Preserving Basil
This time of year, I am looking to preserve as many herbs as I can, to enjoy year round. Basil is one of my favorites. I grow, and use, a lot of it. I am doing a major harvest of basil today. Some will be frozen in olive oil, some dried, and some added to vinegar.
None of the preservation methods is difficult. Basil can be tricky to dry, though. Unlike a lot of herbs, basil does not air dry well. I have a dehydrator, but if you don’t have one, you can still dry your basil successfully. Believe it or not, you can dry basil, and other herbs, in a microwave. Directions follow.
So I am off to harvest my basil. One thing is sure- my house will smell really good today.
Freezing in Oil
To use basil in pesto sauce, dried just won’t do. You can easily freeze your basil in olive oil and have it ready whenever you want it. Just place clean basil leaves in a blender or food processor and add olive oil. It is important that you use olive oil because it freezes solid. While the machine is running pour in oil until basil is blended. I use very little oil for two reasons. It takes up less room in the freezer and I don’t need so much oil. I can add more oil when I use it, but this way if I am doing a big batch i don’t go through all my oil. Once the mixture is blended pour or spoon it into ice cube trays and freeze. Once frozen solid pop out the basil cubes and put in freezer bags and return to the freezer.You can also freeze chopped basil without the oil. I like it better in the oil, but I freeze other herbs by just chopping them up and freezing them.
Frozen Basil Cubes
Process basil and olive oil until smooth
Spoon mixture into ice cube trays and freeze
Microwave Drying
If you don’t have a dehydrator you can dry herbs in your microwave. It only takes a couple of minutes per batch. Just place a handful of fresh, clean basil leaves in a linen-type kitchen towel. Fold the towel over the herbs and place in the microwave. Be sure to put a raw potato in with the herbs in the oven. If you only put the herbs in, it is like running the oven empty and can damage the microwave. Just put the potato off to the side. If you do several batches you will have a baked potato. ? If you have a turntable, just cook on high for 2 minutes. Check and see if they are dry- you might need a little more time. I need about 2 1/2 minutes in my microwave. Better to put them in for 15 more seconds at a time than to over dry them. If you don’t have a turntable microwave on high for a minute. After the first minute turn the herbs 1/4 turn and cook 15 seconds, turn again and cook another 15 seconds. Repeat four times in all. You can dry other herbs in the microwave. Small leaved herbs like thyme are done even faster. Remove the herbs from the oven and allow them to cool. check if they are dry enough and return, wrapped to cook longer if needed. Store in containers in a cool place.
Microwave dried basil on the left and fresh basil on the right
Place fresh basil on a towel and fold towel over the herbs
Place in microwave with a potato
All microwaves are different. Some will take longer and some even less time. Watch your herbs carefully. While I have never seen it happen I was told once that theoretically, they could catch on fire if left in too long. Urban legend perhaps, but just be careful.
Herb Vinegar
When I grow basil, I try to keep the blossoms pinched off. Better for leaf production. But by this time of year some are blooming. Rather than dumping the blossoms you can use them to flavor vinegar. Just snip off the blossoms and place them in a sterilized bottle or jar. Use several sprigs of basil flowers for every 2 cups of vinegar. Make sure the vinegar is at least 5% acidity. I like to use different vinegars for different herbs. I often use cider vinegar, red wine vinegar (for purple basil) and white wine vinegar. Leaves can be used, too. Vinegar should be heated up to 190 degrees- or just below the boiling point. Close up the jar and store in a cool place (50-70 degrees) for a couple of weeks. Before using strain out the herbs and filter- I use coffee filters or you could use cheese cloth. Store in a pretty bottle, if you have one. They can be kept for up to a year when stored in the fridge.
Basil blossoms in vinegar
Snip off basil blossoms
Place blossoms in a jar or bottle
Fresh Peach Chutney
Peaches are is season and I am loving it. Besides eating them fresh, I have been enjoying them in all sorts of dishes. Peach jam, peach ice cream, peach scones…. the list goes on.
