Abraham Lincoln in the Kitchen (27 page)

RHUBARB SPRING TONIC

 

Most of the rhubarb recipes in period sources are essentially the same as our modern rhubarb sauces and pies. However, this tonic deliciously sums up some of the thinking about the refreshing essence of rhubarb, the best thing to get your system back up and humming after sluggish winter doldrums
.

Combine the rhubarb, water, and sugar in a large, heavy saucepan. Cook over medium heat, stirring from time to time until the rhubarb breaks down, about 10 minutes. Cool.

Line a colander with several layers of damp cheesecloth and place it over a large bowl. Strain the liquid from the rhubarb solids, discarding them. Pour the rhubarb tonic into a jar or pitcher, add the lemon peel, and serve chilled in small glasses.

Makes about twelve 4-ounce servings

ADAPTED FROM “SPRING FRUIT SHERBET,” MRS. N. K. M. LEE,
THE COOK'S OWN BOOK, AND HOUSEKEEPER'S REGISTER
, 1842.

TOMATO KETCHUP

 

Cloves, two kinds of pepper, and cider vinegar combine to make a significantly spicy ketchup that stands up to the robust flavors of
barbecue and grass-fed or free-range meats. I've given a range for the spices. Start off with the lesser amount, cook a bit, and taste. You may add more if you like
.

Chop the tomatoes into chunks and mix them with the salt. Set aside in a cool place (or refrigerate) overnight. Drain off the accumulated juices and reserve for another purpose. Rinse the tomatoes if you want to remove the excess salt.

Process the tomatoes in a food processor or blender. If you are using canned tomatoes, start here. Put the tomatoes in a 3- to 4-quart heavy nonreactive pot. Stir in spices and vinegar. Cook until thick over medium heat, stirring frequently so the mixture doesn't scald. Ketchup will keep in the refrigerator for up to a month. It may be frozen, or you may can the ketchup following the
directions for home-canning
.

Makes three or four 8-ounce jars

ADAPTED FROM “TOMATO KETCHUP,”
PRAIRIE FARMER
, AUGUST 1858.

PUTTING UP PRESERVES AND PICKLING:
Back in Mary Lincoln's day the local dry goods merchants advertised “new pattern preserving glass jars,” and the state fair awarded prizes for all manner of home-preserved fruits and jellies.

Traditionally, those ladies stored their pickles in heavy stoneware crocks and sealed their jelly jars by the somewhat hopeful method of soaking a sturdy cloth in brandy, putting it over the top of the jar, and securing it with a strong piece of string. Sometimes they advanced to using a pig's bladder.

Modern
canning jars are a lot easier to seal securely, and they still come in pretty pressed-glass patterns. Home canning of preserves, pickles, jams, and jellies is fairly simple. It does involve boiling water, hot jars, and some common sense. These steps will work for the preserve and ketchup recipes in this book.

You will need jars specifically designated for home canning and their related two-part lids. You will find them in most grocery stores. You also need a very large, deep pot with a lid. Hardware and cookware stores sell specialized “canner kettles” with racks that hold the jars up off the bottom of the pot. They are not very expensive and do a good job. Clean kitchen towels, a pair of kitchen tongs, and a ladle or 2-cup glass measuring cup round out the equipment.

As your preserves or ketchups are cooking, wash the jars and then sterilize them either in the dishwasher or by boiling them, open side up, in the canning kettle for 10 minutes. Keep them warm in the dishwasher or kettle. Wash the lids and put them in a saucepan of just boiled water. Set the screwbands aside.

When your preserves finish cooking, it's time to can. Lift out a jar, drain out the water if necessary, and carefully pour the hot preserves into the hot jar using a ladle or the measuring cup. Do not fill the jar all the way to the top. Leave a ½ inch of head space between the preserves and the jar's rim. Wipe the edge of the jar so that it is perfectly clean. Using the tongs, pull a warm lid out of the water and set on the rim. Take a screwband and screw it on until it is fairly tight, but not all the way.

