Green Tomato, Apple and Pear Mincemeat - from "Fancy Pantry" by Helen Witty
(This book, I am pretty sure, is out of print, but well worth looking at if your library has it, or you find it in a 2nd hand bookshop. If you like interesting, "gourmet" type foods, but not the price, this is the book for you. I love mine, and use it often)
3 quarts coarsely chopped completely green tomatoes
1 Tbls. non-iodized salt
1 1/2 quarts peeled, cored and diced firm, tart apples
1 quart peeled, cored and diced firm, slightly under ripe pears
2 1/2 cups seedless raisins
Grated zest, and chopped pulp of 1 large orange (preferably organic, or at least unsprayed)
Grated zest of 1 1/2 large lemons (organic or unsprayed)
1/2 cup apple cider vinegar
1/2 cup undiluted frozen apple concentrate (ed. comment - 2 cups fresh apple cider, either boiled down beforehand, or boiled in the mixture)
3 1/2 cups brown sugar, packed
2 tsp gr. cinnamon
!/2 tsp each: gr. allspice, gr. cloves, gr. ginger
!/2 cup dark rum, or brandy
Stir the tomatoes and salt together; scrape into a colander, and let drain for 2 hours.
Combine drained (and rinsed, if still very salty) tomatoes with all other ingredients, except rum, in a large pan. Bring to a boil, lower heat, and cook, uncovered and stirring often, until it is thick enough to mound on a spoon, about 1 hour.
Stir in the rum or brandy, and ladle into hot clean pint canning jars, with 1/2" headspace. Process as usual in boiling water bath for 25 minutes.
Let mincemeat mellow in jars for at least a month before use.
A pint will fill an 8" pie shell. I use 2 jars for an 11" pie, with the addition of 2 or 3 tart apples and/or pears - these lighten the filling somewhat, and give it a fresher taste. An added bit of rum or brandy doesn't come amiss.
(This book, I am pretty sure, is out of print, but well worth looking at if your library has it, or you find it in a 2nd hand bookshop. If you like interesting, "gourmet" type foods, but not the price, this is the book for you. I love mine, and use it often)
3 quarts coarsely chopped completely green tomatoes
1 Tbls. non-iodized salt
1 1/2 quarts peeled, cored and diced firm, tart apples
1 quart peeled, cored and diced firm, slightly under ripe pears
2 1/2 cups seedless raisins
Grated zest, and chopped pulp of 1 large orange (preferably organic, or at least unsprayed)
Grated zest of 1 1/2 large lemons (organic or unsprayed)
1/2 cup apple cider vinegar
1/2 cup undiluted frozen apple concentrate (ed. comment - 2 cups fresh apple cider, either boiled down beforehand, or boiled in the mixture)
3 1/2 cups brown sugar, packed
2 tsp gr. cinnamon
!/2 tsp each: gr. allspice, gr. cloves, gr. ginger
!/2 cup dark rum, or brandy
Stir the tomatoes and salt together; scrape into a colander, and let drain for 2 hours.
Combine drained (and rinsed, if still very salty) tomatoes with all other ingredients, except rum, in a large pan. Bring to a boil, lower heat, and cook, uncovered and stirring often, until it is thick enough to mound on a spoon, about 1 hour.
Stir in the rum or brandy, and ladle into hot clean pint canning jars, with 1/2" headspace. Process as usual in boiling water bath for 25 minutes.
Let mincemeat mellow in jars for at least a month before use.
A pint will fill an 8" pie shell. I use 2 jars for an 11" pie, with the addition of 2 or 3 tart apples and/or pears - these lighten the filling somewhat, and give it a fresher taste. An added bit of rum or brandy doesn't come amiss.