This chutney is one more way to take advantage of peach season. Chutney is a dish that walks the line between savory and sweet. I made this batch a little spicy. The heat pairs well with the sweetness of the fruit. Feel free to adjust heat to suit your own taste.
You can serve this chutney like a relish, on the side. Or, use it like a sauce, adding to meats when cooking. Another option is to use it as a glaze, brushing it on meats while baking or grilling. A vegetarian option is brushing it on grilled portobello mushrooms or eggplant slices.
I have served chutney with a cheese board, too. Fun and easy addition to the appetizer menu.
So here is the recipe.
Fresh Peach Chutney
5 medium peaches, peeled, pitted and diced
1 medium onion, peeled and chopped fine
½ c. cider vinegar
½ c. sugar
½ c. water
2 T. honey
2 T. lemon juice
2 T. minced garlic
1 T. soy sauce, or a little more to suit your taste
½ t. red pepper flakes, or more for a spicier chutney
1 T. cornstarch
2 T. cold water
Combine all ingredients in a saucepan, except cornstarch and the 2 tablespoons of cold water, and cook over medium heat until peaches are tender and onion is translucent, about 15 minutes. Stir occasionally to avoid burning. Combine cornstarch with the cold water and stir until smooth. Slowly add to simmering chutney while stirring constantly. Mixture will thicken. Adjust seasonings, if needed. Makes about 3 cups. Will keep in fridge a couple of weeks- can be frozen.
Serve with pork or lamb. Great with duck or chicken, too. You can also serve as an appetizer with cheese and crusty bread.
Canning Tomatoes
I love my home-canned tomatoes. They taste so much better than anything than comes in a can. Worth the effort.
You have options when canning tomatoes- crushed, juice, sauce- and more. The one option you won’t see for home- canned tomatoes is diced. There is a reason for that. When tomatoes are canned commercially, calcium is added to keep them firm. That is why commercially canned diced tomatoes hold their shape. Home canned diced tomatoes will just cook down, get very soft and not hold their shape. Canning tomatoes whole will give you a firmer end product, if that is what you want.
I have been asked several times in canning classes, if it is safe to can yellow or orange tomatoes. We have all heard that yellow and orange tomatoes are lower in acid, so are they still safe to can? The answer is yes, they are safe to can.
Why?
In spite of you might have been told, orange and yellow tomatoes are not acid free or low acid.
Truth is, that yellow and orange tomatoes have just as much acid as red tomatoes.
Well, for the most part at least. In terms of acidity or Ph, yellow and orange tomatoes are about average. Some cultivars have more, some less. Bottom line is that all tomatoes are safe to can- as long as you acidify them.
Adding salt is optional, and is for flavor only. Use canning/pickling salt or non-iodized salt when canning.
Here are some popular canning recipes to get you started.
All follow the NCHFP (National Center for Home Food Preservation) recommended procedures.
Crushed Tomatoes
Peel and core tomatoes , trim off any bad spots and quarter. Place about 1/4 of your prepared tomatoes in the kettle and cook, stirring constantly over high heat. Use a potato masher to crush tomatoes and extract juices. Once they are boiling add remaining tomatoes, stirring constantly. You don’t need to crush these tomatoes. Bring to a boil and boil for 5 minutes. In clean, hot jars add needed acidity listed below. You can also add 1 teaspoon of canning salt per quart if desired. Ladle in hot tomatoes, leaving 1/2-inch headspace. Wipe jar rims clean and adjust lids. Process in boiling water bath. Pints 35 minutes, quarts, 45 minutes. 1,000-3000 ft over sea level add 5 minutes. Twenty-two pounds of tomatoes will yield about 7 quarts of tomatoes.