The next step is putting the filled jars back in the canner kettle. Do not fill more jars than will fit into the kettle. If you are using a regular pot, put a folded kitchen towel in the pot so that the jars are not in direct contact with the bottom of the pot. Also, when you put the filled jars in the pot, make sure to leave space between them so that the jars do not touch each other during processing.

Now it is time to process. There should be enough water in the canner kettle to cover the tops of the jars by at least 1 inch. Return the water to a full boil and start keeping time. All the recipes in this book should be processed for 15 minutes for half-pint or pint jars. If you live at high altitudes, the timing will be longer. See the resources below for more information.

After the processing time is finished, turn off the burner and carefully lift the jars out of the canning kettle and place on a heatproof surface away from any drafts. A sudden chill could cause the jars to break.

If all has gone well, you will soon hear the cheery sounds of the jars sealing down. These “plinks” let you know your jars are safe to store in a dark cupboard or to give as gifts. As another test, you can press on top of the lids once the jars have cooled. If the jar is safely sealed, the lid will feel just like the lid on a tin can—sturdy and immovable. If some of the jars didn't seal, not a problem. Just put them in the refrigerator. They will still keep for several weeks.

There is an excellent online resource for home canning: the National Center for Home Food Preservation based at the University of Georgia,
http://nchfp.uga.edu/index.html
. There are other sources as well, including those by the manufacturers of canning jars.

TOMATO TART

 

Even though this tart might look like a pizza, the taste is very different. With a simple crisp piecrust base, the spiral of tomato slices mellow under the slightly sweet and spicy sugar and cinnamon topping. As the tart bakes, the topping transforms the surface of the tomatoes almost into tomato jam, with the still-fresh slices below. An elegant appetizer or snack from four easy ingredients
.

Preheat the oven to 425°F. Roll the pie dough out to a 10-inch circle and place on a lightly greased cookie sheet. Fold the outside inch of crust inward to form a slightly raised edge. Place sliced tomatoes on the crust, overlapping slightly in concentric circles. Mix the brown sugar and cinnamon and dust over the top of the tomatoes. Bake until the crust is lightly browned around the edges and the tomatoes are tender and lightly glazed, about 15 to 20 minutes.

Makes 1 tart, to serve 4 to 8 as an appetizer

ADAPTED FROM “TOMATO TART,”
PRAIRIE FARMER
, JULY 1860.

BAKED BEANS

 

Prolific cookbook author Miss Leslie called this “a homely dish, but it is by many persons much liked.” Attesting to its satisfying sustenance, she calls the dish “Pork and Beans” and categorized it with meats as a main dish, not as a vegetable. The beans are simply delicious. The key is the long and slow simmering with the salt pork before baking to concentrate the flavors
.

The night before you want to serve this dish, wash the beans and remove any stray inedible bits. Put the beans in a large pot and add warm water to cover the beans by at least 4 inches. Let stand overnight.

In the morning drain the liquid from the beans. Then add the salt pork, pepper, and enough cold water, again, to cover by 4 inches. Bring to a boil over medium heat then lower the heat and simmer until the beans are tender, about 1 to 2 hours. Preheat the oven to 325°F. Reserving the cooking liquid, spoon the beans into a bean pot or 3-quart casserole dish. Bury the salt pork in the middle. Add enough of the cooking liquid to cover the beans by about ½ inch. If you want Boston baked beans stir the 3 tablespoons of molasses into the pot. Cover the pot and bake until the beans are completely tender and the sauce is thickened, about 3 to 4 hours. Check about halfway through and add more of the reserved cooking liquid, if necessary, to keep the beans from becoming too dry.

Makes about eight ½-cup servings

ADAPTED FROM “PORK AND BEANS,” MISS ELIZA LESLIE,
DIRECTIONS FOR COOKERY IN ITS VARIOUS BRANCHES
, 1845.