- Wash four 12 oz or pint size jars – prepare 2 jars for every pound of okra. You can sanitize in a dishwasher, or steam them in a large pot to sanitize after washing. Inspect jars to make sure there are no cracks or chips in the glass.
- Sprinkle peppercorns, mustard seeds and coriander seeds in the bottom of each jar, approximately 1/4 tsp of each. Add a clove of garlic or chile flakes if desired.
- Wash okra in a colander under cold running water.
As you are washing and filling, look out for and remove any foreign material (leaves,
insects, etc) that should not be in the finished product. - Fill jars by arranging okra in an alternating pattern: pointy and fat ends going in
both directions, so that you can pack as much as possible into the jar. It helps to hold
the jar horizontally or at an angle while filling. Use firm but gentle pressure to push okra
into the jar and eliminate empty spaces. If you push so hard the okra splits that is too
hard. The okra should not shift if you tilt the jar. It should not float when you add brine.
Do not use any okra that is so long it would prevent the jar lid from closing properly.
Taller okra that is should be placed with the fat end on the bottom of the jar, pointy end
up, as they are more flexible and the lid can still close if they touch it slightly. The size of
okra varies throughout the season and on field conditions. When smaller pieces are
present, use these to fill in at the top and jam as many in as you can. When the okra is
larger, make it like a puzzle and try to fit as many pieces as tightly into the jar as
possible. If there are woody/rough stems, trim them neatly before placing the okra in the jar. - While packing jars, prepare and heat the brine.
*PREPARE IN STAINLESS STEEL or Non-Reactive POT ONLY
(aluminum leaches and reacts with acidic foods)
2 cups white vinegar or apple cider vinegar
2 cups filtered water
1/4 cup (4 TBSP) sea salt
optional: sugar or cane syrup to taste (start with 1-2 TBSP)
heat on medium high, stir until salt and sugar are dissolved. Bring to a boil, then
cover and turn down to the lowest flame to keep it hot.
Fill the jars with hot brine carefully, pouring over the okra up to the beginning of the
threads on the jar. A pitcher works better for this than a ladle and jar funnel. Avoid
getting brine onto the rim of the jar as it has to be cleaned off and can grow mold
later. - Close the jar lid firmly and wipe off any spilled brine with a damp towel. Let jars cool and then store in refrigerator for the crunchiest texture. Best flavor develops after three days in the refrigerator. Keeps at least six months to a year.
- To can the okra for pantry storage, boil the sealed jars in a hot water bath (covering the lids at least 1″) for 10 minutes. Remove from hot water, let cool overnight, then check the seal has formed properly. Keeps at least on year in a cool, dark location.
Tag: recipe
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Fresh Pickled Okra Recipe for Two Pounds of Okra
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Garlic Ginger Bok Choy
Simple and healthy stir-fry served over rice.
Ingredients:
2-3 heads of baby bok choy (separate leaves and wash ribs well, sand tends to hide in there)
4 garlic cloves, sliced
1 teaspoon grated ginger root
1 tablespoon sesame oil
3/4 cup low sodium soy sauce or bragg’s liquid aminos
sesame seeds for garnish
salt and pepper to taste
Optional additional veggies (use any that you have handy)
1 medium chopped white onion
1 medium carrot, sliced thin diagonally
6 tokyo turnips (no greens)
thinly sliced scallions (small handful)Directions:
- Heat sesame oil in a large skillet over medium heat. Add garlic and ginger; cook and stir 1 minute. Add sliced onion and cook for another 3 minutes.
- Add all remaining vegetables and soy sauce. Cook for 3 to 5 minutes or until the greens are wilted and the stalks are tender-crisp.
- Season to taste with salt and black pepper or red pepper flakes for a bit of spice :).
- Add over rice or noodles.
- Garnish with sesame seeds and enjoy!
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Rainbow Fried Rice with Chicken and Bacon
Most Asian countries have their own version of fried rice. This fried rice recipe follows the Korean cooking style. What’s even better, it incorporates the abundant Frog Song Organic produce, along with a few others ingredients I happen to have on hand.
I love all the colors and flavors from all the different types of vegetables and herbs. The butternut squash and the Murasaki sweet potato provide hints of sweetness that compliment the saltiness of the bacon.
This fried rice recipe is a great way to clean out the fridge and make something absolutely delicious for the entire family. It’s also a great way to get vegetables into the kiddos. Each spoonful is like a party in your mouth!
Made too much? I’ve been told I cook with a heavy hand but don’t fret! No more stocking the freezer with store bought frozen meals. This homecooked dish can absolutely be frozen. After a long and busy day, the last thing you want to do is cook. Take out your frozen rainbow fried rice and heat it up on the stove top or in the microwave and it’s ready in minutes!
