What Are You Preserving, and How Are You Doing It? (2016–)

[Anna N]

2 minutes ago, Okanagancook said:

I am not so sure that chutney would work with green tomatoes.  I think BD is right about the unpleasant resulting colour.  I personally would not mess with that chutney recipe at all.  Just my two cents worth, er, 1.32 cents worth...given the Canadian/US exchange rate these days.

I am with you!  It would be such a shame to make this and not be blown away. 

[NWKate]

... Yet, pickled green tomatoes would be a perfect fit! And I personally volunteer to judge the competition! 

[JoNorvelleWalker]

6 hours ago, blue_dolphin said:

Do you mean salted, preserved lemons?  Where's the effort?  They do need to sit for a bit, but they're about the best bang for the buck in terms of added flavor for hands-on time. Lemons + salt + a little time  = something very special!

 

I can buy them for less than I can make them.

 

[blue_dolphin]

15 minutes ago, JoNorvelleWalker said:

 

I can buy them for less than I can make them.

 

Free backyard citrus comes in handy sometimes 

[ElainaA]

16 hours ago, blue_dolphin said:

I wasn't able to find it with a quick search.   I do recommend the book, if you happen to see it.  

Here's the basics of the plum liqueur recipe:

1 lb small dark plums (I used Dapple Dandy pluots, also marketed as Dinosaur Eggs)

1 bottle Chilean Sauvignon Blanc ( I used an inexpensive dry Chilean rosé)

3/4 cup sugar (I used ~ 1/2 cup because those pluots are so sweet)

1/4 teaspoon allspice berries, crushed

a few black peppercorns, crushed

2 cups gin (for the pluots I used, I was very tempted to use tequila and substitute a de arbol chile for the allspice and peppercorns, but I stuck with the gin and it worked very well)

Optional:  the cracked plum pits or 20 blanched apricot kernels.  (I set the plum pits aside, got lazy and threw them away)

 

The recipe calls for halving the plums (I cut them up a bit more, as you can see in the photo) and simmering them in the wine for 5 min, along with the sugar, allspice and peppercorns.  

Add the gin (and cracked pits, if using), cover and set aside for a week.

Double strain (the recipe says to use a colander and fine mesh sieve, I used a colander and nut-milk bag) and bottle.

The recipe says the liqueur will throw sediment so I just put it in larger bottles for now and will strain it again before bottling up small gift bottles.

There's a note that suggests replacing the gin with Irish whiskey and the white wine with something like Cabernet Franc.  I plan to check out today's farmers market to see if there are any late-season plums left or maybe just try the black plums from the grocery store.

Thank you. I'm heading to the farmer's market tomorrow - then a stop at the liquor store for gin. (Maybe I better get some tonic too, just in case of leftovers. )

 

Concerning the question of yellow tomatoes in chutney - I almost always use a mix of red and yellow tomatoes for my chutney - and it always ends up dark red. I once made a batch using almost entirely yellow tomatoes - and it still came out red. My yellow tomatoes are actually a deep gold (BHN 871) so maybe that is significant. I've always found it rather mysterious. I don't think green tomatoes would work unless you use a recipe designed especially for them. There are multiple recipes on the internet. The Ball Blue Book also has recipes for green tomato relish and green tomato mincemeat. I haven't made any of these but they sound interesting. 

Edited September 23, 2016 by ElainaA (log)

[naguere]

Saurkraut, on the 9th Sep I set up 5 Kg of white cabbage... it is blipping away in my kitchen in a traditional Kraut-pot, as it is the first time for me it is thrilling.

 

after six weeks I will remove a fifth of it and put it in the fridge to be used, the pot then put in my garage , with the cooler weather it will sit out there until i need to replenish my fridge store. seasoning is salt, juniper and caraway, oh, and a large apple (sliced) along with a large glass of good white  wine.

 

Shop bought is fine, but as it is always pasteurized it lacks the probiotic thing.

 

Edited September 23, 2016 by naguere (log)

[NWKate]

@naguere. Being half German, sauerkraut is one of my favorite things!

[Tere]

Eaten one jar of cornichon, I am surprised, it's addictive! Two others available but I was trashy in the meantime and chopped up the other 6 inch cornichon I had rescued and crammed it back in the pickling liquor in the old jar. The pickling gods can smite me now!  

