Winter in the Caribbean is lush with limes, bitter oranges, mandarins, carambola (star fruit) and a host of other organic fruit and vegetables.  This recipe turns those bitter oranges into a condiment fit for avocado dishes, a compound butter for chicken and fish, salad dressings, fragrant rice dishes and more.  When the price for citrus in local markets soars, these pickled citrus are just the ticket and so easy to make with sea salt, garlic, chili, and assorted spices.  Pureed or smashed into a paste, these pickled citrus are very much like yuzu kosho (Japanese condiment made with orange citrus shaped like a hand) at pennies of the cost.

Every island in the Caribbean has bitter orange trees thanks to the Spanish conquistadors.  Unable to grow Seville oranges in the Caribbees, Curaçao in particular, the Spanish conquistadors ended up with these very bitter little oranges which are the basis of Curaçao liqueur also known as Triple-Sec.  They’re a good substitute for lemons and limes in a pinch but much better as a fermented pickle or made into liqueur.

This recipe process works well with limes, lemons or small tangerines.  If you have a lime or lemon tree in your backyard, try this pickle.  Select ripe fruit without blemishes. You’ll need 3 limes per half-pint jar plus 1 lime per jar for juice.   Scrub the skins clean and rinse well.  Dry them in the sun or with a clean dry kitchen cloth.  It is important to keep water out of this fermentation process.  To get the most juice out of your limes, pop them in the microwave for 10 seconds and roll them on your cutting board until they feel a bit softer.  Slice them on a plate to catch all the juice.

If you live in a country where winters are dark and gloomy, leave your jars on top of a refrigerator or hot water heater.  If you have lots of sunny days set the jars in a window that gets several hours of direct sun each day.   Don’t be alarmed if the lid bulges during the fermentation process.  The amount of salt and acid creates some gas but no harmful bacteria.

Salt Cure Ingredients for 4 Half-Pints of Limes:

• 16 limes
• 1 cup course sea salt or kosher salt (Morton canning salt will also work)
• 1 Tbsp garlic powder
• 1/2 tsp cayenne pepper (or to taste)
• 1 Tbsp yellow mustard seeds
• 2 tsp Madras Curry Powder (optional)

Method:

1. Wash 4  half-pint jars in warm sudsy water and sterilize in boiling water for 10 minutes. Drain and dry in the sun or set them on a towel in a baking pan and place in a warm oven on the lowest temperature until dry.
2. Slice off the blossom and stem end of each lime and slice each lime from top to bottom into quarters, then each quarter into 2 or three pieces.
3. Layer lime pieces into jars sprinkling salt cure liberally over each layer.  Add juice of one lime (plus collected juice from slicing) to each jar.
4. Cover jars with double thickness of plastic wrap and screw on lids finger tight so jars do not leak when shaken.
5. Shake jars to distribute salt cure and juice.  Set in direct sunlight for 3 weeks and shake jars each day.
6. Check periodically for texture and taste.  They should be soft, fragrant and pleasantly salty with lime flavor predominately.
7. Remove plastic wrap, wipe rims of jars and replace lids.  Store in refrigerator up to a year.

Variations:

1. Salt Pickled tangerines with star anise. Wonderful in mango chutney, red pepper chutney, add to aioli for yam fries, or coconut lamb curry.
2. Salt Pickled tangerine with fennel makes a delicious compound butter for beef.
3. To make a sweet pickled lemon add equal parts of sugar and salt with bay leaves and peppercorns. Delicious in quinoa.

]]> http://thisdamecooks.com/2011/12/pickled-limes/feed/ 0 http://thisdamecooks.com/2010/09/grilled-salmon-with-harissa-yogurt-sauce/ http://thisdamecooks.com/2010/09/grilled-salmon-with-harissa-yogurt-sauce/#comments Mon, 27 Sep 2010 18:34:06 +0000 admin http://thisdamecooks.com/?p=1231 Harissa is a paste from North Africa with all the flavors of the Mediterranean; cumin, coriander, caraway, mint and chilies.  It is great as a marinade for grilled lamb, beef, chicken or fish.  You can make this with fresh serano, cayenne or habanero chilies.   If you’re growing chilies in your garden, put up a batch of harissa while they’re fresh.   If you prefer a milder harissa, use red ancho chilies (ripe poblano chilies).  There certainly is no reason why you couldn’t make this Morrocan paste with chipotle peppers (smoked red jalapeno peppers) also.  The smoky tones would add another flavor dimension. 

