Strawberry Vinegar

Check our Lucky 32 Southern Kitchen Blog Post – Saving Spring Strawberries

Fill a mason jar with some of the bruised and overripe strawberries. Add red wine vinegar, cap it off, and let it sit for about a month.

Mash it up, then strain the berries out, and keep the strawberry vinegar/juice.

Add strawberry vinegar to grilled summer vegetables. Place lightly salted grilled vegetables on the plate and sprinkle with a little strawberry vinegar. It will remind you of spring, brightens the flavor, and adds a little zest to the bland expanse that is summer squash.

Disclaimer: All our recipes were originally designed for much larger batch size. This recipe has been reduced – but not tested at this scale. Please adjust as to your taste and portion size.

Rhubarbecue Sauce

Check our Lucky 32 Southern Kitchen Blog Post – Rhubarb: Why The Misunderstood Vegetable Makes the Best Margarita, Coulis, Pie and BBQ Sauce

1 2/3 pounds rhubarb
2 cups apple cider vinegar
2/3 cup water
3 1/3 cups light brown sugar
1 teaspoon allspice
¼ teaspoon cayenne pepper

Clean and chop rhubarb. Combine all ingredients in a sauce pot and simmer for 30-45 minutes or until rhubarb is completely soft. Puree in blender and strain through a medium-hole strainer. Discard pulp. Place puree in a sauce pot and simmer until dime size bubbles appear. Cool. Makes 1 quart.

Disclaimer: All our recipes were originally designed for much larger batch size. This recipe has been reduced – but not tested at this scale. Please adjust as to your taste and portion size.

Pickled Watermelon Rinds

Check our Lucky 32 Southern Kitchen Blog Post – In Praise of the True Southern Watermelon Rinds

8 pounds watermelon
2 tbsp salt
4 cups water
1 cup lemon juice
1 cup water
2 cups sugar
2 tbsp pureéd fresh ginger
yellow peel from one lemon
2 tbsp allspice
2 tbsp whole cloves

Remove rind from watermelon and reserve red part to enjoy at your leisure (or for the Backroads Bibb Salad). Using a vegetable peeler, remove the green skin from the rind and discard the skin. Cut rind into ½ inch pieces. This should yield about 8 cups. In a large bowl, combine 2 tablespoons salt and 4 cups of water and allow rind to soak in the brine for one hour, then drain. In a large pot, combine lemon juice, 1 cup of water, sugar, ginger puree, lemon peel and spices. Add rind, cover and bring to a boil over high heat. Reduce heat to low and simmer, covered over medium-low, for 40 minutes or until rind is translucent. With a slotted spoon, transfer rind to a plastic container. Strain liquid and pour over rind. Makes 4 cups.

Disclaimer: All our recipes were originally designed for much larger batch size. This recipe has been reduced – but not tested at this scale. Please adjust as to your taste and portion size.

Pickled Ramp & Mushroom Relish

Check our Lucky 32 Southern Kitchen Blog Post – A Wild Recipe: Ramps Harvested By Hand in the Appalachian Mountains for This Month’s Chef’s Feature

Pickled Ramps

1 cup red wine vinegar
1 cup sugar
1 cup water
1 tsp peppercorns
1 bay leaf
1 pound ramps, cleaned
1 tbsp sea salt

Wash the ramps under cool, running water. Drain the ramps well and place them in a mason jar. Combine the vinegar, salt, sugar, and water in a saucepan and bring to a boil. Add the bay leaf, and peppercorns. Pour the hot vinegar mixture over the ramps in the mason jar and let cool, sealing tight and transferring to the refrigerator.

Pickled Ramp and Mushroom Relish
Yield= 1 qt

2 pounds shiitake mushrooms, weighed with stems
2/3 cup canola oil, divided
2 tsp black pepper
1/3 cup tamari
½ pounds pickled ramps
1/3 cup pickling brine from ramps

Trim stems from mushrooms (and use when making stock). Julienne mushroom caps. In a large mixing bowl, combine 1/3 c oil with tamari and pepper; add mushrooms and mix well. Distribute mushrooms evenly on a baking sheet and cook in a 350 oven for 7-9 minutes, or until partially dried. Chop ramps finely (white and green parts); combine with mushrooms and remaining ingredients.

Disclaimer: All our recipes were originally designed for much larger batch size. This recipe has been reduced – but not tested at this scale. Please adjust as to your taste and portion size.