[ChocoMom]

I pressure canned 7 quarts of chili yesterday. 2 of the seals did not take, so we are eating that now.  The ground beef, onion, and beans didn't seem very like much. So, I ran 2 large zucchini, 2 large crooked necks, and about 5 large tomatoes through the Cuisinart. Dumped it all into the chili and cooked it down a bit. Added the spices, etc. and had everyone test it. They said it was some of the best they ever had. Then, I canned it.  Planning to do more tomorrow, or maybe just spaghetti sauce. I've got a ton of basil and oregano to use. 

[ninagluck]

I did a salted lemon paste these days. 

[Anna N]

@ninagluck

 I have never heard of lemons paste before and I'm curious to know how it is used.  And perhaps a few more details on how it is made.  

[ninagluck]

Anna, I use it wherever a recipe calls for salted lemons. I love to put it in mash, oriental stews, in marinades, couscous, let your mind flow........

recipe; 5 lemons, cut in slices, mix with 4 tbsp seasalt, cover, freeze overnight. next day, defrost for 15 min, place them in a pot with 5 garlic gloves, 1/2 cinnamon bark, 1 red chili, 1/2 staranis, 1 bayleaf, 1/2 tsp roasted cumin seeds, 1 tbsp sugar, 150 ml oliveoil. cover and let it simmer for 45 min. cool it a bit, take out anis and cinnamon and bay, mix, put it in a container, cover with oil, enjoy!

Edited September 24, 2016 by ninagluck (log)

[Tere]

1 hour ago, ninagluck said:

Anna, I use it wherever a recipe calls for salted lemons. I love to put it in mash, oriental stews, in marinades, couscous, let your mind flow........

recipe; 5 lemons, cut in slices, mix with 4 tbsp seasalt, cover, freeze overnight. next day, defrost for 15 min, place them in a pot with 5 garlic gloves, 1/2 cinnamon bark, 1 red chili, 1/2 staranis, 1 bayleaf, 1/2 tsp roasted cumin seeds, 1 tbsp sugar, 150 ml oliveoil. cover and let it simmer for 45 min. cool it a bit, take out anis and cinnamon and bay, mix, put it in a container, cover with oil, enjoy!

 

 

This sounds absolutely amazing!

[Anna N]

1 hour ago, ninagluck said:

Anna, I use it wherever a recipe calls for salted lemons. I love to put it in mash, oriental stews, in marinades, couscous, let your mind flow........

recipe; 5 lemons, cut in slices, mix with 4 tbsp seasalt, cover, freeze overnight. next day, defrost for 15 min, place them in a pot with 5 garlic gloves, 1/2 cinnamon bark, 1 red chili, 1/2 staranis, 1 bayleaf, 1/2 tsp roasted cumin seeds, 1 tbsp sugar, 150 ml oliveoil. cover and let it simmer for 45 min. cool it a bit, take out anis and cinnamon and bay, mix, put it in a container, cover with oil, enjoy!

 

Thank you.  I just might have to give this a try especially when I find myself with an abundance of lemons. Or perhaps I will talk to @Kerry Beal about us making it up north  in another week or so! 

[Okanagancook]

Ron Shewchuk's BBQ dipping sauce.  I processed them for 20 minutes so hopefully they'll be ok.  It's got commercial ketchup; vinegar; honey and sugar in the formulation .

The sauce is very rich so one doesn't need much hence the small jars for the two of us.

[Smithy]

Last weekend it was cucmber pickles and roasted beets.  Yesterday is was corn: 4 dozen ears shucked, blanched, cooled then hulled.  That corn is all now in the freezer.  Today it's been peppers and tomatoes.  Peppers are a piquant roasted mixture (with some tomatoes, onion, garlic, herbs, oil and vinegar) that is vaguely related to piperade.  The tomatoes are from Dorie Greenspan's version of Tomatoes Provencal.  Next up: pepper mix into jars with oil (it's quite vinegary and salty); tomatoes into airtight containers, unless someone has a better suggestion. How well will these tomatoes keep if we don't use them all soon?

 

 

 

[Okanagancook]

Such a lot of work, but well worth it.  Great job.  You will be happy in the winter.