The yogurt in the sauce recipe given below will tame the heat of the chilies and the honey and cinnamon will add a touch of sweetness which will also help caramelize the surface of the salmon when cooking.  There’s just enough orange juice to give it a sour note and balance the rest of the flavors.

Harissa and yogurt makes a tasty dip for sesame coated lamb meatballs.  Check out Cat Cora’s recipe video at McCormick Gourmet.  Chicken tenderloins can be marinaded with the harissa  and grilled on skewers.  Harissa marinaded flank steak grilled with fresh eggplant and bell peppers is especially tasty served with your favorite couscous, Mediterranean black bean salad and fresh figs with yogurt and honey.  

Harissa paste is super easy to make, there’s no cooking, and is best made a couple days before using.  It will keep in the refrigerator up to 6 weeks.  This recipe makes about 1-1/2 cups.  It may be doubled or tripled and spooned into hot sterilized jars up to 1/2 inch from rims.  Cover with 1 Tbsp olive oil before sealing and refrigerate.  This makes an unusual hostess gift or gift for your favorite foodie.

Ingredients for Harissa Paste:

• 1 cup fresh red chilies, seeded, veins removed
• 3 garlic cloves, crushed
• 1/2 tsp sea salt
• 3 tsp coriander seeds
• 3 tsp cumin seeds
• 1-1/2 tsp caraway seeds (or fennel seeds)
• 1/4 cup fresh mint leaves (or 2 tsp dried mint flakes)
• 1/2 cup olive oil

Method:

1. Process chilies, garlic, salt, seeds and mint leaves in food processor until smooth.
2. Reserve 1 Tbsp olive oil and add remaining oil to chili mixture in a steady stream while processor is running.
3. Spoon harissa into a glass jar and drizzle with reserved oil to cover.  Seal and refrigerate.

Grilled Salmon with Harissa Yogurt Sauce

Ingredients:

• 1 lb of salmon steaks or fillets, 1 inch thick, cut into 4 portions
• 1 Tbsp Harissa paste (recipe above)
• 1 cup yogurt (Greek style)
• 2 Tbsp honey
• 1 Tbsp orange juice
• 2 tsp orange zest
• 2 tsp grated fresh ginger (use microplane grater)
• 1/2 tsp cinnamon (Saigon cinnamon from McCormick’s Gourmet Collection)

Method:

1. Salt and Pepper salmon fillets.  Fold thinnest end of each fillet to the top of the fillet so that each fillet is relatively the same thickness from end to end.
2. Combine remaining ingredients in a small bowl and whisk to incorporate.  Remove 4 Tbsp of sauce for marinade.  Chill remaining sauce until serving time.
3. Spoon marinade over top and skin side of each salmon fillet.  Let sit for 20 minutes.  
4. Place fillets, skin side down, on grill 6 inches from heat source and cook for 3-5 minutes on each side, until both sides are golden brown, turning once.   Do not over cook.  The center of each fillet should be pink to red depending upon your preference.  Cooking it well will dry it out.
5. Serve with a dollop of chilled sauce and garnish with chopped mint if desired.

Notes:  

1. You may grill on a flat iron or a non-stick skillet.  Drizzle olive oil on hot grill or non-stick skillet.  When oil is hot but not smoking place fillets on grill, skin side down.  Cook as instructed above.
2. Dried chilies may also be used to make the Harissa paste; just soak dried chilies in hot water to cover.  Let stand 20 minutes  and drain. Process as directed.

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Before cherry season is over freeze some cherries for a Christmas sorbet but make this cherry liqueur now so it has plenty of time to age.  The recipe for this cherry sorbet is a tweaked version of one from Food Network’s Kathleen Daelemans.  The liqueur recipe is from a small pamphlet of liqueurs and cordials I found in the 1980s amongst my mother’s collection of recipes.  The pamphlet is entitled A Collection of Recipes for the Making of Cordials & Liqueures Prepared for Gryphon Cellarmasters Society for Creative Anachronism by Mistress Sharane de Kondrak.  I have no idea when it was written as there is no copyright indicated nor have I any idea how long my mother had it.  At any rate, I have made several of the recipes in the pamphlet with great success…namely the Curacao, Orgeat, Banana, Peach, Plum, Berry,Coffee and Wild Cherry Bounce liqueurs.

