Sweet Red BBQ Sauce

I prefer a Lexington (vinegar-based) sauce, but the rest of the family loves this one.

Makes 1.75 cups

Ingredients
1 cup (9.5 oz) ketchup
1/2 cup water
1/4 cup apple cider or malt vinegar
2.5 tablespoons (3 oz) light brown sugar
2.5 tablespoons (3 oz) sugar
1 teaspoon fresh ground black pepper
1 teaspoon onion powder
1 teaspoon ground mustard
1/2 tablespoon lemon juice
1/2 tablespoon Worcestershire sauce

Directions
In a medium saucepan, combine all ingredients. Bring mixture to a boil, reduce heat to simmer. Cook uncovered, stirring frequently, for 1 hour 15 minutes.

Fresh Blueberry Sauce

1/3 c sugar
1 Tbs cornstarch
1 Tbs cold water
12 oz blueberries
1 Tbs lemon

Combine cornstarch and water in a small bowl.

Combine 6 oz blueberries & sugar in a medium saucepan over medium heat, stirring and mashing until the berries are mostly broken down. Add cornstarch and boil for one minute until thickened. Turn off heat, stir in remaining 6 oz and lemon juice.

Blueberry Sauce

1.5 c blueberries, washed and picked over
1-2 Tbs sugar
1 tsp fresh lemon juice
pinch salt

Heat 1c berries and sugar over med heat, boil 3 min. Stir in remaining berries, lemon juice, salt.

Blackberry Coulis

Makes 1 1/2 cups
12 ounces fresh blackberries (or thawed if frozen)
5 – 7 tablespoons granulated sugar
1/8 teaspoon table salt
2 teaspoons lemon juice

1. In medium saucepan, bring berries, 1/4 cup water, 5 tablespoons sugar, and salt to bare simmer over medium heat, stirring occasionally; cook until sugar is dissolved and berries are heated through, about 1 minute longer.

2. Transfer mixture to blender or food processor; puree until smooth, about 20 seconds. Strain through fine-mesh strainer into small bowl, pressing and stirring puree with rubber spatula to extract as much seedless puree as possible. Stir in lemon juice, and additional sugar, if desired. Cover with plastic wrap and refrigerate until cold, at least 1 hour. Stir to recombine before serving. (If too thick after chilling, add 1 to 2 teaspoons water.) Can be refrigerated in airtight container for up to 4 days.

Quick Tomato Salsa

Salsa

I introduced my mom to this recipe (from Cook’s Illustrated) years ago and promptly forgot all about it. She’s talked it up enough that I finally broke it out again and she’s right, it’s delicious!

1 pint grape tomatoes
1/2 small jalapeƱo chile, minced
1/4 small red onion, peeled and root end removed
1 small clove garlic, minced or pressed
2 tablespoons minced fresh cilantro or parsley
1/4 teaspoon table salt
pinch ground black pepper
2 teaspoons lime juice from 1 lime

Pulse tomatoes in food processor until chopped. Transfer to strainer to drain excess liquid.

Pulse all ingredients except tomatoes in food processor until minced, about five 1-second pulses, scraping sides of bowl as necessary. Add tomatoes and pulse until roughly chopped, about two 1-second pulses.

To Make Ahead:
The salsa can be refrigerated, wrapped tightly in plastic wrap, for up to 2 days. Season with additional lime juice and salt before serving.

Raspberry Conserve

3 quarts hulled rinsed raspberries (3 lbs)
2 c. + 2 T sugar (9.25 oz)
1 c + 2 T water (15 oz)

In a large-diameter pot combine the sugar and water and bring to a boil, stirring constantly. Boil for 1 minute. Add 3 to 4 cups berries (so that they are in a single layer) and boil 1 minute. Remove with a slotted spoon or skimmer to a colander suspended over a bowl to catch the syrup. Reduce the syrup in the pot to 2 cups and repeat the procedure with more berries. From time to time return the syrup that drains from the cooked berries to the pot. Skim the white foam from the surface. When the last batch of berries is completed, boil the syrup down to 2 c (210F). Sieve the berries to remove most of the seeds. You should have 2 c raspberry pulp and .67 c seeds Return the berries to the syrup and simmer 10 minutes or until reduced to 4 cups.

This works equally well with fresh or frozen berries. I make up at least a double batch each summer and freeze in half pint mason jars. It could easily be canned, but since I have the freezer space I prefer keeping it fresher by cooking it less.