Pickled Leeks

Check our Lucky 32 Southern Kitchen Blog Post – Oysters: Pearls of the South, Taste of the Sea

2 ½ pounds leeks, cut in ½ moons on bias
¼ cup sea salt
3 quarts water

Place cut leeks in a hard plastic container. Dissolve salt in water and bring to a boil. Pour boiling water over leeks and weigh down the leeks with plates to keep them under the salt water. Allow to sit at room temperature for five days; then refrigerate. Discard any leeks that float to the top. Makes 2 ½ pounds

Disclaimer: All our recipes were originally designed for much larger batch size. This recipe has been reduced – but not tested at this scale. Please adjust as to your taste and portion size.

Pesto Sauce

Check our Lucky 32 Southern Kitchen Blog Post – There’s No Basil Like Home’s: Pesto Recipe

3 ½ oz fresh basil leaves
¾ cup extra virgin olive oil
2 ½ tsp minced garlic
1/3 cup grated Reggiano Parmesan cheese
½ tsp fresh lemon juice

Pick basil leaves from stems and place in a blender. Add oil and garlic; blend well. While continuing to blend, add cheese and lemon juice. Blend until no lumps are present. Makes – 1 1/3 cups.

Disclaimer: All our recipes were originally designed for much larger batch size. This recipe has been reduced – but not tested at this scale. Please adjust as to your taste and portion size.

Persimmon Glaze

Check our Lucky 32 Southern Kitchen Blog Post – Shaking Down Persimmon Recipes: Pie, Glaze, and Southern Comfort Hard Sauce

1 tbsp canola oil
1 ½ tbsp ginger puree
2 cups unsweetened pineapple juice
1 pound light brown sugar
¼ cup apple cider vinegar
1 cup Tamari
¼ cup chopped green onions
2 ½ cups chopped fresh persimmons, hulls removed

Heat oil in a pot over medium heat and sweat ginger. Add remaining ingredients and simmer until thickened, about 35 minutes. Puree with an immersion blender and strain through a fine strainer.

Disclaimer: All our recipes were originally designed for much larger batch size. This recipe has been reduced – but not tested at this scale. Please adjust as to your taste and portion size.

Pepper Jelly

Check our Lucky 32 Southern Kitchen Blog Post – It Gets Chile Around Here in August

1 cup red bell pepper
1 cup green bell peppers
1 cup Jalapeno peppers
3 fl oz white vinegar
1/3 cup sugar
1 tsp kosher salt
1 box Sure Jell – 2/3 cup pectin

Wash peppers well and then chop. In a food processor, pulse peppers and 2 tablespoons vinegar three times for 2 seconds each. Do not liquefy. Transfer peppers to a sauce pot. Add remaining vinegar, sugar and salt. Bring to a boil, lower heat and simmer for 5 minutes. Stir in Sure Jell and simmer 1 minute. Pour into a labeled container and cool before using.

Keep refrigerated.
Makes: 1 pint

Disclaimer: All our recipes were originally designed for much larger batch size. This recipe has been reduced – but not tested at this scale. Please adjust as to your taste and portion size.

Herb Vinaigrette

Check our Lucky 32 Southern Kitchen Blog Post – Road Trips and Picnics!

1 cup white vinegar
1 tbsp dried tarragon
¼ cup minced red onion
1 tbsp granulated sugar
2 tsp salt (or to taste)
1 tbsp Dijon mustard
3 cups canola oil
½ cup minced fresh basil
½ cup minced fresh flat leaf parsley

Combine all ingredients except oil and herbs in a saucepan, and heat while whisking until sugar is dissolved and Dijon is incorporated. Pour mixture into a blender and slowly add oil until well combined. Stir in herbs. Makes 1 quart.

Disclaimer: All our recipes were originally designed for much larger batch size. This recipe has been reduced – but not tested at this scale. Please adjust as to your taste and portion size.

Creole Sauce

Check our Lucky 32 Southern Kitchen Blog Post –Oh No Here comes the Squash!

1/8 pound celery, diced ¼ inch
1/8 pound onions, diced ¼ inch
1/8 pound green pepper, diced ¼ inch
1 tbsp canola oil
2 tsp minced garlic
1 ½ cup canned crushed tomatoes
1 cup canned, chopped in puree tomatoes
¾ cup V-8 juice
1 tbsp Creole Spice Blend
salt to taste

Add the oil to a large sauce pot. Heat and add onions, peppers, celery, garlic and Creole Spice Blend. Saute for 5-7 minutes. Add the remaining ingredients and stir to combine. Simmer over low heat for 15 minutes, stirring occasionally. Makes 1 quart

Disclaimer: All our recipes were originally designed for much larger batch size. This recipe has been reduced – but not tested at this scale. Please adjust as to your taste and portion size.