Peach bonanza part 2

On a recent trip to Philly I stopped into Produce Junction and couldn't resist grabbing some more summer bounty for a ridiculous price. I grabbed MORE peaches along with some jalapeños, tomatoes and cukes for another post.  I wanted to attempt peach salsa. It seems pretty similar to the items I throw into my peach soup with the exception that I dunk it into a hot water bath to kill off potential botulism spores. In the end it ended up a little bit spicier than I expected but I LOVE IT! It only made 3 jars so I need to hunt down more peaches which shouldn't be an issue around here.  

Since I had a few extra peaches I tried a new recipes that is apparently a big hit in the south. Pickled Peaches. I know it sounds kinda gross but I love pickles and I love peaches. Why not put the 2 together. Pickled fruit was a popular treat 75 years ago, hanging out in people's pantries. Marisa McClellan from Food in Jars did a little article about the history of pickled fruit and offers a recipe for pickled nectarines (next on my list to make) 
I strayed a little from the recipe. I have learned that there are some things you can tweak in canning recipes without killing yourself, friends or family. You can add/omit whatever dried spices you want. You can also add more acid and in some cases cut back on sugar. Most of the recipes I saw spiced their peaches with cinnamon, cloves, ginger, etc. Gross. I cut all of that out and added red pepper flakes. I also cut back a little bit on the sugar and increased my vinegar. I wanted more of a pucker and less of sugary syrup. I did have a little bit of fruit float but these bad boys are going to taste so good on top of salad, pork chops, ice cream and so much more. I only got 2 jars out of this recipe. I need to start growing my own peach orchard to supply myself with all the goodies I want to make. 

Pickled Peaches
PICKLED NECTARINES
RecipeYIELD:3 pint jars
ACTIVE TIME:45 minutes
TOTAL TIME:48 hoursS
PECIAL EQUIPMENT:3 pint sized mason jars, canning pot (optional)
THIS RECIPE APPEARS IN:In a Pickle: Pickled Nectarine Slices
Ingredients

• 6 nectarines (approximately 2 1/2 pounds) I swapped peaches in for nectarines
• 2 cups white vinegar
• 3/4 granulated sugar
• 2 teaspoons pickling salt
• 3 star anise (I left out)
• 1 cinnamon stick, broken into thirds (I left out)
• 1 bay leaf, broken into thirds (I left out)
• 3/4 teaspoon black peppercorns, divided
• 1/4 teaspoon red pepper flakes, divided

Procedures
If using, prepare a boiling water bath canner and place three lids in a small saucepan at a bare simmer.

1. Prepare three regular mouth jars.
   
   
2. 3 Wash nectarines and slice into 12 wedges per piece of fruit.
   
   
3. Combine 2 cups of white vinegar with 2 cups water, 3/4 cup granulated white sugar and 2 teaspoons pickling salt.
   
4. As the brine comes to a boil, divide the spices evenly between the three jars.
   Once brine is boiling, add fruit to the pot.
5. Stir to help settle the fruit into the brine.
   
6. Once the fruit has relaxed into the brine and the brine is boiling, remove pot from heat.
   
7. Carefully ladle the fruit into the jars, using a wooden chopstick to help the nectarine slices settle into place.
   
8. Pour brine over fruit to cover.
9. Tap jars gently to help dislodge any air bubbles that may be trapped between the nectarine slices. Use your wooden chopstick to finish the job.
10. Wipe rims and apply lids and rings.
11. If processing for shelf stability, carefully lower jars into boiling water bath and process for 10 minutes.
12. When time is up, remove jars from canner and let cool.
13. Once processed jars are cool, remove rings, check seals and wash jars to remove any stickiness.
    
14. Unprocessed jars should also be washed once cool and then stored in the refrigerator.
    
15. Pickled nectarines can be eaten as soon as cooled, though for best flavor, allow them to sit in their brine for at least 48 hours before eating.

Peach Salsa
From Canning Granny


½ cup white vinegar

6 cups chopped pitted and peeled peaches

1-1/4 cups chopped onion

4 jalapeño peppers, seeded (if desired) and chopped

1 red bell pepper, seeded and chopped

½ cup loosely packed finely chopped cilantro

2 Tbsp. liquid honey (I left this out)

1 clove garlic, finely chopped (I added 4 cloves garlic)

1-1/2 tsp. ground cumin

½ tsp. cayenne pepper
** I also had a lime lying around and added that to the mix**



In a large, stainless steel saucepan, combine vinegar and peaches. Add onion, jalapeño peppers, red pepper, cilantro, honey, garlic, cumin, and cayenne. Bring to a boil over medium-high heat, stirring constantly. Reduce heat and boil gently, stirring frequently, until slightly thickened, about 5-10 minutes. Remove from heat.

Ladle hot salsa into hot jars, leaving a half inch headspace. Remove air bubbles and adjust headspace, if necessary, by adding more salsa. Wip rim. Tighten hot lids onto jars to fingertip tightness.

Process in boiling water bath for 15 minutes.

Cool and let seal.

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