Whole Tomatoes in Juice
Use any extra tomatoes to make juice. I use tomatoes that are too big to can whole, or those that have blemishes that need to be trimmed. Cut up clean, unpeeled tomatoes in a kettle and cook, stirring often until tomatoes are mushy. Strain mixture, pressing on solids or run through a food mill or tomato juice extractor. Set aside,. Place peeled, whole tomatoes in kettle and add enough tomato juice to cover them. Heat to a simmer and simmer gently 5 minutes. Add lemon juice or citric acid to jars, using amounts listed below. Add salt, if desired. Add tomatoes and cover with hot juice, leaving 1/2 -inch headspace. Wipe rims and adjust lids. Process both pints and quarts 85 minutes in a boiling water bath.
Tomato Juice
Wash, stem and trim bruises off tomatoes. Cut into chunks. Add about 1 pound of tomatoes to kettle and bring to a boil while crushing. Continue to add additional cut up tomatoes slowly, keeping mixture boiling. This will keep the juice from separating later. Simmer an additional 5 minutes once the tomatoes have all been added. Press mixture through a strainer , sieve or food mill to remove seeds and skins. Add lemon juice or citric acid to jars according to directions listed below. Add salt if desired. Return juice to boil and add to prepared jars leaving 1/2-inch headspace. Wipe rims and adjust lids. Process n a boiling water bath pints 35 minutes and quarts 40 minutes. Add 5 minutes processing time at elevations between 1,001 and 3,000 ft.
Tomato Sauce
Prepare as for juice. After juice is made return to pot and start cooking down to desired thickness. You’ll lose about 1/3 of the volume for thin sauce and 1/2 of the volume for thick. Add lemon juice or citric acid to prepared jars as described below. Add salt if desired. Add boiling sauce leaving 1/4 -inch headspace. Wipe rims and adjust lids. Process in a boiling water bath 35 minutes for pints and 40 minutes for quarts. Add five minutes at 1,001-3,000 ft. elevation.
Acidity and Tomatoes
Tomatoes must be acidified before canning. When canning either whole, crushed or juiced tomatoes you must add either 2 T. bottled lemon juice per quart or 1/2 t. citric acid . For pint use 1 T. lemon juice or 1/4 t. citric acid. You can also use 4 T. (5%) vinegar per quart, but it will alter the flavor and is not recommended. You can add a little sugar to offset the flavor, if you like.
“Melon Ball” Sorbets
I remember making melon balls for fruit salad, when I was a kid. My mom showed me how. It always seemed like a special occasion when we made them. I had to learn how to use the melon “baller” to get pieces that were all perfect little rounds.
I will admit, I haven’t made melon balls in a long time, but I still like the way they look.
I used melon balls at the inspiration for this dish. Funny thing is- there isn’t any melon in the dish. I made three different sorbets- strawberry, mango and kiwi. Each one is meant to resemble a different melon- watermelon, cantaloupe and honeydew. You can, of course, make sorbet from melons. I just didn’t happen to do that.
They can be served alone and make a light, wonderful dessert. You can add a scoop of ice cream or whipped cream, if you like. They can also be served with cake or cookies. You can even add some to a glass of lemonade or a summer cocktail, just for fun.
This dessert is easy to make and a nice alternative to ice cream. Don’t get me wrong, I love ice cream, but sometimes I want something lighter. Nice for those who are lactose intolerant, too. Once made, you can have them on hand for dessert anytime.
Strawberry Vanilla Sorbet
2 c. fresh or frozen strawberries (allow frozen berries to thaw a little first)
1/4 c. sugar, or to taste
3 T. fresh lemon juice
1 t. vanilla
Place ingredients in food processor and process until smooth. Place in shallow pan and freeze. If you are using frozen berries re-freezing will take only about 1 hour. Up to 30 minutes before serving remove sorbet from freezer and allow to soften enough to break into chunks. Place in processor and blend again until very smooth. Return to freezer until needed.
Mango Honey Ginger Sorbet
2-3 large, ripe mangoes, seed and peeled
1/4 c. honey, or to taste
2-3 t. fresh grated ginger
Place ingredients in food processor and process until smooth. Place in shallow pan and freeze. Up to 30 minutes before serving remove sorbet from freezer and allow to soften enough to break into chunks. Place in processor and blend again until very smooth. Return to freezer until needed. For an even smoother sorbet, you can blend it another time.
