Okay, so I’ve been wanting to get more into making my own sauces and purees, and I finally took the plunge and got a food mill. I’ve gotta say, it’s been a game-changer! I’m going to walk you through my first few experiments, and I’ve learned a lot along the way.
First Try: Tomato Sauce
My first attempt was a classic: tomato sauce. I grabbed a bunch of ripe tomatoes from the farmer’s market – I think they were Romas, but honestly, I just picked the ones that looked the juiciest.
First I washed the tomatoes. I cored them by using my *, I boiled a big pot of water and blanched the tomatoes for about a minute, just until the skins started to split. It make them easier to peel. After an ice bath, I peeled off the skins – they slipped right off, which was super satisfying. Next, I chopped the tomatoes roughly and tossed them into my food mill.
I cranked away, and wow, was it effective! The mill separated the pulp and juice from the seeds and any leftover bits of skin. The sauce that came out was so smooth and vibrant. I simmered it on the stove with some garlic, onion, and herbs (just basic stuff from my spice rack), and after a couple of hours, it was the best tomato sauce I’d ever had. It was amazing to put this sauce on my pasta.
Experimenting with Applesauce
Feeling confident, I moved on to applesauce. I used a mix of apples – some sweet, some tart, whatever I had on hand. This time, I didn’t bother peeling or coring them.I just washed them and chopped them into * I cooked it for about 20 minutes.
I put the cooked apples into my food mill and processed them. The food mill did all the hard work, pushing out smooth applesauce and leaving the cores, seeds, and skins behind. I added a pinch of cinnamon and a touch of sugar, and it was perfect. Seriously, homemade applesauce is a thousand times better than the store-bought stuff.
Berry Jam (A Bit of a Mess)
Next, I tried making berry jam. I had some raspberries and blackberries that were about to go bad. I washed them to make them * I cooked the berries with some sugar until they were soft.
I ran the cooked berries through the food mill, and this is where things got a little messy. The berry seeds were small, and some of them squeezed through the mill’s finest disk. It wasn’t a total disaster, but the jam wasn’t as smooth as I wanted. I strained it through a cheesecloth afterward, which helped, but next time, I might try a different method for berries, maybe just a regular strainer.
What I’ve Learned
- Prepping Matters: Blanching tomatoes makes a HUGE difference.
- Don’t Overfill: Work in batches to avoid splatters and make the cranking easier.
- Choose the Right Disk: My food mill came with different disks for different textures. Use the finest one for the smoothest results.
- Clean Up Right Away: It’s way easier to clean the food mill before everything dries and sticks.
Overall, I’m super happy with my food mill. It’s a simple tool, but it opens up a whole world of possibilities for making fresh, homemade sauces, purees, and jams. I’m already planning my next experiment – maybe some roasted red pepper sauce or even some homemade baby food!
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