Homegrown Creations

[Boone]

I've always been interested in homegrown, home-created foods. That's probably the driving force behind my gardening obsession, having the raw materials to experiment with, and then sharing my creations. For example, this Fall, I'll grow all the ingredients for and make homemade Kimchee.

Right now, I'm experimenting with flavored salts. I didn't mine the salt Using kosher and sea salt as a base. But I have spent about a week curing 10 or so sliced homegrown Jalapeno's in salt. Finished drying them in the oven and ran the salt and peppers through the Cuisanart. The result is a lime green looking salt mixture that smells like Jalapeno's and has a mild kick to it. I had a stroke of genius a little while ago, and am going to add the juice of 5 fresh limes to it, dry it again, and run it through the Cuisinart one more time.

Thus creating Jalapeno-Lime Salt. Crazy idea, I know, but I think it'll be a killer condiment for grilled steak, chicken, taco's, etc...

I'm playing now, because I'm growing the hottest peppers known to man in my garden. Several varieties of Ghost pepper and the reigning Scoville unit champion, something called the 'Carolina Reaper'. Honestly - I'm skeered of these peppers. I'm not eating any of them fresh (I've heard too many stories). But I'm going to make some hot sauces outside with them (using my turkey fryer) and also try this same technique to make some flavored salts out of them. I figure to name them colorful names like 'Wrath of God' and 'Pucker Factor 10'. Nothing says 'Merry Christmas' like hell in a jar.

Anyone else putting some homemade genius to work or got some clever homegrown creations to share?

 

[Ax]

You had me at "I've".

The Jalapeno-Lime Salt sounds Heavenly Devilish. Patent pending?

Just started getting into Kimchee bought from Natural food stores, for the pro-biotic benefits. Been thinking it could use an extra kick. The Ja-Lime Salt sounds perfect.

Good luck!

 

[Boone]

Decided to really get wild today and break into the dill pickles I put up 3 or 4 weeks ago - holy cow are they good. I did something different with these, didn't 'can them' in a boiling water bath but put them in half gallon jars with garlic cloves, dill, mustard seeds, and grape leaves (from my muscadines). They are super crisp and have a wonderful flavor. Kewl.

 

[Boone]

Finished product - 2 quarts of it... Nice lime green color, smells amazing. Basically ended up using about 10 or 15 whole Jalapeños, and the juice and rinds of 5 limes.

 

[Boone]

Here it is. .

 

[Boone]

Rubbed down some ribeyes with it (along with some fresh ground pepper). Will see how those come out later tonight.

 

[Goaldeje]

That sounds tremendous. Let us know how everything tastes together.

Emily makes homemade laundry detergent that actually works very well. I do most of the laundry, and I do keep stain stick on hand in case something bad crops up, but the stuff she makes is a heckuva lot cheaper than Tide or even the generics and works great. I'll see if I can get her to post her "recipe". She does homemade cleaners as well that are more environmentally friendly than Lysol.

Our teenager calls us hippies.

 

[Boone]

I find listening to 'Uncle John's Band' while I make homemade creations is sooo soothing...

But hey. Maybe it's just me.

 

[Boone]

Have a bunch of fig trees in my backyard an spent a few minutes picking a bucketful this morning. Fig jam - and if you haven't tried it or think you 'don't like figs', bet I could change your mind. Very simple to make...chopped figs, lemon juice, a little cinnamon, sugar, and pectin. 14 pints from about a gallon of figs.

Also doing a test batch of hot sauce...basically puréed Tabasco and red jalapeño peppers with garlic, salt, and a little water. Will let it ferment for a month or so, then strain and add white vinegar to taste.

Growing some super hot peppers including ghost, Trinidad scorpions, and the current hottest in the world, Carolina reaper... Still mulling on what to do with those?

 

[Boone]

Damn - just remembered I promised Goal some jalapeno/lime salt...I will get this in the mail to you this week brother - sorry!

 

[Elephant]

Mom is with the family in the country canning chicken corn soup. When she comes back with several quarts for me, I will take a pic and post... It is easily my favorite soup! Everything is home grown...even herbs. Probably not the salt and black pepper though...

 

[Chris]

Those figs look delicious, John. I've never had them fresh like that. Guess that will have to change.

 

[Goaldeje]

Damn - just remembered I promised Goal some jalapeno/lime salt...I will get this in the mail to you this week brother - sorry!

No worries. I'm out this week, but will look forward to it when I get back.

 

[Lanky Livingston]

Aww man! If I'd known you were shipping samples, I'd totally have requested some! That stuff looks awesome!

 

[Nobody]

Fresh figs are killer good. My great grandfather planted a bunch of fig trees down here about 90 years ago. Over the years, the land was developed and the trees were downed, but there is still one left. After my grandmother died a couple of years ago, they sold the house and I can no longer pick the figs there because the new homeowners said no. Jerks. They were the best damn figs I've ever eaten, I miss that fresh fig taste. The closest I can get now is dried, which isn't remotely the same as fresh off the tree.

 

[Boone]

PM me our address - I'll be glad to send you some...

 

[Lanky Livingston]

Fresh figs are killer good. My great grandfather planted a bunch of fig trees down here about 90 years ago. Over the years, the land was developed and the trees were downed, but there is still one left. After my grandmother died a couple of years ago, they sold the house and I can no longer pick the figs there because the new homeowners said no. Jerks. They were the best damn figs I've ever eaten, I miss that fresh fig taste. The closest I can get now is dried, which isn't remotely the same as fresh off the tree.

Costco sells fresh figs while they are in season, from June - September or so. I've been buying them pretty regularly.

 

[Nobody]

That's actually great to know. It would actually make the membership and 30 minute drive worth it for me, I love the damn things. And since I'm the only one in the house that does, I get to eat them all Thanks for the tip.

 

[Lanky Livingston]

I'm not sure how long they will have them, it probably varies by region. I'd call your Costco first to make sure.

 

[Boone]

Making my own hot sauces this year. I've got traditional tabasco pepper sauce fermenting in my kitchen (basically, just food process the peppers with some salt, fresh garlic and enough water to make it a liquid. I've got a hotter version going that's made with cayenne and thai peppers, and I haven't decided if I have the balls to do a ghost pepper/scorpion version...