Harissa #2

 

My friend Jack, brought me 2 pounds of Super Cayenne chiles. They were kept overnight in the 'frig and the next morning, in my propane bbq, fire roasted, most for 10-12 minutes, a few that didn't get the flame first for another 4-5 minutes.

In total that was 

964 grams of Super Cayenne (raw weight before roasting)
950 grams -- after roasting

After removing the burnt skins, removing the stem they weighed: 476 grams.

That's quite a loss of product, but I'm not unhappy. The 2 pounds was but $10.00 (US dollars in September 2018).

Here are the remaining quantities of ingredients.

Salt 8 grams
Brown Mustard seeds 20 grams
Caraway seeds 25 grams
Cumin (powder) 15 grams
Garlic, fresh 8 grams (paper husk removed)
Garlic, granulated, 5 grams
Pickled Lemon 25 grams
Mint, leaves, fresh 10 grams
Rosewater 4 grams
Lemon juice with it's zest, 43 grams
Olive oil, as needed to make a paste.
Sodium Benzoate .7 grams (700 milligrams)

Sorry, I don't have these in ounces and 1/10 of ounces.

Wearing gloves, I peeled the skins and de-stemmed the chiles. Into the food processor bowl with metal blade went the chiles. Over that the mint leaves and fresh garlic, left whole.

In a spice grinder went the salt, caraway, mustard, and cumin. That was reduced to a fine powder and poured over the mint and garlic. Next the juice and zest of the lemon were tipped in.

About 30 pulses got the mass to a fine enough puree to allow the processor to run continuously until the ingredients blended and pulled into a mass. While the machine ran, extra virgin olive oil was added. I eyeball this. It's not hard to see how much olive oil is needed.

Next, the bowl with it's ingredients not fully blended was weighed and the sodium benzoate weighed on a scale that can resolve (weigh accurately) tenths of a gram. As only seven/tenths of a gram of benzoate salt is needed, it must be an accurate weight. After it was added, the processor bowl was replaced and the mass mixed a few more times.

Refrigerate after standing on the countertop a few hours to allow the flavors to meld.

Flavored Vinegars

These recipes are from the Techno Chemical Receipt Book published in 1887. Several recipes call for processing the ingredients by trituration, q.v. at the wiki entry.

 Table Vinegars.

Anise Vinegar. 

Convert the following ingredients into a coarse powder: Anise seed 5 parts, caraway seed 3/5 part fennel and coriander seed each 1/3 part each pour 5 parts of alcohol and 45 parts of good strong vinegar over the powders, close the flask hermetically, and let the whole digest in a warm place for 6 to 8 days, shaking frequently. Then strain the liquid off, press out "the residue, filter the vinegar, and put it up in bottles. 

Aromatic Vinegar.

Chop up leaves of rosemary, sage, and peppermint each 3/5 part, cloves, zedoary, and angelica root each 1/8 part; place all in a suitable flask, into which also pour 30 parts of crude vinegar, let it macerate for 4 days, then press out and filter. The product is a clear fluid of a reddish-brown color.

Dragonswoort (Estragon or Tarragon) Vinegar.

Pick the young tender leaves of dragons wort (Artemisia dracunculus L.) when the first flower-buds appear. Bruise the leaves, place them in a suitable flask, pour good wine-vinegar over them, and let the whole stand for a few days. Then strain the vinegar through a cloth, filter, and bottle. The bottles must be filled entirely full, as other wise the vinegar will not keep.

Another Receipt.

Mix 1 1/2 parts of oil of dragonswort with 3000 parts of pure good vinegar, let the whole stand for a few days, and then filter the vinegar.

Compound Dragonswort Vinegar or Herb Table Vinegar. 

Comminute leaves of dragonswort 100 parts, bean leaves 25 parts, leaves of basil and marjoram each 12 1/2 parts, bay leaves and orris root each 25 parts, cloves 3 1/2 parts, cinnamon 6 1/2 parts, and shallots 25 parts. Put all in a demijohn, pour 700 to 750 parts of pure good vinegar over it, let it stand on a warm place; and digest 5 to 6 days, frequently agitating it. Then strain the vinegar through linen, press out the residue with the hands, acid 25 parts of alcohol, and filter. Keep the vinegar in well-corked bottles in a cool place.

Spiced Dragonswort Vinegar.

Cut up and treat as above leaves of dragonswort 100 parts, fresh lemon peel 40 parts, cinnamon and coriander seed each 13 1/2 parts, fennel seed 3 1/2 parts, cardamoms 4/5 part, shallots 25 parts, and vinegar 700 to 750 parts.

English Spiced Vinegar.

 I. Pour 400 parts of pure vinegar and 50 parts of strong alcohol over the following ingredients, previously pulverized: Cloves 25 parts, cassia bark, mace, and orange blossoms each 3 1/2 parts. Let the whole stand in a warm place for 1 week, then strain through a cloth, press out the residue, and filter. 

II. Mix oils of cloves 96 drops, bergamot 70 drops, and camphor 15 1/2 grains, triturated with 4 3/4 ounces of strong acetic acid and 15 drops of acetic acid. Add to this mixture 2 gallons of pure vinegar, mix thoroughly, let the whole stand for a few days, and then filter through blotting paper. This vinegar must be kept in well-closed bottles and in a cool place.

Effervescing Vinegar.

