Acorn Squash Kimchi

Slice 1 small acorn squash as thinly as you can.

Make a paste from
4 cloves garlic (ideally Korean garlic), minced
1 T ginger minced
1 T sesame seeds
3 T ground chili pepper--ideally the red pepper specifically for kimchi
1/3 cup sesame oil
2 T olive oil

Slather with the acorn squash with the paste.

Place in a jar. Top off with olive oil to sort of seal the container. Refrigerate 4 days and then eat. Lasts about 1 week in the fridge.

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Achaar: Bell Pepper and Radish

inspired by two recipes by Sunil Vijakar from Fresh Indian

1 pound bell peppers, deseeded and cut into narrow strips lengthwise
1/2 pound radishes cut into 1/2 inch cubes (or left whole if tiny)
1 tablespoon red chili powder
1 tablespoon mustard seeds
1 tablespoon coriander seeds
2 tablespoons mustard oil
3 garlic cloves, smashed
2 tablespoons coarse salt
1/8 cup balsamic vinegar
1/8 cup white vinegar
1/8 cup (more) mustard oil

Boil the vegetables.

In a small skillet, heat the spices in the mustard oil. Add garlic cloves and sautee quickly. (Don't brown too much.)

Add drained vegetables. Toss everything vigorously.

Add vinegar. Cook on low for 10 minutes.

Pour into a clean glass jar and top off with the oil.

Refigerate and serve the next day. Lasts about 3 weeks in the fridge.

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Duck Bacon

Marinate 1 duck breast in:
3 T Major Greys
3 T Honey
15 black peppercorns crushed
1.5 cups coffee
.5 cups water
.5 cups oil
1/3 cup jaggery
2 1/2 tablespoons Insta Cure No.1

After 15 hrs or so, drain the marinade, pat the breast dry, score the flesh and then smoke.

Slice very, very thin. Serve on salad with shaved carrots and grapefruit (or eat from the fridge.)

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Marmalade of Blood Oranges with Peppercorns

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Wash and dry
2 meyer lemons
8 blood oranges

With a sharp paring knife, remove the rind of the citrus, and then juice all the fruit. With a sharp knife, slice the rind into thin slivers.

Boil the peels for 15 minutes in 1 cup of water in a heavy-bottomed pan and boil.

Boil for 20 minutes:
2 cups of juice from meyer lemons and blood oranges. (You might need to juice more fruit to get the right amount of juice.)
1 cup orange juice (ideally freshly squeezed)
½ cup pulp from the blood oranges

Add and then cook on medium for 35 minutes
6 cups sugar
6 peppercorns

Add and boil for 8 minutes
1 pkt pectin

Once the mixture has gotten thick, place the mixture when hot in sterilized canning jars. Makes 7-1 cup jars of marmalade. Read more!

Marmalade of Kumquat/ Lime

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Wash and slice, very thin,
1 lbs kumquats
½ lb limes

Boil for 30 minutes in 5 C water with
½ cup lime juice

Add
6.5 cups sugar
3 star anises/ stars of anise
½ tsp Chinese fivespice

Cook for another 45 minutes or so on medium. Add ¼ cup pectin, boil for 1 minute. Transfer to sterilized jars when marmalade is thick and hot. Sterilize jars according to package directions Read more!

Spicy Orange Pickle/ Achar

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Wash and then dice
4 medium oranges (leaving the skin on)

In a heavy bottom pan, sautee in olive oil for 2 minutes
1 tsp fenugreek seeds
2 tsp mustard seeds
1 tsp black onion seeds
6 whole dried red chili pods
1 tsp asafetida powder
¼ cup chili powder
½ tsp haldi (turmeric) powder

Add and simmer for 15 minutes
cut oranges
4 green chilies
1 inch piece of ginger in long slender slivers
½ cup salt
2 cups waters

Once the mixture is cooked down and slightly cooled, add
¾ cup canola or mustard oil

Add the mixture to canning jars and then sterilize. Read more!

Ramp Kimchi

Wash and dry:
2 bunches ramp greens

Salt the greens liberally with kosher or pickling salt (1/3 cup or less).

Create a paste of
3 T ground Korean chilies
4-5 ramp bulbs
1-2 cloves garlic
2 T garlic
2-3 T minced scallions
1/3 cup sesame oil
1 T amchur powder

Massage the greens with the paste and reserve in a non-reactive container. Eat after 1 day.

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