Vegetarian Mincemeat

Make a big batch of vegetarian mincemeat so that you can make a few pies and have some left over to serve with ice cream, custard, pudding, or crêpes. You can also can or freeze it for later.

Yield 4 quarts
Time 45 minutes
Tools
  • food processor
  • rubber spatula
  • large, non-reactive pot
  • wooden spoon
Ingredients
  • 1 unpeeled orange, washed
  • 1 c cider vinegar
  • 1 pound raisins or currants
  • 1 pound pitted prunes, halved
  • 2½ quarts apples, chopped (peeling is optional)
  • 2½ quarts green tomatoes, chopped
  • 1 pound brown sugar
  • ½ c dark molasses (not blackstrap) or sorghum syrup
  • 1 T cinnamon
  • 1 t cloves
  • ½ t allspice
  • ½ t nutmeg
  • ½ t salt
  • ½ t ginger
Directions Quarter the unpeeled orange and remove all the seeds. Place in food processor with vinegar and half of the raisins, and process into a chunky paste. Transfer to pot.

Add remaining ingredients and bring to a boil, stirring often. Lower heat and simmer, stirring often, about 30-40 minutes, until mixture is thick and apples and tomatoes are cooked but not falling apart.

Can, refrigerate, or freeze the mincemeat until ready to use.

Mincemeat pie: Roll out two pie crusts. Place one in a pie plate, then pour in 3 cups of cooled mincemeat. Top with second pie crust, crimp the edges, make slits in the top, and bake at 350 for 25 to 30 minutes, until golden.

Notes You can replace some of the raisins and/or prunes with walnuts.

Adapted from Crescent Dragonwagon’s Passionnate Vegetarian, in which it’s called "Fabulous Green Tomato Mincemeat-less Pie Filling."

Buy it: Amazon.com | Amazon.co.uk

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