12 cups fresh wild blueberries
1/4 cup freshly squeezed lemon juice
1 pkg (49 g) light fruit pectin crystals or no-sugar-needed fruit pectin crystals
3 cups granulated sugar

In Dutch oven and using potato masher, crush blueberries, 1 cup at a time.

Measure 6 cups fruit. Add lemon juice to blueberries. Mix pectin with 1/4 cup of the sugar; stir into blueberry mixture.

Bring to boil over high heat, stirring often. Gradually stir in remaining sugar; return to full rolling boil. Boil hard, stirring constantly, for 1 minute.

Remove from heat. Stir and skim off foam for 5 minutes.

Fill hot 1–cup (250 mL) canning jars, leaving 1/4–inch (5 mm) headspace. Cover with prepared discs. Screw on bands until resistance is met; increase to fingertip tight. Boil in boiling water canner for 10 minutes.

Turn off heat. Uncover and let jars stand in canner for 5 minutes. Lift up rack. With canning tongs, transfer jars to cooling rack; let cool undisturbed for 24 hours.

Makes about 8 cups.

per 1 TBSP: about 26 cal, trace pro, 0 g total fat (0 g sat. fat), 7 g carb, trace fibre, 0 mg chol, 1 mg sodium, 10 mg potassium. % RDI: 2% vit C.

tips
• If you prefer a smoother jam, purée the blueberries in a food processor instead of crushing them with a potato masher.
• Certo Light Fruit Pectin Crystals and Bernardin No–Sugar–Needed Fruit Pectin Crystals can be used interchangeably in this recipe.

Excerpted from Canadian Living: The Complete Preserving Book by The Canadian Living Test Kitchen Copyright © 2012 by Transcontinental Books. Photograph Copyright © 2012 by Edward Pond. Excerpted by permission of Random House of Canada Limited on behalf of Transcontinental. All rights reserved.

Any recipe that includes cauliflower makes me a happy girl. In this dish I roast cauliflower (which is one of the easiest ways to cook it) together with Jerusalem arties (a.k.a. sunchokes), and the payoff is huge: You get great flavor and a really sexy texture. Then I add some spices. The end result is a super-special, slightly exotic side dish—with a minimum amount of effort. This is the way I like to roll

serves: 4 to 6 time: about 1 hour

MISE EN PLACE
1 head of cauliflower, cut into bite-size florets
1 pound Jerusalem artichokes, cut into 1-inch dice
Extra virgin olive oil
Kosher salt
1 tablespoon cumin seeds, toasted and ground
1/2 teaspoon cayenne pepper
1 bunch of fresh chives, finely chopped

1. Preheat the oven to 375°F.

2. In a large bowl, combine the cauliflower and Jerusalem artichokes; toss them generously with olive oil and salt.

3. In a small bowl, combine the cumin and cayenne and add it to the veggies. Toss well to thoroughly combine.

4. Spread the veggies on a baking sheet in one even layer—use two baking sheets if necessary. Roast for 20 minutes, then stir the veggies so they have the chance to brown all over, and rotate the pan to ensure even cooking. After 20 minutes, repeat this process again.

5. Roast the vegetables for an additional 5 to 10 minutes, or until they are brown, tender, and smell wonderful—almost like popcorn! If they aren’t lovely and brown, let them continue to roast for another few minutes. Taste and adjust the seasoning if necessary.

6. Remove the veggies from the oven, sprinkle with chives, transfer to a serving dish, and serve immediately.

Excerpted from Cook Like a Rock Star by Anne Burrell Copyright © 2011 by Anne Burrell. Photographs Copyright © 2011 by Ben Fink. Excerpted by permission of Clarkson Potter, a division of Random House of Canada Limited. All rights reserved. No part of this excerpt may be reproduced or reprinted without permission in writing from the publisher.

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This simple almond-shallot topping goes with just about any simply cooked vegetable, but it tastes best with green beans. Instead of simply blanching the beans, I char them until they develop a smoky richness.

Makes 4 servings

Kosher salt
8 ounces green and/or wax beans, trimmed
1/4 cup blanched whole almonds, coarsely chopped
3 tablespoons extra-virgin olive oil, plus more as needed
1 large shallot, minced
1 tablespoon fresh fl at-leaf parsley leaves, thinly sliced
1 lemon
Freshly ground black pepper

Bring a large pot of water to a rolling boil and salt it. Fill a large bowl with ice and water. Add the green beans to the boiling water and cook until bright green but still firm, about 2 minutes. Drain and transfer to the ice water. When cool, drain again. Pat dry with paper towels until completely dry.

