Spicy Blackberry Vinegar Food

FILIPINO-STYLE SPICED VINEGAR

Steps:

• Put the garlic, dried fruit, chiles, ginger, and peppercorns in a clean glass jar or bottle and cover with the vinegar and fish sauce. Loosely cover or cap the jar and let sit at room temperature in a dark place for 48 hours.
• Transfer the jar to the refrigerator. The pinakurat will keep indefinitely, and the flavors will continue to develop over time.

BLACKBERRY VINEGAR

Steps:

• In a one-quart mason jar place the blackberries in the bottom. You may crush lightly with a wooden spoon for the most flavor if you like. Fill the jar with the vinegar and put the lid on. Place the jar outside in the sun to steep all day like you would for Sun Tea. At the end of the day strain vinegar into another jar. Will keep for months.

SPICED BLUEBERRY JAMMIN'

Steps:

• For the jam: Place blueberries in saucepan over medium-low heat. Sprinkle with pectin followed by the anise, nutmeg, lemon juice and vinegar. Once liquid starts to gather in bottom of pan, increase the heat to high and bring to a boil. Lower heat slightly and boil gently for five minutes occasionally mashing mixture. Mash in sugar, add the water and return to a boil for 1 minute. You just made jam. Cool, jar, refrigerate and enjoy within 2 weeks. Or, move to the preserving phase. Preserving the jam: Thoroughly wash all hardware in hot soapy water. Then pile everything (excluding the jar lids) into the pot. Cover with hot water by at least 1-inch and bring to a boil and maintain for 10 full minutes to sterilize. Turn off the heat, wait 5 minutes then add the lids (waiting will insure that the sealing compound does not melt). Leave all hardware in the pot until you're ready to can.
• Remove the ladle, tongs, funnel and other tools from the pot, (careful please, it's hot in there) to a clean towel or paper towels. Using the jar tongs, remove and drain the jars, placing them on the towel/paper towel surface. (Avoid rock or metal surfaces which could result in thermal shock and breakage.)
• Place the funnel in the first jar (pick it up by the ring, avoiding the sterile interior.) Use the ladle to fill each jar just to the bottom of the funnel, about 1/3-inch from the bottom of the jar threads. This "headspace" is necessary for the jars to seal during processing.
• Wipe the jar rims with a moist paper towel, checking for any cracks or irregularities as you go. Use the magnetized device of your choice to position lids on each jar. Screw the rings on finger tight. (Remember, the rings don't seal the jars they only hold the lids in place. Heat will drive out the headspace air, which when cooled will create a vacuum, thus sealing the jars)
• Return the jars to the pot being certain that they don't touch the bottom of the pot or each other. (If you don't have a jar rack, try a round cake rack, or metal mesh basket. Even a folded kitchen towel on the pot bottom will do in a pinch.) Add additional water if necessary to cover the jars by at least an inch, and bring to a hard boil over high heat according to the table below. (Be sure not to start your timer until a true boil is reached. The headroom air may bubble out of the jars before a boil is reached. Don't be fooled.)
• Processing times: Within 1,000 feet of sea level: 5 minutes 1,000 - 3,000 feet above sea level: 10 minutes 3,001- 6,000 feet above sea level: 15 minutes 6,000 - 8,000 feet above sea level: 20 minutes Above 8,000 feet: wait until you're back down at base camp.
• Recipe courtesy of Alton Brown

SPICY BLACKBERRY VINEGAR

Steps:

• Break the cinnamon sticks into pieces.
• Put all the spices on a square of cheesecloth and tie up with a piece of string.
• Put the vinegar and sugar into a large saucepan.
• Stir over low heat, until the sugar has completely dissolved.
• Add the spice bag.
• Bring to a boil, lower heat, and simmer for 5 minutes.
• Add the blackberries and simmer for 10 minutes longer.
• Remove from heat and leave the blackberry mixture to cool completely.
• Discard the spice bag.
• Line a funnel with a double layer of cheesecloth.
• Strain flavored vinegar into sterilized bottles (within 1/8-inch of the tops).
• Add fresh blackberries to each bottle.
• Seal the bottle and label.
• The vinegar is now ready to use.

MARINATED CUCUMBER SALAD

Steps:

• Combine the vinegar, soy sauce, sugar, oil and 1 tablespoon water in a medium bowl and whisk to combine. Add the cucumbers, cover, and let marinate in the refrigerator for at least 1 hour. Serve chilled.

RASPBERRY VINEGAR

Steps:

• In a medium, nonreactive saucepan over low heat, warm the vinegar just until it begins to give off steam (do not bring to a boil).
• Put 1 pint of the raspberries into a fine sieve fitted over a sterilized 1/2-gallon clamp jar.
• Pour the warm vinegar over the berries and let it run into the jar, then add the berries to the jar.
• Allow the mixture to cool 20 to 30 minutes to room temperature, then seal and shake the jar gently.
• Set the jar out of direct sunlight and away from heat to steep for 4 days, shaking it every so often. While steeping, the vinegar will take on a raspberry hue and the fruit will lose most of its color.
• Strain the mixture through a fine sieve into a large batter bowl with a handle or into a large, nonreactive saucepan.
• Rinse the jar and return the strained vinegar to it. Rinse the bowl or saucepan.
• Dump the fruit and rinse the sieve. Dampen a flat-bottom coffee filter, then line the sieve with the filter and fit it over the bowl or saucepan.
• Transfer the vinegar to flasks or bottles. Discard fruit.
• If you wish, spear 6 to 8 whole raspberries on a wooden skewer and put the skewer into the container before filling.
• The vinegar should be ready to use immediately, with a shelf life of at least 1 year.
• VARIATION: For Raspberry Lemon Thyme Vinegar, place 1 sprig fresh lemon thy me in a flask or bottle before adding the vinegar. Fill, seal, and steep out of direct sunlight and away from heat for 1 week before using or shipping.
• CRANBERRY VINEGAR Follow the recipe for Raspberry Vinegar, except substitute 4 cups (1 pound) fresh cranberries, coarsely chopped, for the raspberries. Decorate, if you wish, with skewers of whole cranberries.

BLACKBERRY VINEGAR

Steps:

• Sterilze a 1 qt glass jar. Use a new lid.
• Carefully wash berries and lay them on wax paper. fold paper over and press carefully to just bruise. If you press to hard your will have black berry mush.
• Using the paper pour them into the jar [make sure it is still warm from the sterilze step].
• Heat vinegar to just below boiling. About 195°F Pour over berries using a funnel. Be careful not to burn yourself.
• Wipe lip of jar with clean damp paper towel and seal according to manufacturer instructions. Store in a cool dark place for 3 weeks.
• To check flavor pour a drop of vinegar on a wooden spoon or a piece of white bread.
• When it is right strain the vinegar through a sieve into pitcher or measuring cup. Discard the berries.
• If cloudy strain again through a coffee filter.
• Prepare a sterile 1 pt glass bottle or jar and a cork or lid. Pour into the still warm container and wipe lid again with clean paper towel. cork and seal.
• This will last up to 3 months if you keep in a cool dark place.
• Once open refrigerate.