Dissolve 500 parts of loaf sugar in 5000 parts of water, add lemon juice and rind cut up in the proportion of 1 lemon to 1 pound of sugar, 1 1/2 parts of the best cinnamon, and 12 1/2 parts of beer-yeast thoroughly washed. Place the whole in a barrel, and after agitating thoroughly let it ferment at a temperature of 55° to 60° F. When fermentation has ceased the vinous fluid is strained, and mixed with 1000 parts of best wine-vinegar previously boiled up, and yeast in the proportion of 1 spoonful to 5 pounds of sugar. The fluid is then distributed in several earthenware pots and exposed to a temperature of 77° to 88° F., until it has been converted into strong vinegar. This, while remaining in the pots, is mixed with 200 parts of French brandy and after two days bottled in small bottles. To each pound of this vinegar are added 2/5 part of crystallized tartaric acid pulverized and 1/5 part of bicarbonate of sodium. The bottles, as soon as the respective portion of the mixture has been added to each, must be corked as quickly as possible, and then stored in a cool place.

Herb Vinegar as Prepared in the Northern Part of Germany.

Chop fine the leaves of marjoram and thyme each 13 1/3 parts, bean leaves 6 1/2 parts, leaves of mint, basil, and celery each 3 1/2 parts, and 1 1/2 parts of fresh shallots. Pour 600 to 700 parts of good vinegar over the herbs, and treat in the same manner as given for compound dragonswort vinegar. 

Herb Vinegar as Prepared on the Rhine.

Chop up leaves of fresh dragonswort and woodroof [sic] each 20 parts, borage 1 1/2 parts, fresh mint 3 1/3 parts. Pour 600 to 750 parts of good vinegar over them, and then proceed as given for compound dragonswort vinegar. (woodruff) Lemon Vinegar. Remove the rind from 5 to 6 fresh lemons, press out the juice and let it stand in a tall covered glass until clarified. Then pound the rinds to a paste and pour 1 gallon of good vinegar over it. Let it stand for a few days, then pour off the vinegar, mix it with the clear lemon juice, filter and bottle the vinegar.

Orange Vinegar.

Peel 5 to 6 fresh oranges, press out the juice in a tall glass, and let it stand covered to clarify. Free the rinds from the white parts, pound them to a paste and pour 1 gallon of good vinegar over it, and proceed om the same manner as given for lemon vinegar. Pine-apple Vinegar. This excellent vinegar soon loses its flavor, and it is therefore best to prepare a small quantity at a time and keep it in hermetically closed bottles. Bruise the slices of pine-apple and pour over them a considerable quantity of vinegar. Close the vessel as tightly as possible and let it stand 12 hours; after which pour off the vinegar and filter it.

Raspberry Vinegar.

Crush perfectly ripe raspberries to a paste, let it stand 24 to 36 hours; then put 1 pound of this paste into a jar, pour 1 1/2 to 2 gallons of vinegar over it, place it in a warm place, but not in the sun, and shake frequently. After standing for several days strain the mixture through a cloth, add 1 gill of alcohol, mix thoroughly, and filter the vinegar. The bottles should be entirely filled and kept in a cool place.

Strawberry Vinegar.

Mash thoroughly ripe strawberries, let the paste stand in a warm place for 24 hours, then press out the juice, bottle and let it stand for a few days to ferment and to allow the slimy constituents to separate. Then filter the juice and put it in well- closed glass bottles which should be scrupulously clean, where it will keep for a long time. When it is to be used for flavoring, add a sufficient quantity of it to good vinegar.

Vanilla Vinegar.

Triturate in a porcelain mortar 4 parts of vanilla bean cut up with some white sugar, add 2 parts each of pulverized cloves and cinnamon, put all in a flask and digest it with 30 parts of strong alcohol for several days. Then add 250 to 270 parts of good vinegar, let it stand for some time, shaking it frequently, then strain through a cloth and finally filter. This vinegar is usually colored red.

Vinaigre à la Bardin.

Chop up: Leaves of dragonswort 20 parts, bay leaves 10 parts, angelica root 6 1/2 parts, capers and anchovies each 10 parts, shallots 6 1/2 parts, and pour 150 parts of good vinegar over them. Let the whole stand for 3 days, shaking frequently, then strain through a cloth, press out the residue, and filter the vinegar.

Vinaigre à la Ravigote.

Leaves of dragonswort 25 parts, bay leaves 6 1/2 parts, capers 13 1/2 parts, anchovies cut up fine 26 1/2 parts, cloves and horseradish each 3 1.2 parts, white mustard seed pounded fine 4/5 part, shallots 13 1/2 parts, and good vinegar 300 parts. Proceed as above.

The Mint Julep

The Mint Julep.

Julep is a word of Arabic origin: julab or Persian: gul-[amac]b (rose water).

The Julep is a source of inspiration for the English poet John Milton in his work Comus

And first behold this cordial julep here,
That flames and dances in his crystal bounds,
With spirits of balm and fragrant syrups mixed.
Not that Nepenthes which the wife of Thone
In Egypt gave to Jove-born Helena
Is of such power to stir up joy as this,
To life so friendly, or so cool to thirst.

So, without further introduction:

3 parts Bourbon whiskey
1 part Peach Brandy
sugar - 1 teaspoon per glass (or 1 teaspoon of simple syrup)
mint, it should be baby or spring mint, and copious quantities of it

No need to muddle. Put the simple syrup or sugar in the glass, add cracked ice. There is no substitute for cracked ice. It is half the drink. Over the ice add the bourbon and brandy. Next, populate the glass with mint. I don't mean a sprig or two, you must use a handful. Literally. The notion is, that when you take a drink, your nose should touch the mint, not just your mouth. In this way, the mint fragrance provided one organoleptic quality, while the mixture of bourbon and brandy mixes in the mouth in an extraordinay way.

I make myself Mint Juleps when Springtime brings vast quantities of mint.