Meanwhile, in a small saucepan, combine the almonds and the oil, adding more oil if needed to just cover the almonds. Cook over medium heat until the almonds are golden, about 6 minutes. Remove from the heat and stir in the shallot. It will cook in the residual heat.

Coat a large skillet with oil. Heat over medium-high heat until very hot but not smoking. Add the beans and season with salt. Cook, tossing frequently, until charred dark brown in spots and tender-crisp, about 7 minutes.

Top with the almond mixture, then the parsley. Grate the zest from a quarter of the lemon directly over, then cut the lemon into wedges for serving. Season with pepper and serve.

Excerpted from Home Cooking with Jean-Georges by Jean-Georges Vongerichten and Genevieve Ko. Copyright © 2011 by Jean-Georges Vongerichten and Genevieve Ko. Photographs Copyright © 2011 by John Kernick. Excerpted by permission of Clarkson Potter, a division of Random House of Canada Limited. All rights reserved. No part of this excerpt may be reproduced or reprinted without permission in writing from the publisher.

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This gratin is a delicious way to incorporate greens into your diet.

1 potato (5 oz/150 g), peeled and quartered
2 tbsp (30 mL) butter
¼ cup (60 mL) diced onion
1 clove garlic, minced
¼ cup (60 mL) all-purpose flour
11/4 cups (425 mL) milk
¼ tsp (1 mL) cayenne pepper
Pinch each salt and pepper
Pinch ground nutmeg
? cup (75 mL) shredded Gruyère cheese
3 tbsp (45 mL) grated Parmesan cheese
2 1/2 cups (625 mL) shredded Swiss chard

In small saucepan of boiling salted water, cook potato until tender, 10 to 12 minutes. Drain; let cool for 5 minutes. Thinly slice and overlap in greased 3-cup (750 mL) shallow gratin dish.

Meanwhile, in small saucepan, heat butter over medium heat; cook onion and garlic until softened, about 3 minutes. Stir in flour; cook for 1 minute. Whisking constantly, add milk, ¼ cup (125 mL) at a time. Whisk in cayenne, salt, pepper and nutmeg. Reduce heat to low; simmer, whisking occasionally, until thickened, 5 to 7 minutes. Stir in Gruyère and Parmesan.

Pour ¼ cup (125 mL) sauce over potato. Top with Swiss chard, pressing to compact. Pour remaining sauce over top. Bake in 400°F (200°C) toaster oven or oven until bubbly and browned, 20 to 25 minutes.

Makes 2 servings. PER SERVING: about 475 cal, 21 g pro, 25 g total fat (15 g sat. fat), 43 g carb, 3 g fibre, 77 mg chol, 657 mg sodium. % RDI: 53% calcium, 16% iron, 41% vit A, 25% vit C, 25% folate.

Excerpted from Make It Tonight by The Canadian Living Test Kitchen. Copyright © 2011 by The Canadian Living Test Kitchen. Excerpted by permission of Transcontinental. All rights reserved. No part of this excerpt may be reproduced or reprinted without permission in writing from the publisher.

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Warm and bubbly with a golden brown crust, this easy-to-prepare side dish is one of my favorite cold-weather indulgences. I am a big fan of cauliflower’s soft, slightly nutty flavor and don’t think it gets the attention it deserves. It has a remarkable ability to absorb the flavors of whatever it is being cooked with, such as the rich creamy sauce of smooth Monterey Jack, salty Parmesan, and tangy goat cheeses in this gratin.

Serves 4 to 6
2 tablespoons unsalted butter, plus more for the baking dish
3 cups whole milk, or more if needed
2 tablespoons all-purpose flour
6 ounces Monterey Jack cheese, grated (1 1?2 cups)
6 ounces fresh goat cheese, cut into small pieces
1?2 cup freshly grated Parmesan cheese
Kosher salt and freshly ground black pepper
1 medium head of cauliflower, cut into florets, each floret cut into 2 or 3 pieces
Chopped fresh flat-leaf parsley, for garnish

1. Preheat the oven to 350°F and butter a 10-inch baking dish.

2. Pour the milk into a small saucepan and bring to a simmer over medium-low heat.

3. Melt the butter over medium heat in a medium heavy saucepan. Whisk in the flour and cook for 1 minute; do not let the mixture brown. Slowly whisk in the milk, raise the heat to high, and cook, whisking constantly, until the mixture thickens, 3 to 4 minutes.

Remove from the heat and whisk in the Monterey Jack, half of the goat cheese, and half of the Parmesan cheese. Season with salt and pepper. If the mixture seems too thick, thin with a little extra milk.