Kiwi Lime Sorbet
6 kiwi, peeled
juice of 1 lime
1/4 c. sugar, or to taste
Place ingredients in food processor and process until smooth. Place in shallow pan and freeze. Up to 30 minutes before serving remove sorbet from freezer and allow to soften enough to break into chunks. Place in processor and blend again until very smooth. Return to freezer until needed.
To serve the sorbets, use a cookie scoop to make the “melon” balls. I made them as I was serving them, but you can also make the balls and return them to the freezer until ready to serve.
Herbal Cocktails
If you don’t think of using herbs in cocktails, maybe you should. They add a depth of flavor that can take things to a whole new level.
Of course, minty mojitos and mint juleps are classics. Still, there are even more ways you can use herbs in drinks.
I put together three recipes that use herbs in drinks. The classic mojito, a gin cocktail that uses lavender syrup, and a spin on a gimlet, using lemon verbena.
These are great drinks for summer, or any time, really.
Try adding other herbs to your cocktails. You might be surprised at just how tasty they can be.
You can plant a few herbs, too. That way, they will be handy for making drinks.
So here are the recipes. I hope you try them and enjoy them as much as I do.
Classic Mojito
10 mint leaves, I used a variety called Mojito mint, that has a slight lime flavor
½ a lime, cut in 4 wedges
2 T. sugar
1½ oz. rum
1 c. ice cubes
½ c. club soda
In glass place mint leaves and one wedge of lime. Muddle to release juices and bruise mint leaves. Add sugar and 2 more wedges of lime. Muddle until limes are crushed. Add rum, stir well. Add ice, stir and top with club soda. Garnish with lime wedge.
Lemon Lavender Cocktail
2 oz. gin
1 ½ oz. lemon juice
1 ½ oz. lavender syrup (recipe follows)
splash of club soda
some ice
one lemon slice, for garnish
Pour gin, lemon juice and lavender syrup into a glass and stir. Top with club soda, add some ice and garnish with a lemon slice.
For the lavender syrup:
¾ c. water
¾ c. sugar
1 tablespoon dried lavender buds
Combine sugar and water in a small saucepan. Add lavender and cook on low heat until sugar is dissolved. Bring to a boil and cook for 2-3 minutes, just until it starts to thicken a bit. Then set to the side to cool. Strain out the lavender and refrigerate. Yields just under a cup of syrup.
Lemon Verbena Gimlet
1 cup water
¼ c. sugar
¼ c. torn verbena leaves
¾ c. dry gin
¾ c. club soda, chilled
¼ c. fresh lime juice (about 2 limes)
Lemon verbena sprigs (optional)
Lime slices (optional)
Combine 1 cup water and sugar in a small saucepan. Rub torn verbena to bruise; add to pan. Bring sugar mixture to a boil, stirring gently as needed to dissolve sugar evenly; cook 30 seconds. Remove from heat; cool completely. Strain mixture through a sieve over a bowl; discard solids. Combine sugar mixture, gin, soda, and juice. Serve over ice. Garnish with verbena sprigs and lime slices, if desired.
Fresh Tomato Salads
Tomato season is too short around here. I can never get enough of what my mom called “real tomatoes”. The first few tomatoes never make it in the house. Warm from the sun, they are too tempting. I just pick them right off the plant and eat them.
Then, I start to think about preserving some for after the season is over. So I start drying and canning tomatoes.
Sometimes, in the excitement of canning and dehydrating tomatoes, I find I haven’t remembered to eat enough of them fresh. So anxious to get as many as possible put away for winter, I have denied myself the pleasure of fresh, juicy, vine-ripened tomatoes.
Well, not this year. I have been having tomatoes with my eggs for breakfast, creamy tomato soup for lunch and plenty of tomato sandwiches and salads. I thought I would share a few of my favorite tomato salad recipes with you.
They are pretty simple. I think that is how it should be. When you have something as close to perfection as a ripe tomato, little more is needed.
