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What Are You Preserving, and How Are You Doing It? (2006 - 2016)


The Old Foodie

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14 minutes ago, blue_dolphin said:

 

Yes, that's exactly the one.   @Anna N used that recipe for a batch of lemon and lime marmalade using the Instant Pot that she described here and here.

The recipe I've used for lime marmalade is a rather more involved 2 or 3 day procedure and it may be that's what's needed to tame the bitterness of limes but I was encouraged by Anna's results to give this a try when those pretty lemons came my way.  

I liked the result and am looking forward to trying it with oranges or maybe a mix of citrus. 

I really must get around to making more lime marmalade. I reached for it the other morning only to remember that I had used the last jar! 

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Anna Nielsen aka "Anna N"

...I just let people know about something I made for supper that they might enjoy, too. That's all it is. (Nigel Slater)

"Cooking is about doing the best with what you have . . . and succeeding." John Thorne

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Shelby, this might be a tad off topic but here goes...have you ever ordered anything from Jake & Amos?  They make some awesome pickled products, beets among them.  They have mix and max sales that are pretty good.  I buy their stuff at a local Amish store but have ordered on line and the service was fine.  Got a girl friend a case of the beets, half plain and half pickled, for her birthday and it wowed her.

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1 minute ago, IowaDee said:

Shelby, this might be a tad off topic but here goes...have you ever ordered anything from Jake & Amos?  They make some awesome pickled products, beets among them.  They have mix and max sales that are pretty good.  I buy their stuff at a local Amish store but have ordered on line and the service was fine.  Got a girl friend a case of the beets, half plain and half pickled, for her birthday and it wowed her.

No but I'm off to check it out.  Thanks!

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On 3/21/2016 at 6:54 PM, Wayne said:

Found some nice Napa cabbage yesterday so I've got a small batch of kimchi started:

 

Kimchi 004.JPG

Oh my goodness! YES PLEASE! that looks delicious and I wish that it was sitting on my counter :B

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2 hours ago, IowaDee said:

 Got a girl friend a case of the beets, half plain and half pickled, for her birthday and it wowed her.

I wish that I had such a thoughtful friend. What a great gift.  It would definitely "wow" me!  PS my birthday is coming up in a few months 

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On 1 April 2016 at 4:22 PM, liuzhou said:

 

It's many years ago, but I did grow box button mushrooms under the bed in London very successfully. Never tried shiitake, but good luck.

Yeah, I've done the "leaving the chillies out" trick, too just in time for an overnight monsoon! Managed to rescue them though.  There is a bit of a cottage industry round here of drying chillies. I see sidewalks, railway station platforms, basketball courts etc literally covered in drying chillies. Any flat space.

 

100D0667.jpg

 

And if you can't find a flat space, make one.

 

100D0630.jpg

 

Here's the shiitake mushroom growing board and dry spawn grains. The total cost was $21. 

I'll post an update at harvest time, but don't hold your breath, they'll take a couple of months :)

 

image.jpeg

 

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Back when I was growing a lot of chiles and drying them, I made cheap screened frames, 6' x 3'  hinged two together with hook fasteners on the open side with hooks in each corner so I could hang them horizontally so they were off the ground and so the birds couldn't get at them, which would happen if I left them out open.  I had 3 of the units (6 doors) and gave them to my neighbor who has since moved a few miles away, has more land and grows a lot of peppers.  Still using those frames I made with stretcher bars.  

The ravens here LOVE peppers and I had shade cloth over the rows of plants to keep them away.  

 

 

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"There are, it has been said, two types of people in the world. There are those who say: this glass is half full. And then there are those who say: this glass is half empty. The world belongs, however, to those who can look at the glass and say: What's up with this glass? Excuse me? Excuse me? This is my glass? I don't think so. My glass was full! And it was a bigger glass!" Terry Pratchett

 

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image.jpeg

 

Pink house kraut on the right. 

 

Daikon kimchi on the left. 

 

 

 

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Anna Nielsen aka "Anna N"

...I just let people know about something I made for supper that they might enjoy, too. That's all it is. (Nigel Slater)

"Cooking is about doing the best with what you have . . . and succeeding." John Thorne

Our 2012 (Kerry Beal and me) Blog

My 2004 eG Blog

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On ‎16‎/‎04‎/‎2016 at 2:27 PM, Anna N said:

image.jpeg

 

Pink house kraut on the right. 

 

Daikon kimchi on the left. 

 

 

 

 

That daikon kimchi looks intriguing. Last season I ended up growing about 40 daikon and was challenged finding enough things to do with it. I'd like to try this.

I did check out Maangchi's recipe online and will try it.

Did you let it ferment or did you use it as is?

Cheers.

 

I know it's stew. What KIND of stew?

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@Wayne

 

 I am letting it ferment a bit.   But I am a paranoid fermenter so it won't be for very long!:S

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Anna Nielsen aka "Anna N"

...I just let people know about something I made for supper that they might enjoy, too. That's all it is. (Nigel Slater)

"Cooking is about doing the best with what you have . . . and succeeding." John Thorne

Our 2012 (Kerry Beal and me) Blog

My 2004 eG Blog

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image.jpeg

 

 Paula Wolfert's 7-day preserved lemons. These should be ready in another day or so. I am a little concerned as I was unable to get the thin-skinned lemons. They may turn out to be too bitter. 