There is actually a difference between cordials and liqueurs:  a cordial is made of crushed fruit while a liqueur is made of nuts, seeds and herbs.  Cordial and liqueur are used interchangably in the USA, as they are both liquor based.  However, in the Common Wealth a cordial has no alcohol…Rose’s of Lime and Grenadine are good examples. 

You’ll need to buy or pick at least a gallon of cherries for 1 batch of sorbet and 2 quarts of cherry liqueur.  I recommend darkstone cherries, Bings or Rainiers.  They ‘re sweeter and juicier than other varieties.  But of-course you’ll want to stock the freezer with as much as possible because there is always claufouti in the winter and cherry sauce for meat and coulis for ice cream, smoothies and pudding dishes plus chocolate covered cherries for Christmas and Dark Forest Cake for Valentine’s Day.  I’m sure you’ll have no problem eating every cherry stored.

In case you don’t have a cherry pitter the following video will show you how to make your own cherry pitter with a fork.  It’s definitely worth a watch.

Cherry Sorbet with Cherry Liqueur

Ingredients:

• 6 cups of pitted frozen cherries
• 1 lemon juiced
• 1/4 cup sugar
• 2 Tbsp Cherry Liqueur

Method:

1. Sprinkle sugar over frozen cherries and refrigerate over night.
2. Add lemon juice and Cherry Liqueur.
3. Transfer to a food processor and puree as smooth as desired.
4. Pour into an ice cream machine with dasher in place and turning.  Freeze according to manufacturer’s instructions.
5. Transfer to a freezer safe container and place in freezer for at least 2 hours.
6. To serve, let set at room temperature for 10 minutes before scooping.
7. Note:  substitute 1/8 tsp almond extract or 2 Tbsp Kirsch for Cherry Liqueur

Homemade Cherry Liqueur

Ingredients:

• 2 quarts of fresh or frozen cherries
• 2/3 cup sugar
• 1-1/2 quarts Brandy or Scotch of choice

Method:

1. Use 2 clean quart jars with lids.  Pack cherries firmly into jars with a sprinkle of sugar over each layer.
2. When the sugar is mostly dissolved by cherry juice, add brandy to the top. 
3. Cover jars with lids and place in a cool, dark place for 4 months.
4. After 4 months, remove cherries and press to extract juice.  A fine mesh sieve over a bowl works well.  Place a smaller bowl over cherries and fill the bowl with weight, a brick or large cans of food.  Reserve the cherries for ice cream topping or baking in your favorite cake.
5. When cherries have been pressed of all liquid available, return the liquid to the jar and stir.  Strain and bottle for storage.
6. The liqueur will improve with more age.  If there is any sediment, siphon off the clear liqueur or strain it through a metal coffee filter.

A chutney with its sweet and sour components really rounds out a meat or fish dish.  This recipe, Jamaican in origin, which I’ve used for years, utilizes unripened mangoes to perfection, especially those little native mangoes that tend to have stringy flesh.  I sold a lot of this condiment under the brand name of Island Gourmet while living in Nuku’alofa, Tonga.  When you have a mango tree right outside your back door heavily laden with fruit every year you can find plenty of ways to use the bounty and even make a buck or two.   Even if you don’t have your own mango tree you’ll love this preserve enough to hunt for green mangoes at your supermarket, Asian or Latin markets.  Its a great accompaniment to grilled fish steaks, fish fritters, pork roast, baked ham, lamb kebabs, or West Indies Meat Patties.  Make a batch for gourmet hostess gifts and share the recipe.

You’ll need very firm green (unripe) mangoes for this condiment so they don’t break down in the cooking process and retain some texture and sour fruity flavor.  Chilies are a must and the hotter the better to balance out the sweetness.  Bell peppers, onions and garlic lend more texture and flavor.   Green papaya, peaches, pears or apples can be used in place of mango.   Yellow or green tomatoes can be substituted for ripe tomatoes.  Add some tamarind or lime juice to mellow out the vinegar flavor.  Get creative and make it your own!