4. Transfer the sauce to a large bowl, add the cauliflower, and stir well to combine. Scrape the mixture into the prepared baking dish and top with the remaining goat cheese and Parmesan. Slip a rimmed baking sheet underneath and bake until the cauliflower is tender and the top is bubbly and golden brown, 50 to 60 minutes. Remove from the oven and let rest for 10 minutes before serving.

Garnish with chopped parsley.

Excerpted from Bobby Flay’s Bar Americain Cookbook by Bobby Flay with Stephanie Banyas and Sally Jackson Copyright © 2011 by Boy Meets Grill, Inc. Photographs Copyright © 2011 by Ben Fink. Excerpted by permission of Clarkson Potter, a division of Random House of Canada Limited. All rights reserved.

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Prep Time: 20 minutes
Cook: 1 1/4 hours
Makes: 8 to 10 servings

1 rutabaga (2 lb/1kg), peeled and cut into 3/4-inch (2 cm) cubes
4 parsnips (1 lb/500 g), peeled and cut into 1-inch (2.5 cm) cubes
1 cup (250 ml) apple cider
1/4 cup (60 ml) butter, melted
4 tsp (20 ml) minced fresh thyme
1 tsp (5 ml) salt
1/2 tsp (2 ml) pepper
3 leeks (white and light green parts only), cut into 1-inch (2.5 cm) thick rounds
2 sweet red peppers, cut into 2-inch (5 cm) pieces
1 large bulb fennel, trimmed and cut into 2-inch (5 cm) pieces
1 head garlic, separated into cloves and peeled

Toss together rutabaga, parsnips and half each of the cider, butter, thyme, salt and pepper. Spread in greased 13- x 9-inch (3 L) glass baking dish or small roasting pan. Cover with foil; roast in 425°F (220°C) oven for 15 minutes.

Meanwhile, toss together leeks, red peppers, fennel, garlic and remaining cider, butter, thyme, salt and pepper. Spread in separate same-sized greased baking dish or roasting pan; cover with foil. Add to oven; roast for 30 minutes.

Uncover both pans; stir vegetables. Roast, stirring occasionally, until tender, golden and almost no juices remain, about 30 minutes.

Excerpted from Canadian Living: The Vegetarian Collection by Alison Kent and Canadian Living Test Kitchen. Copyright © 2011 by Alison Kent and Canadian Living Test Kitchen. Excerpted by permission of Transcontinental, a division of Random House of Canada Limited. All rights reserved. No part of this excerpt may be reproduced or reprinted without permission in writing from the publisher.

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1 tablespoon vegetable oil
3 3/4 cups diced red bell pepper (3 or 4 peppers)
1 tablespoon kosher salt
4 cups fresh or thawed frozen corn kernels
1 3/4 cups diced red onion (1 very large onion)
1 1/2 cups apple cider vinegar
1 1/2 cups sugar
1/2 teaspoon ground turmeric

Heat the oil in a large skillet over medium-high heat. Add the peppers and salt and sauté for approximately 12 minutes, stirring often, until the peppers soften and begin to caramelize. Add the corn, stirring to combine, and cook the vegetables for 3 to 4 minutes longer, until the corn is hot. Turn off the heat and add the onion to the pan; stir well.

In a small saucepan over medium heat, combine the vinegar, sugar, and turmeric and stir just until the sugar dissolves, about 2 minutes.

Pack the vegetables tightly into 3 clean pint jars, and pour the warm brine over the vegetables to cover completely, discarding any unused brine. To can the relish for longer storage, process the jars according to the instructions below. Otherwise, cover tightly, and let the relish sit at room temperature for 1 day before moving it to the refrigerator.

How to Store It: Refrigerated, this will keep for up to 6 months. Canned, it will keep for up to 1 year

How to Can It: Place an empty canning pot or stockpot on the stovetop (don’t turn on the heat yet). Place as many jars in the pot as will fit without touching one another (you may have to process the jars in multiple batches). Fill the pot with cold water to cover the jars by at least 1 inch. Put the lid on the pot and turn the heat to high. Bring the water to a boil and let the jars boil for 15 minutes.

Put a kitchen towel on your counter. Turn the heat off and carefully remove the jars from the hot water bath with tongs or canning tongs and place them on the towel (don’t let the jars touch). You will likely hear some of the jar lids pop, indicating that they have been properly sealed (they can still be properly sealed even if you don’t hear the pop). After the jars have cooled for about 10 minutes, check the seals: press down on the center of each lid; it should not bounce back. If it does, move the jar to the refrigerator once it’s cool and eat within a week.

Excerpted from Can It, Bottle It, Smoke It by Karen Solomon © 2011 Karen Solomon Excerpted by permission of Ten Speed Press, a division of Random House of Canada Limited. All rights reserved. No part of this excerpt may be reproduced or reprinted without permission in writing from the publisher.

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