranchero Sauce! There is no other aroma in the kitchen that will stop you dead in your tracks, or make you inhale quite so deeply, as when you first get a whiff of this wonderful ranchero sauce simmering away on a sultry July evening after a bountiful tomato harvest.
This is a big batch recipe (That's the whole point) as it can be used on fried eggs, on shrimp, on tacos, as a dipping sauce for deep fried cheese sticks, or spooned over shredded chicken with avocado slices, rolled inside a flour tortilla for lunch with the kiddos.
When it's ready, dip out some for immediate use, then put the rest in Ziploc freezer bags to store in the freezer, or place it in tightly sealed Mason jars to store away in your pantry.
Here's what you'll need:
6 ½ pounds of homegrown tomatoes, blanched and peeled / or about 100 ounces canned diced, tomatoes and their juices (or one restaurant-style No. 10 metal can of petit diced tomatoes)
1 bunch cilantro, leaves and stems washed and diced
1 cup peeled and minced garlic cloves
4 serrano chilies, stems and seeds removed then diced
2 guajillo chilies, broken into flakes, with stems removed (Walmart sells these in dry form for about $3.77 per package)
1 tablespoon achiote paste (Walmart sells this for about $1.97 per package) * Note: Unless you live in the tropics or just happen to have an Annatto tree growing nearby, it's probably going to be easier to buy achiote paste at the store.
Lastly, add Kosher salt, to taste
PREPARATION:
Dice everything ahead of time and combine it all in a thick bottomed, large pot, and simmer over gentle heat for 1 hour, stirring occasionally to prevent any scorching. Add a little water if your sauce becomes any thicker than ketchup.
Or, put all ingredients in the pot roughly chopped, simmer for the same amount of time, and run it through a blender to purée. (If using a blender, allow to cool before puréeing).
If using a blender, work it in small batches, purée until smooth. Check the salt seasoning. Let it cool.
Transfer to quart or pint size Ziploc freezer bags and stock your freezer, or put the sauce in glass canning jars and process it via hot water bath. Refer to the following website for in depth instructions about home canning tomatoes. www.thespruceeats.com/how-to-can-tomatoes-p2-2216509
Ranchero sauce keeps well in the refrigerator for up to 2 weeks, or in the freezer for up to 1 year. If canning in glass jars, it may separate a little, in which case you can simply shake the jar to reunify the contents. If using Ziploc freezer bags, the contents can simply be reheated and stirred to reunify the sauce.
Enjoy
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Post by chrysanthemum on May 23, 2021 16:09:44 GMT -6
I had never heard of achiote prior to reading your recipe. I realize annato is essential in it, but at least one of our children seems to be affected negatively by eating it. It makes him less able to regulate his emotions, so we don’t even buy cheese that has been colored with it. Only recently have we been able to reintroduce a lot of spices and vegetables to our diet because of his sensitivity even to natural plant chemicals, but annato is one we still avoid. I did find what other ingredients are in achiote, so I might give the recipe a try if my tomatoes are successful this summer, just making that necessary modification for our family. It’s not a sauce tomato but a cherry (for our tabbouleh recipe), but I saw my first blushing tomato on Friday. It’s in the back.
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Post by heavyhitterokra on May 23, 2021 21:25:31 GMT -6
Nice!
We won't be seeing anything like that around here until mid, to late June.
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Post by chrysanthemum on May 25, 2021 22:10:37 GMT -6
My five year old and I actually ate that one tomato today. He spends the most time with me in the garden, so he got to benefit.
Mid to late June isn’t really very far off, but it seems so long when you are waiting for that first ripe garden produce. I think my patience decreases when I put transplants in the garden, especially if the weather makes them slow to take off.
Our garden season really ends in mid summer, and you’re supposed to pull everything out and start over for fall. I see why the weather makes that necessary, but I haven’t really adjusted my Virginian mind to that completely. My lettuce has already bolted, though, and my potato vines are dying back, so the plants know when their season is ending even if I have a hard time getting my mind around it.
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Post by heavyhitterokra on May 26, 2021 2:13:21 GMT -6
Our potato vines don't die back here until around July 1st. It amazes me how many weeks ahead your seasons are due to the hotter climate.