Enjoy friends!
Ingredients:
1 cup of chicken breast
4 strips of bacon
1 small onion
3 small carrots
1 medium potato*
1 medium Murasaki sweet potato*
½ cup of finely diced butternut squash*
1 cup frozen green beans*
(previously blanched and frozen frog song green beans when they were in season)
3 sweet habaneros*
1 green pepper*
3 tablespoons basil* (any type of basil will do, in this version I used italian basil)
1 leaf of green cabbage
1 cup frozen corn
¼ cup blanched moringa
2 eggs
5 cups cooked rice
1 scallion
sesame seeds for garnish
¼ cup of sesame oil
2 tbs olive oil
¼ tsp garlic powder
¼ tsp onion powder
Salt and Pepper
*vegetables from our farmFeeds 4-5 people
Instructions:
- Cook rice per instructions on package. Any type of rice will work well with this recipe.
- Finely dice chicken and toss with ¼ tsp of garlic powder, onion powder, salt and pepper.
- Finely dice bacon and put in separate bowl
- While prepping the other ingredients, place meats back into fridge
- Finely dice potato, sweet potato, butternut squash, onion, carrots, cabbage, green pepper, and sweet habanero and place in one bowl together
- Finely chop Italian basil and place in one bowl with corn, green beans and blanched moringa
- Thinly slice one scallion and set aside until ready to garnish
- Heat small pan at medium heat and add 1 tbs olive oil. Once the oil is well coated on the pan, add chicken. Cook until you see no more pink in the chicken and set aside. It’s okay if it’s not fully cooked because it will continue to cook once we incorporate it later in the cooking process
- Heat a large, wide, and deep saucepan on medium heat and add bacon cook until bacon is nice and crispy but not burnt. If the bacon starts to burn lower the heat.
- In the same pan, add all the diced vegetables and mix well with the bacon fat and let vegetables cook on medium heat for about 6-8 minutes
- Add chicken, corn, green beans, basil, and moringa and mix well.
- Create a cleared circle in the middle of the pan, add a 1 TBS of olive oil and then add two eggs and scramble in pan.
- Once eggs are cooked add cooked rice and mix well
- Add sesame oil and mix well and then cover and cook on medium-low heat for 5 minutes or longer. The longer you leave it in the pan with the same oil, the crunchier rice will be at the bottom and this is MY FAVORITE part of the dish. Be careful not to burn the rice.
- Transfer to bowl and garnish with scallions and sesame seed and enjoy!
Check out more recipes on my Instagram @jinnieseats
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Elderberry Tonic (Syrup)
Making Elderberry Syrup
Ingredients
- Elderberries
- Fresh Ginger, grated: 1 Tablespoon per cup of berries (or 1 teaspoon if you are using dried ginger)
- Ground Cinnamon: 1 teaspoon per cup of berries (or a piece of whole cinnamon stick)
- Ground Cloves: 1/4 teaspoon per cup of berries (or 1-2 individual whole cloves)
- Raw Honey, preferably local: 1/2 cup per cup of berries
What to Do:
1. Gather the elderberries from wild trees (or order online from the farm when in season). Berries must be black to be fully ripe, do not use green berries.
2. Use a fork to pull the berries from their stems, collecting them in a pot. Pull out as many small bits of stem as you can, but don’t get obsessive about it. Give them a little rinse. TIP: Freeze berries first, then remove the stems while still frozen as they fall off the stem much easier this way. Use gloves to handle them if you don’t want purple fingers.
3. Add water— 1:1 cups water-to berry ratio for fresh, and 2:1 for dried.
4. Add ginger, ground cinnamon and cloves.
5. Bring to a boil on the stove, then reduce heat and let simmer for about 20 minutes, then allow to cool.
6. Strain the liquid from the berries using a sieve, pressing on with a wooden spoon to get all of the juice out. You can also use cheesecloth to squeeze the berries.
7. Add raw honey– local, if possible for the best health benefits– to the elderberry liquid. Stir until well mixed, and decant into clean jars or bottles. Store in the refrigerator. TIP: steam sterilize your jars and bottle while hot, for the longest shelf life of your syrup.
Take a teaspoonful daily during cold and flu season, or use it in delicious ways: as a pancake syrup, mixed into yogurt, as a drink mixer… There are so many ways to enjoy it, so even if you never get sick, it’s a fun thing to have on hand. You can also use this tonic to make fermented elderberry soda! Just dilute to the sweetness of juice and follow the instructions for fermenting from there.