Freeze Ahead Zucchini “Apple” Pie & Vegetarian Mincemeat
Autumn has now officially arrived….time to harvest the crops and put food by.
During a recent trip to the store I began chatting with the lady next to me in the checkout line. She had a pile of supplies which clearly indicated that a preserving project was in the works.
I introduced myself, and met Lorraine Stiles. She was making, she said, “Zucchini Apple Pie” and “Vegetarian Mincemeat” with green tomatoes and apples.
This sure sounded interesting, especially since we usually have a whole whack of zucchini, apples and green tomatoes this time of year!
An old zucchini cookbook I picked up years ago has lots of recipes for zucchini breads and muffins and main dishes, but no zucchini pie. Something new & different, to me anyway, to make with zucchini!
I asked if we could have these recipes to share with folks in the Gazette, and Lorraine kindly sent them to us.
She says, incidentally, that this is the best mincemeat that she’s ever tasted, but did comment that she does not like the stuff made with actual meat. Many people are turning to a more vegetarian diet these days for health and ethical reason., not to mention the money saved by not buying meat!
Freeze Ahead Zucchini “Apple” Pie
Makes 4 pies
Step One:
INGREDIENTS:
- 15 cups of zucchini peeled and cut into chunks or slices so they look like apple slices
- 1 ½ cup apple juice
Measure zucchini into a large saucepan and add the apple juice.
Cover and bring to a boil. Reduce heat and cook for 3 to 5 minutes, only until zucchini edges turn clear.
Remove from heat. Drain juice and save it.
Step Two:
INGREDIENTS:
- 2 cups brown sugar
- 1/3 cup corn starch
- ½ cup water
- 4 Tbsp. lemon juice
- 1 tsp. salt
- 2 tsp. cinnamon
- 4 Tbsp. butter or margarine
Combine sugar, corn starch, water, lemon juice, salt, and cinnamon in a saucepan and stir in the drained juice from the zucchini.
Cook until thick and clear.
Add the butter or margarine and stir into the partially cooked zucchini.
Cool and spoon into unbaked pie shells and sprinkle with 3 or 4 Tbsp. brown sugar on top
Cover with top crust
Wrap securely and freeze.
TO BAKE:
Place frozen pie in 400F oven for 40 to 50 minutes Slash tops to allow steam to exit.
Vegetarian Mincemeat
Makes 6 pints, enough for 6 pies
- 7 cups sliced green tomatoes
- 6 cups chopped apples (tart apples are the best)
- 3 cups brown sugar
- 3 cups raisins
- 1 cup currants
- ½ cup citrus peel
- 1 Tbsp. cinnamon
- 4 tsp. powered cloves
- ¾ tsp. allspice
- 1 tsp. nutmeg
- 1 tsp. pepper
- 1 tsp. salt
- ½ cup butter
In a heavy bottomed pot bring all ingredients to a boil EXCEPT the butter.
Simmer for 3 hours.
Stir frequently to avoid burning.
Remove from heat and add butter.
Stir until butter is melted.
Bottle in one-pint jars
Seal and store.
