July 2009 Food Focus

No meal seems complete without its complement of condiments — the zesty ketchup, relish, salsa or side items that add the final touch, the exclamation point, to a great main event item hot off the grill or out of the oven. Here’s a sampling of condiment recipes we received this month.


Tomato Ketchup
2 gallons tomato juice
2 onions, chopped
3 t. ground cloves
3 t. ground cinnamon
3 cups vinegar
8 T. salt
Celery, mango, jalapeños and beet, chopped, to taste
6 cups sugar
6 T. cornstarch

Boil tomato juice, onions, cloves, cinnamon, vinegar and salt until 1⁄3 the amount is left. (May add celery and mango to taste, jalapeños for hot ketchup, and beet for added color.) Mix sugar with cornstarch. Mix into tomato juice mixture slowly. Cook until thick. Put in hot jars and seal. Makes 8-9 pints.

Marilyn Reynolds, Milan, Ind.

Tomato Corn Salsa
1⁄4 cup chopped cilantro
1 cup corn, cooked, cooled and cut off the cob
1⁄4 cup chopped red onion
4 tomatoes, chopped
1⁄4 cup Italian dressing

Combine all and mix. Serve with tortilla chips.

Tera Gilbert, Fort Wayne, Ind.

Four-Day Watermelon Pickles
6 cups water
9 cups cubed, pared, watermelon rind (cut in small cubes)
4 cups sugar
1 cup white vinegar
1⁄4 t. oil of cinnamon
1⁄4 t. oil of cloves

First day: Heat water to boiling in large kettle. Add watermelon rind. Simmer until tender when pierced with fork, 10-15 minutes. Drain rind thoroughly; place in glass bowl or crock. Combine remaining ingredients in saucepan. Heat to boiling, stirring until sugar is dissolved. Pour hot syrup over rind. Cool. Cover. Let stand overnight. Second day: Drain rind, reserving syrup. Heat syrup to boiling. Pour over rind. Cool. Cover. Let stand overnight. Third day: Repeat process as for second day. Fourth day: Prepare jars and water bath. Heat rind and syrup to boiling. If desired, add 1 to 2 drops red or green food color. Fill jars, process in hot water bath for 10 minutes (boiling). Have water boiling when putting jars in to process. Store in cool, dark place.

Ondah Pickens, Lucerne, Ind.

Guacamole
3 avocados, peeled, pitted and mashed
1 lime, juiced
1 t. salt
1⁄2 cup diced red onion
3 T. chopped fresh cilantro
2 Roma tomatoes, diced
1 t. minced garlic
1 pinch ground cayenne pepper, optional
1 T. diced jalapenos peppers (from jar), optional

In a medium bowl, mash together avocados, lime juice and salt. Mix in rest of ingredients. Refrigerate 1 hour for best flavor or serve immediately.

Michele Bulington, Monticello, Ind.

Tartar Sauce
1 cup mayonnaise or salad dressing
2 t. vinegar
3 t. milk
1 T. sugar, plus 1 t. sugar
1⁄4 t. pepper
1⁄4 t. salt

Mix all ingredients together and then refrigerate until ready to serve. This will keep for several weeks in the refrigerator.

Amber Henderson, Columbus, Ind.

Southwest Caviar
2 to 3 green onions, chopped
2 small green peppers, chopped
1 can (15 oz.) undrained black-eyed peas   
1 can (14.5 oz) diced tomatoes
2 tomatoes, chopped
8 oz. Italian dressing

Mix all ingredients together and marinate overnight. Serve with tortilla chips.

Beverly Allen, Sellersburg, Ind.

Sweet Pepper Rings
2 cups sliced peppers (Any color combination: green, red, yellow …)
3⁄4 cup cider vinegar
1 cup sugar

Set sliced peppers aside. In heavy saucepan, mix vinegar and sugar. Bring to boil. Simmer 15 minutes. Add peppers (will be more peppers than liquid). Keep stirring over medium heat for 15-20 minutes. Peppers will cook down. Keeps well in refrigerator. Can be packed in sterilized canning jars, or processed in a water bath canner. Option: Add sliced onions, carrots, or cabbage. Great in potato, bean or macaroni salad. Also good on deli sandwiches and Italian beef.

Margaret Barrett, Cory, Ind.