Marinated Tomato Salad
3 large tomatoes, cut in wedges, or 2 pints cherry tomatoes, halved
1 T. olive oil
1 clove garlic, minced
2-3 basil leaves, cut into thin strips
2 T. balsamic vinegar
salt and pepper to taste
Combine ingredients and serve at room temperature. Serves 4-6.
Tomato and Feta Salad
3 tablespoons crumbled feta cheese
12 cherry tomatoes, thinly sliced
1/2 sweet onion, diced
1 tablespoon olive oil -I used a lemon infused olive oil
1 tablespoon lemon juice
Salt and pepper to taste
In a bowl, mix the feta cheese, cherry tomatoes, onion, olive oil, and lemon juice. Add salt and pepper to taste. Serve immediately. Serves 2.
Warm Pasta Salad
1 lb. Plum tomatoes, chopped
1 medium sweet onion, chopped
4 oz. Fresh mushrooms, sliced
2 cloves garlic, minced
¼ c. fresh parsley, chopped
1 T. dried basil or 1/4 c. chopped fresh basil
1 T. capers, optional
1 t. dried oregano
½ c. olive oil
¼ c. red wine vinegar
3 T. balsamic vinegar
Dash of hot red pepper flakes
Salt to taste
1 lb. Uncooked pasta
Combine all ingredients, except pasta and chill overnight. Cook pasta, drain and toss with tomato mixture. Mixture should be served right away . Serves 6.
BLT Salad
6-8 slices bacon
2 slices rye bread
2 slices Swiss cheese
5 c. torn up lettuce or mixed greens
3 T. olive oil
2 T. apple cider vinegar
1 T. balsamic vinegar
Salt and fresh ground pepper
2-3 tomatoes, diced
Cook bacon until crisp. Remove from pan, drain and crumble. Remove most of the bacon grease from the pan. Make a sandwich with the rye bread and the Swiss cheese. Toast in the skillet over medium heat until golden brown and cheese is melted. Set aside. Place lettuce in bowl and toss with the oil to coat the leaves. Toss with the vinegars and season with salt and pepper to taste. Add the tomatoes and the bacon and toss. Cut the sandwich into cubes and place on the top of the salad. Serves 2.
Note: you can make two sandwiches if you want more bread and cheese in the salad.
Tomato Feta Salad
Warm Pasta Salad
BLT Salad
Spiced Cherries
These cherries are so good, I am already wishing I had canned more of them. I was inspired by my cousin, Laurie, who needed spiced cherries for a recipe she wants to make.
I first thought about the spices I wanted to use. I didn’t want to overpower the cherries, but I wanted the spices to complement the flavor of the fruit. In the end I used cinnamon sticks, fennel seeds, fenugreek, cloves and some cracked black pepper.
Once I decided which spices I wanted to use, I steeped them in boiling water. Kind of like making tea. Then I strained out the spices and used the spiced water in the syrup for the cherries. I could just have added spices to the cherries when I canned them, but I didn’t want stuff in the jars I would need to strain out later. I also knew the spices would get more intense over time, if left in the jars. By making a tea and tasting it, I knew what level of spice I would have in the final product.
The spiced cherries can just be eaten, right out of the jar. They can also be drained and added to fruit salads or used to top desserts. You can also use them to bake with. They aren’t overly sweet.
Laurie is using them in some sort of chocolate cherry martini. Now that sounds good!!!
They would make nice gifts, too.
So here is my recipe for spiced cherries.