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Post by heavyhitterokra on Feb 25, 2023 14:43:42 GMT -6
Reading through these old recipes is my inspiration this time of year when I need to be planting tomato seeds on my kitchen table.
TOMATO PIE RECIPE:
Unbleached all-purpose flour, for dusting ½ recipe (1 disk) Savory Pie & Quiche Crust (see following pie crust recipe) or just use 1 store-bought pie crust. I personally, just use the old standby pie crust recipe off the back of a can of Crisco shortening.
Needed Ingredients:
2 tablespoons cornmeal hold in reserve to sprinkle the crust.
7 medium tomatoes, preferably in a variety of colors, sliced into 1/3-inch-thick rounds and drained. Set aside for layering and for garnish.
7 crispy cooked bacon slices, drained and cut into 1-inch pieces. Set aside for layering and for garnish. 16 fresh large basil leaves, set aside for layering and as garnish.
For the Pie filling:
¾ cup mayonnaise 2 large eggs 1 ½ cups cheddar cheese, grated 1 cup Parmigiano-Reggiano cheese, freshly grated, plus more for garnish 2 tablespoons unbleached all-purpose flour Pinch of ground cayenne pepper ½ teaspoon smoked paprika 3 onion scallions, white and green parts, chopped, plus more for garnish
Preheat the oven to 350°F. Place a wire rack inside a rimmed cookie sheet. Dust a work surface with flour and roll out the pie dough into a 13-inch round. Fold it gently (don’t stretch it) place into a 10-inch pie pan. Trim and crimp the edges. Transfer the pie pan to the refrigerator for 20 minutes to ensure the crust is well chilled before baking.
Remove the pie pan from the refrigerator and sprinkle the cornmeal evenly over the bottom of the crust. Layer a third of the sliced tomatoes over the cornmeal. Scatter half the bacon pieces over the tomatoes. Repeat with one more layer of each: half of the remaining sliced tomatoes and all of the basil leaves, evenly scattered on top, followed by the remaining bacon.
In a medium bowl, whisk together the mayo, eggs, cheddar, Parmesan, flour, cayenne, smoked paprika, and scallions. Spread the mixture evenly over the tomato, bacon layer to the crust’s crimped edges. Arrange the remaining sliced tomatoes in an attractive pattern on top of the mayo mixture.
Place the pie on top of the rack, set the rack inside the rimmed baking sheet. (Aluminum foil placed under the wire rack might save you some scrubbing when it's time to wash the boil-over from the rimmed cookie sheet).
Bake at 350° for 45-60 minutes, rotating the sheet from front to back after 30 minutes, until the pie is bubbling hot, the edges of the crust are deep golden brown, and the mayo layer has taken on some color. Let cool for 15 minutes on a wire rack before serving. If desired, garnish with more chopped scallions and Parmesan.
Makes one 10-inch pie filling.
SAVORY PIE CRUST FOR TOMATO PIE (Makes two crusts):
3 ½ cups unbleached all-purpose flour, sifted, plus more as needed 1 teaspoon kosher salt 1½ sticks unsalted butter, chilled and cut into cubes ¼ cup vegetable shortening, chilled 1 large egg yolk ¼ cup Parmigiano-Reggiano or cheddar cheese, freshly grated 1 teaspoon chopped fresh rosemary or thyme (or a mixture of both) ½ cup cold water, plus more as needed In a large bowl, whisk together the flour and salt. Add the butter and shortening and, using your fingers, two knives, or a pastry blender, work them into the flour mixture until they are reduced to pea-size pieces.
Add the egg yolk, cheese, and rosemary, mixing until combined. Gradually add the cold water and mix just until a dough comes together. If it is crumbly, add a bit more water, 1 teaspoon at a time. If it seems sticky, add a bit more flour.
Divide the dough in half and form each half into a disk. Wrap them separately in plastic wrap or put each disk in a freezer storage bag, seal, and refrigerate for 30 minutes before using, or freeze the dough for up to 1 month, thawing it in the refrigerator for 2 hours before using.
Makes two dough disks, enough for two 10-inch bottom crusts, or one bottom crust and one top crust if you want one.
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