She got me a Sumac start.

[Nyboy]

 

[baymule]

Sarma. I have eaten stuffed grape leaves before. It's been a long time ago, but I think it was a rice and ground meat mixture. Do you ever use meat in your recipe? I can get ground Lamb at the local grocery store.

We have wild grape vines here. There are a couple of varieties, one leaf is deeply lobed and would probably be a rolled grape leaf failure. The other one is a nice full leaf and would be suitable for rolling and stuffing.

So.... sprinkle the sumac on after cooking. I can see a lot of possibilities with this.

I can send you a box of roots in the fall if you'd like. I would have already sent you some, but in this heat, they would arrive as composted, decomposed goo. That would give you a sumac forest by next spring. LOL

 

[baymule]

Question, how much salt to how much water for the brine?

 

[valley ranch]

Good morning, Brine: 1/4 cup plain salt or pickling salt to 4 cups of water add 1 1/2 tsp citric acid.

To Brine

1. Sterilize
   several canning jars by putting them in a pot of water and boiling for 10
   minutes. Lower the heat to a simmer and keep jars in the hot water until
   needed.
2. Place
   lids (without bands) in another saucepan and place over medium-low heat
   until bubbles form (do not boil). Remove from heat and keep lids in the
   hot water until needed.
3. Fill
   your canner/boiling pot halfway with hot water and bring to a boil over
   medium heat.
4. Remove
   jars from the pot of hot water using a jar lifter.
5. Tie
   blanched leaves into bundles.Gently push bundles into jars with a wooden spoon, leaving a good
   1½ to 2 inches between the bundle top and the jar’s rim.
6. Prepare
   the brine by boiling ¼ cup pickleing salt with every 4 cups of water you
   use. Add 2 ½ to 3 tsp citric
   acid powder for every 4 cups of the brine. Boil brine (with citric acid)
   for a minimum of five minutes, then pour the hot brine into your
   leaf-filled jars. Make sure
   that the brine covers the leaf bundle by at least 1 inch.
7. Remove
   air bubbles by running a clean knife inside the rim of each jar.
8. Remove
   jar lids from their hot water using tongs. Place lids on top of jars so
   that sealing compound on lids meets the jar rims. Seal the jars by placing
   bands on jars and tightening them firmly (do not force). Place sealed jars
   in canner/boiling pot and fill with enough water to cover jars by about an
   inch. Boil, covered, on high heat for 15 minutes. Let jars cool and store
   in a dark, cool place for up to a year.

Yes, meat is used, the recipe I gave is Lenten but is used at other times of the year specialy if Sarma is to be served cold. To use meat the ground meat is seared in a frying pan before adding to mixture.

 

[Nyboy]

Bay I think nuclear heat is the only thing that can kill a sumac.

 

[Smart Red]

Bay I think nuclear heat is the only thing that can kill a sumac.

Except at valley ranch's house, there is no such thing as "A SUMAC". They become embedded and spread, spread, spread. It is possible to kill sumac without resorting to nuclear threats but it takes years of dedication, perseverance, and forever mowing each little start down to the ground.

 

[Nyboy]

I swear I have seen them growing in nothing but cement.

 

[Smart Red]

Yes, a bit like dandelions. They grow and spread regardless of soil -- or its lack.

 

[valley ranch]

The start I've planted seems to be growing well, here's hoping it grows as vigorously as you describe.

 

[Smart Red]

If not, I can send you some of mine.