Ingredients:

• 6 cups green mango diced into 1/2-inch cubes
• 2 cups fine chopped onion
• 4 cloves garlic, chopped
• 6 Scotch Bonnet chilies, seeded and chopped (or habaneros)
• 4 bell peppers (2 red, 2 green), seeded and chopped
• 2 cups tomatoes, peeled, seeded and chopped
• 1/4 cup fresh ginger, chopped
• 1 cup golden raisins (sultanas) (optional)
• 1 Tbsp sea salt
• 1/2 tsp allspice
• 2 cups white vinegar
• 2-1/2 cups granulated sugar

Method:

1. Place all ingredients except sugar in a stainless steel or porcelain stock pot over medium high heat.
2. Bring to a boil.  Lower heat, cover and simmer for 30 minutes.
3. Add sugar, uncover and simmer for 45 minutes, stirring occasionally, until liquid reduces.  Stir more frequently towards the end of the 45 minutes until very thick.   Take care not to burn bottom.
4. Sterilize 4 pint jars and lids.  Fill to within 1/2 inch of rim, cap, and process in boiling water bath for 15 minutes.
5. Store in cool, dark pantry.  Refrigerate once opened.

 The chilies used to make this sauce are called aji caballero and they are native to Puerto Rico.  They are about 1-inch long and grow straight up on the bush rather than hanging down.   You’ll want to pick the reddest of them for the best flavor and kick.   If you can’t find aji caballero chilies, red habanero or Scotch Bonnet chilies will work fine.  If you’d like to grow your own aji caballero chilies, seeds are available at  http://caribbeanseeds.com/ajicaballero  

This sauce is nicely piquant like the Tabasco brand of hot sauce we’re all familar with.  However, in this sauce there is a sweet undertone from fermented pineapple.  That’s right, pineapple wine is fermented along with aji caballero chilies, garlic, herbs and spices to create this condiment.   The  traditional process is lengthy but well worth the wait.  It takes a day or two for the pineapple to ferment enough to achieve a tangy aroma and taste.  Then once the remaining ingredients are added it needs to ferment an additional 5 days at least and 14 days max.  The time will depend on the temperature of the kitchen or pantry.  Obviously, it will take less time to ferment in the summer.  Once the fermentation has finished, the sauce is strained, bottled and aged for another 14 days.  The longer it ages the hotter it gets.

If you’re not into brewing pineapple wine or waiting a month to taste the end result, then you’ll love this recipe.   Pineapple wine is available in just about all supermarkets and ABC stores.  Any cheap brand will do but if you’re making this for gourmet gifts check out http://pineapplewine.net for pineapple wine sources from Maui and Florida.  In lieu of pineapple wine, use Tequila, white wine or white rum. 

Ingredients:

• 1 Tbsp olive oil
• 10 red hot chilies (aji caballero or habanero), remove stems and halve
• 4 red cayenne chilies, remove stems and halve  
• 4 garlic cloves, minced
• 1/2 small onion, minced
• 1- 1/4 cups pineapple wine (or 1 cups pineapple juice and 1/4 cup white wine, Tequila or white rum)
• 6 Tbsp lime juice or orange juice
• 1/2 tsp cocoa powder
• 1/2 tsp cumin powder
• 1  Tbsp whole black peppercorns
• 1/2 tsp oregano leaves (dry)
• 1 sprigs culantro (recao) optional
• 4 sprigs cilantro (coriander leaves) optional
• 1/8 tsp salt
• 1/2 tsp sugar (optional if using orange juice)

Method:

1. Over medium-high heat, saute chilies, garlic and onion just until fragrant, about 2-3 minutes.  Remove and let cool.
2. Add remaining ingredients to a blender and whirl until smooth.
3. Add cooled chilies, garlic and onion to the blender and whirl until smooth.  For a thinner consistency add more pineapple juice or wine.
4. Pour into sterilized bottles, cap and let age at least 1 week.  The longer it steeps, the hotter and more flavorful it will be.
5. Refrigerate once opened.