Spiced Cherries
7 (3-4 inch) cinnamon sticks
2 T. fennel seeds
2 T. fenugreek seeds
1 T. whole cloves
1 T. cracked black pepper
5 c. water
11 lbs. sweet cherries
3¼ c. sugar
Zest of 2 limes
Juice of 2 limes
Place spices in a large pot and turn heat on to medium. Toast spices in pot for about 4-5 minutes, stirring occasionally. You should be able to smell them. Watch so they don’t burn. Add the water to the spices, bring to a boil, and simmer for at least 15 minutes. Longer cooking is fine. Fill water bath canner with water and heat up water to a simmer. In the meantime, pit the cherries. You should end up with about 4½-5 quarts of pitted fruit. You can hold pitted cherries in a bowl of water with a little ascorbic acid in it, to prevent browning. Set aside. Remove the spiced water from the heat. Strain out the spices and discard them. Measure the spiced water and add enough fresh water to equal 5 cups. Return water to pot with the cherries (drained if they were in water), sugar, zest and lime juice. Bring mixture to a boil. Fill pint jars with cherries and cooking liquid, leaving ½-inch headspace. Wipe rims and screw on lids until fingertip tight. Place jars in water bath canner. Make sure the water covers the jars by 1-2 inches. Place lid on canner, and start timing when water returns to the boil. Process for 15 minutes. Remove jars from canner and place on a cooling rack or towel, in a draft free area. Once cooled, check the lids to make sure they are sealed. Remove bands and wipe down jars. Label and store. Makes about 9 pints.
Times and procedures all used NCHFP guidelines.
Jars cooling down
Homemade Mint Chocolate Chip Ice Cream
Mint chocolate chip ice cream is a favorite of mine. I have tried a lot of mint chocolate chip ice creams, but was not always happy. I wanted to make my own and see how that turned out.
The tricky part is getting chips that aren’t hard chunks, but rather, little flecks of chocolate, that melt on your tongue when you eat the ice cream. In the past, for chocolate chip ice cream, I have brushed melted chocolate in thin sheets, chilled it, and then broken it into tiny pieces. It worked, but kind of a pain to do.
I tried something different this time, and with a few adjustments, it worked out great. A couple of weeks ago, I posted a recipe for homemade chocolate magic shell. You remember magic shell, the chocolate syrup that hardens when you drizzle it on ice cream. The recipe is quite simple. Chocolate, coconut oil and powdered sugar, melted together. It remains a liquid at room temperature. So, to create the “chips”, I just added some of the magic shell to the ice cream as it froze in the ice cream maker.
After a little playing around, I got the knack of drizzling it slowly. The end result, little flecks of chocolate through the ice cream that were tender and melted as you ate the ice cream. We had the ice cream served on a homemade brownie, then topped with more magic shell and some whipped cream. You will note that my “mint” ice cream is not green. I opted to omit food coloring, but feel free to add some, if you prefer.
Mint Chocolate Chip Ice Cream
2 c. half and half
1 c. whipping cream
½ c. sugar, or to taste*
2 t. mint extract
1 t. vanilla extract
About ½ c. magic shell- recipe follows
Combine half and half, cream, sugar and flavorings. Stir until sugar dissolves. Add more sugar, if needed, to suit your taste. Place mixture in an ice cream maker and start freezing it. Once it starts to thicken, drizzle the magic shell in slowly as the machine is running, to create little flecks of chocolate throughout the ice cream. I have to guess that I used about ½ a cup. Add until you have the amount of chips you like. Once ice cream forms, place in freezer until ready to serve. Makes about a quart.
*The mixture might taste a little sweet to you, but when you freeze it, it will taste less sweet. When making ice cream, the base should be a little”too” sweet to allow for the taste change after freezing.
Homemade Chocolate Shell
1 c. chocolate chips- I used dark chocolate chips
3/4 c. coconut oil- I used the unrefined
1/2 c. powdered sugar
Heat all together until melted. I melted mine in a microwave for 1 minute, but you could also melt over a double boiler. Stir until smooth. Store at room temp. To use, drizzle over ice cream, wait about 10-20 seconds- and it will harden.
Cherry Pie Scones
Who doesn’t love cherry pie? I know I do. I got together for coffee with a couple of friends recently and I wanted to make something to have with our coffee.
I used cherry pie filling as the base for these scones. My pie filling was homemade. Store bought cherry pie filling would work fine, too. They were just sweet enough and came out this beautiful pink color. They did remind me a little of cherry pie. Nothing bad about that.
The scones were great just as they were- but would also make a wonderful base for shortcake. I think with a scoop of ice cream or a bit of whipped cream, these scones would also make a nice dessert.