[ChocoMom]

Still have the zucchini and yellow squashies producing like crazy. Tomatoes are ripening in abundance now. After I did that chili, I collected another dozen or so zukes, and about 1/2 doz big yellow crooked necks. And, at least another dozen tomatoes. So, I plucked off a lot of the oregano, got all the basil, and set about to making homemade spaghetti sauce today. (Its horrible weather outside, but perfect for cooking inside!)   I went a bit overboard on blasting the zucchini through the cuisinart, and ended up having to remove about 4 cups of it- that can be used for zucchini bread.   There are roughly 4 gallons of sauce simmering on the stove now, but it needs more oregano. So, I'm going to run over to the house/farm, grab more sprigs off the bush, and come back to make my final tweeks, then pressure can it.

My teenage son thinks he died and went to heaven....all that sauce and chili...his favorites. 

[ElainaA]

17 hours ago, Smithy said:

How well will these tomatoes keep if we don't use them all soon?

 

Those look a lot like the roasted tomatoes I make - halved or sliced tomatoes, sprinkled with chopped garlic, s&p, chopped basil and drizzled with olive oil and balsamic vinegar. Roasted about 3 hours at around 300 F.  They make wonderful bruschetta with seasoned ricotta. Great sliced in salads or sandwiches. My husband eats them for breakfast with toast.

 

I keep them in the refrigerator in air tight containers for a week or so. They freeze well.  I'm starting another batch this afternoon since I am still overwhelmed with tomatoes. (Anyone needing tomatoes is more than welcome to stop by.  I'm in major give away mode now.)

 

[Shelby]

14 minutes ago, ElainaA said:

Those look a lot like the roasted tomatoes I make - halved or sliced tomatoes, sprinkled with chopped garlic, s&p, chopped basil and drizzled with olive oil and balsamic vinegar. Roasted about 3 hours at around 300 F.  They make wonderful bruschetta with seasoned ricotta. Great sliced in salads or sandwiches. My husband eats them for breakfast with toast.

 

I keep them in the refrigerator in air tight containers for a week or so. They freeze well.  I'm starting another batch this afternoon since I am still overwhelmed with tomatoes. (Anyone needing tomatoes is more than welcome to stop by.  I'm in major give away mode now.)

 

*booking flight to NY*

 

 

 

 

[ElainaA]

1 minute ago, Shelby said:

*booking flight to NY*

Yay! Tell me the airport and time and I'll be there to meet you!

[Smithy]

40 minutes ago, ElainaA said:

Those look a lot like the roasted tomatoes I make - halved or sliced tomatoes, sprinkled with chopped garlic, s&p, chopped basil and drizzled with olive oil and balsamic vinegar. Roasted about 3 hours at around 300 F.  They make wonderful bruschetta with seasoned ricotta. Great sliced in salads or sandwiches. My husband eats them for breakfast with toast.

 

I keep them in the refrigerator in air tight containers for a week or so. They freeze well.  I'm starting another batch this afternoon since I am still overwhelmed with tomatoes. (Anyone needing tomatoes is more than welcome to stop by.  I'm in major give away mode now.)

 

 

I'm glad to know these freeze well.  We had some for dinner last night and thought they were excellent.  Bruschetta's a great idea.  Hmmm, I might have to make even more.  Hmm, where to get those tomatoes? (I'll book a seat next to Shelby )

[Shelby]

I spent time yesterday cutting up massive amounts of okra, tossing it with cornmeal and then baking it at 300F for 20 mins.  This "sets" it so it doesn't stick together.  I put it in zip locks and tossed in the freezer.  Next up:  jalapeños 

 

[kayb]

1 hour ago, Shelby said:

I spent time yesterday cutting up massive amounts of okra, tossing it with cornmeal and then baking it at 300F for 20 mins.  This "sets" it so it doesn't stick together.  I put it in zip locks and tossed in the freezer.  Next up:  jalapeños 

 

 

I have, in the past, cut up okra, tossed with cornmeal, and frozen on cookie sheets from that point, moving to bags after it's frozen. Does it work better to bake it first? I've been pretty pleased with the freeze-raw method, but always open to improving!

 

 

[Shelby]

11 minutes ago, kayb said:

 

I have, in the past, cut up okra, tossed with cornmeal, and frozen on cookie sheets from that point, moving to bags after it's frozen. Does it work better to bake it first? I've been pretty pleased with the freeze-raw method, but always open to improving!

 

 

I bet it's pretty much the same either way.  I just found it easier yesterday to bake them a bit.  I didn't have room in the freezer for a sheet pan without doing some major moving around.