B4
Community Recorder
Life
September 17, 2009
Relish your fresh peppers this season
My husband Frank and I went to an A m i s h country produce auction in B a i n bridge, Ohio, near The Seven Rita Caves, at Heikenfeld the invitation of Rita s kitchen f r i e n d s Bert and Bob Villing. It was something to see. As we approached the auction shelter, we saw horse-drawn wagons with huge amounts of pumpkins, melons and produce enter the graveled area. I understood that folks could bid on the whole wagonload. Inside the shelter you could walk around and check out the produce in smaller units, like a bushel of squash, three pecks of cucumbers, even up to 100 or so pumpkins and gourds. The little Amish boys were so cute – running around barefoot with sus-
brown sugar 1 generous tablespoon cinnamon
pendered overalls and hats. Bert and I bought some beautiful red and green peppers. I couldn’t wait to get home to make Bert’s red pepper relish. I also made stuffed peppers for supper, with rice, lamb, tomato sauce and seasonings.
Bert’s red pepper relish
No real recipe, but here are Bert’s guidelines slightly adapted by me. Makes 7 to 8 half pints. Measure ingredients after dicing. 6 cups of finely diced red bell peppers (or green, yellow, etc.) 1 1 ⁄2 cups finely diced onions Boiling water 1 ⁄2 cup diced jalapeños (opt.) Grind up peppers and onions in food processor, blender or just chop fine. Put in bowl and pour boiling water to cover. Let sit five minutes, then drain. Make brine.
Rita’s rendition of Bert’s pepper relish.
Bring to boil:
2 cups vinegar (I used cider, but clear is OK) 1 cup sugar (more to taste) 1 1 ⁄2 teaspoons each: mustard seeds, celery seeds and dry mustard Put drained pepper mixture into brine and cook for five minutes. Pour into hot jars, clean rims and seal. Process in boiling water bath five min-
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utes. You can also just cook this up, cool, put in freezer containers and freeze.
Marge Miller’s apple dumplings
Marge is known as the apple dumpling lady in Clermont County and at my church, Holy Trinity in Batavia. I love her dumplings with the wonderful cinnamon flavor. They are always the first thing to go at any of our events. This is for Nancy, who began cooking at age 11. “My mother was a wonderful cook and my best friend. She passed away last year,” she wrote. Nancy wanted to re-create her Mom’s dumpling recipe which used brown sugar and cinnamon. Nancy said her Mom’s sauce was a thin vanilla sauce using cinnamon. I’ve adapted this only slightly.
1 double pie crust 8 Golden Delicious apples, peeled and cored (I’ve used whatever apples I had on hand) 4 teaspoons butter Mix the following and set aside: 1 cup granulated or
School
Teacher’s Last Name Allen Anderson Dukes Ellison
Wildwood Elementary Pleasant Run Middle School
Guenther Lewis
Divide the prepared pie crust into eight equal pieces. Roll out each piece into the shape of a square about 6 to 8 inches. To test the size, place an apple in the center of it and see if you can bring the 4 corners up to meet at the top. Place 1 peeled and cored apple in the center of one of the squares of rolled pie crust. Fill the cavity with some of the sugar/cinnamon mixture. Dot the top of the sugar with 1⁄2 tsp. butter. Bring one corner of the pastry up over the top of the apple. Take the opposite corner and overlap it over the first one. Moisten to seal these two together. Repeat with the last two corners of the pastry. Moisten to seal the last two corners together. Place the 8 dumplings in a sprayed baking dish.
Cinnamon sauce:
Combine the following syrup ingredients and cook for three minutes. If you can’t find cinnamon hearts, use a teaspoon of cinnamon and a drop or two of red food coloring if you want. 11⁄2 cups sugar 11⁄2 tablespoons cornstarch 2 cups water 3 tablespoons lemon juice 7-8 cinnamon decorations (little cinnamon Valentine hearts) or more to taste 1 teaspoon vanilla (Rita’s addition) Pour the syrup over the dumplings in the baking dish. If you want, baste as they bake. Bake at 375 degrees for
Cooking with Rita and Friends
Join Rita Heikenfeld, Nick Tolbert (aka Midnight Gourmet) and Former Top Chef Chicago contestant Antonia Lofaso Thursday, Sept. 24, at 6 p.m. as they host a dinner party. Sample some of Antonia’s favorite recipes as well as the recipes of local restaurants and chefs. Ticket price: $15 RSVP at: 513-247-6411 All proceeds will benefit the Freestore Foodbank. Ticket transaction will be completed at Kenwood Macy’s prior to start of the event. Cash or check only. Make check payable to the Freestore Foodbank. 50 to 60 minutes until well browned and a fork pressed into the apple tests soft.
On the Web
Additional recipes for slaw stuffed peppers, pepper relish, pepper hash and vanilla sauce are in Rita’s online column at www.communitypress.com. Or call 513-591-6163 and leave your name and mailing address.
Coming soon
Farmhouse green bean and corn salad Cream puffs
Tips from Rita’s kitchen
Rewashing prewashed bagged greens: According to “Cook’s Illustrated,” additional washing of ready-toeat bagged salad greens is not likely to enhance safety. Rita Nader Heikenfeld is Macy’s certified culinary professional and family herbalist, an educator and author. E-mail her at columns@communitypress.com with “Rita’s kitchen” in the subject line. Or call 513-2487130, ext. 356. Visit Rita at www.Abouteating.com.
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