Cherry Pie Scones
3 c. flour
1/4 c. sugar
1 T. baking powder
1 t. salt
1/2 c. cold butter
1 1/3 c. cherry pie filling
2 eggs
2 t. vanilla
Glaze:
2 c. powdered sugar
2 T. vanilla
water
Preheat oven to 400 degrees. Line 2 baking sheets with parchment paper or grease lightly. I have silicone baking mats so that is what I use. Set aside. In mixing bowl combine dry ingredients and cut in butter to resemble coarse crumbs. Combine pie filling with eggs and vanilla and stir to blend well. Add to dry ingredients and stir until mixed well. Mixture will be a stiff batter. Scoop 1/4 cup portions of batter onto the baking sheets- leaving a couple of inches between them. You will need both baking sheets. I used a 2 oz. ice cream scoop and got 22 scones. Bake for 15-17 minutes or until golden brown on the bottom. I switched my baking sheets about halfway through the baking. Remove to a cooling rack and make the glaze.
Combine the powdered sugar and vanilla in a small bowl and add enough water so the glaze is about the thickness of maple syrup, probably a couple of tablespoons. Dip the tops of each of the warm scones in the glaze and return to the cooling rack.
Fish Balls
Fish balls are kind of like meat balls, but made with fish. Still, they are different, and it is the texture that makes them so special. I had eaten fish balls at Asian restaurants and always loved them. I was curious as to how they were made.
I looked up several recipes online and watched a few videos. I decided I would make them for a party I was having with some friends. They were a huge hit. We added them to simmering stock and served with dipping sauces.
The big difference in making fish balls, as opposed to a traditional meat ball, is that the fish is pureed into a smooth paste. Combined with a few other ingredients, the mixture is very soft. More like a batter or dough in feeling and appearance. The fish batter is also mixed for a long time. It helps to give you the smooth final product you want in fish balls.
Once you make the base, the balls are shaped and simmered until done. The final texture should be smooth and light. Mine are pretty basic, but you can add all sorts of seasonings for different flavors. Different fish will also give you different flavors. Fish balls are usually served in a soup, but they can be added to all sorts of dishes.
When you read the recipe, it sounds like a lot of work. There is some time in prep, but a lot of that is just letting the mixer do its job. I thought they were well worth the effort. I had plenty for a party, and extra to freeze.
I used catfish and I really loved the flavor.
Fish Balls
2½ lbs. of raw fish – I used catfish
1¾ c. ice water, divided
4 T. sugar
2 T. dry sherry – not cooking sherry
3 t. salt
4 eggs whites
4 T. cornstarch
Place the fish in a blender add ¾ cup ice water and puree until smooth. Remove fish puree to a stand mixer and add the sugar, sherry and salt. Use the paddle attachment and blend the fish mixture on high for 12-15 minutes. Add the egg whites, one at a time, while the mixer is running, during the 15 minute blending time. Now, with the mixer still running add ½ cup of the ice water, then 2 tablespoons of the cornstarch, blending well each time. Add the rest of the water, then the rest of the cornstarch. This should take about 5 minutes. The mixture should look really smooth and kind of silky. Turn off the mixer and place a small spoonful of the mixture in water- to be sure it floats. Now, you are supposed to squeeze small amounts of the mixture through your hand as you make a fist to form into 1- inch balls. I just used a tablespoon to spoon out the mixture, then used wet hands to form into balls. They aren’t going to be perfectly smooth and round, but that is fine. Have a big bowl of cold water standing by. As you make the balls drop them in the water. They will keep their shape and not stick together- they are soft, but should hold together. Once you have all the dough in balls, get a big pot of water just barely simmering. You don’t want the water to boil. Drop about half of the fish balls into the water at a time. Cook until they float, 2-3 minutes. Remove with a slotted spoon and set aside to cool. Now you are ready to go. It makes a big batch, so feel free to freeze some. You can add your fish balls to soup, sauté in oil until crisp or warm in broth and serve with dipping sauces.
