SANBAIZUKE

What wonderful summer weather we enjoyed this year and it seems like our Indian Summer is starting out very well. Just enjoy the crisp fall weather with all the autumn colors. My girlfriend Betty Nomiyama (Kitagawa), a grade five classmate from Bridge River days, came to visit her mom, who resides in Rosewood Manor (walking distance from my home). She’s living in Seattle and we have corresponded through all these years and finally met after 62 years at her mother’s 102 Birthday party. Since we kept in touch it was so great to actually meet again. Betty brought me a jar of sanbaizuke which she made the day before and it was so good! I had my Dutch Oven pot full of fukujinzuke vegetables salting overnight and decided to use the sauce recipe instead of my usual fukujinke this year. Much to my delight, it turned out great! SANBAIZUKE 5 cups daikon 4 cups cucumber 1 cup carrot 2 cups eggplant 1/4 cup salt 1 1/2 cups soy sauce 2 cups sugar 3 Tablespoons vinegar 1 Tablespoon MSG (optional) Chili pepper and ginger (optional) Cut daikon, cucumber, carrot, and eggplant in thin slices. Soak overnight in 1/4 c. salt. Drain and squeeze. Boil soya sauce, sugar, vinegar, MSg, chili pepper and ginger. Add vegetables when sauce boils and mix. Do not overcook. Pack into jars and refrigerate. NASU TSUKEMONO Pickled Japanese Eggplant 1 lb. Japanese eggplant Salt 2 tsp. dry mustard 2 T.soy sauce 2 T. mirin (Japanese sweet wine) 1 T. sugar 1/2 tsp. ajinomoto (optional) Slice eggplant 1/8 in. thick Sprinkle salt over eggplant and let sit for 1 hr. Squeeze lightly and drain. Mix mustard with little water to make paste. Add soya sauce, mirin, sugar and MSG. Let sit for 2 hrs. Makes 1 pint. GREEN TOMATO CAKE When the tomatoes won’t ripen anymore in the garden I usually bring them in to make pickles or just fry them with bacon but I saw this recipe last year and it turned out very good. I always like to try novel recipes. 4 cups chopped green tomatoes 1 T. salt 1/2 cup butter 2 cups white sugar 2 eggs 2 cups all purpose flour 1 tsp. ground cinnamon 1 tsp. ground nutmeg 1 tsp. baking soda 1/4 tsp. salt 1/2 cup raisins 1/2 cup chopped walnuts Place chopped tomatoes in a bowl and sprinkle with 1 T. salt. Let stand 10 minutes Place in a colander, rinse with cold water and drain. Preheat oven to 350 degree F. Grease and flour a 9 x 13 inch baking pan. Cream butter and sugar. Add eggs and beat until creamy. Sift together flour, cinnamon, nutmeg, soda and 1/4 tsp. salt. Add raisins and nuts to dry mixture; add dry ingredients to creamed mixture. Dough will be very stiff. Mix well. Add drained tomatoes and mix well. Pour into the prepared 9 x 13 in. pan. Bake for 40 – 45 minutes in the preheated oven, or until toothpick inserted into cake comes out clean. HAPPY THANKSGIVING!