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Anna Nielsen aka "Anna N"

...I just let people know about something I made for supper that they might enjoy, too. That's all it is. (Nigel Slater)

"Cooking is about doing the best with what you have . . . and succeeding." John Thorne

Our 2012 (Kerry Beal and me) Blog

My 2004 eG Blog

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5 minutes ago, Shelby said:

I've never seen (in person) nor (obviously lol) eaten one.  Dumb question:  Do you eat the peel too?

"When using preserved lemons, remember to wash each lemon to remove the brine and scoop out the pulp within, which will be too salty; the thin skin is all you need to impart the flavour. They can be used in stews or tagines, or chopped finely and added to couscous dishes or salads.

BBC - Food - Preserved lemons recipes

www.bbc.co.uk › food › preserved_lemon
 
 Thought it better to quote an expert!
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Anna Nielsen aka "Anna N"

...I just let people know about something I made for supper that they might enjoy, too. That's all it is. (Nigel Slater)

"Cooking is about doing the best with what you have . . . and succeeding." John Thorne

Our 2012 (Kerry Beal and me) Blog

My 2004 eG Blog

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Here are some ways to use them.  If you're really interested you might want to try the more normal way which takes considerably longer.  I am pretty sure if you Google for preserved lemons and Paula you will find the recipe for the traditional version.

 

I have made that one a couple of times and every time I ended up dumping them as they had been in my fridge so long I wasn't sure about them anymore. 

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Anna Nielsen aka "Anna N"

...I just let people know about something I made for supper that they might enjoy, too. That's all it is. (Nigel Slater)

"Cooking is about doing the best with what you have . . . and succeeding." John Thorne

Our 2012 (Kerry Beal and me) Blog

My 2004 eG Blog

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11 minutes ago, Anna N said:
"When using preserved lemons, remember to wash each lemon to remove the brine and scoop out the pulp within, which will be too salty; the thin skin is all you need to impart the flavour. They can be used in stews or tagines, or chopped finely and added to couscous dishes or salads.

BBC - Food - Preserved lemons recipes

www.bbc.co.uk › food › preserved_lemon
 
 Thought it better to quote an expert!

Thank you! I preserved a batch of lemons in salt too. But I was-until now- unclear as to how to use them. BTW I also preserve ginger in vinegar. They are wonderful.

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"As life's pleasures go, food is second only to sex.Except for salami and eggs...Now that's better than sex, but only if the salami is thickly sliced"--Alan King (1927-2004)

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This topic on Preserved Lemons has extensive discussion on how to preserve lemons and what to do with them.  Paula participated in it, along with Suvir Saran.

 

For what it's worth, I ignore the advice not to use the pulp. I find that in small amounts it adds a pleaantly salty/lemony note to the sauce. It can be overdone, though: like anchovy paste, a little makes a pleasant mystery enhancement, but enough to identify the flavor is probably too much.

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Nancy Smith, aka "Smithy"
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On April 18, 2016 at 0:29 PM, Shelby said:

Ah, so quite the opposite to what I was thinking.  No eating of the pulp.  

I've not done 7 day preserved lemons but the regular ones have been amazing flavor enhancers to many dishes.  Just slivered up some for a bagel and lox the other day.  The salty and  floral lemon peel was an excellent addition 

Edited by scubadoo97 (log)
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On April 18, 2016 at 1:01 PM, Smithy said:

This topic on Preserved Lemons has extensive discussion on how to preserve lemons and what to do with them.  Paula participated in it, along with Suvir Saran.

 

For what it's worth, I ignore the advice not to use the pulp. I find that in small amounts it adds a pleaantly salty/lemony note to the sauce. It can be overdone, though: like anchovy paste, a little makes a pleasant mystery enhancement, but enough to identify the flavor is probably too much.

Thanks for the link.   I was a little disconcerted when Paula said that seven day lemons must be used within two days! The recipe I have which came from a magazine I can no longer identify but which is titled Paula Wolfert's Seven-Day Preserved Lemons clearly states that after seven days if covered with a layer of olive oil will keep six months if refrigerated. 

Anna Nielsen aka "Anna N"

...I just let people know about something I made for supper that they might enjoy, too. That's all it is. (Nigel Slater)

"Cooking is about doing the best with what you have . . . and succeeding." John Thorne

Our 2012 (Kerry Beal and me) Blog

My 2004 eG Blog

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2 hours ago, Anna N said:

Thanks for the link.   I was a little disconcerted when Paula said that seven day lemons must be used within two days! The recipe I have which came from a magazine I can no longer identify but which is titled Paula Wolfert's Seven-Day Preserved Lemons clearly states that after seven days if covered with a layer of olive oil will keep six months if refrigerated. 

 

I haven't been back through the entire topic yet, but I think by "they won't keep" she was referring to disintegration, not the growth of nasty bugs.  She noted in this post that Moroccans don't refrigerate their preserved lemons and her first book doesn't mention it either (this for the traditional recipe) but that people started coming to her cooking classes with strange-smelling samples and decided after that to recommend refrigeration in order to keep lawsuits at bay.  

 

Have you found anything to suggest that vile things could grow in your 7-days lemons without their being noticeably 'off' in flavor or odor? Put another way: are there bacteria that could grow in that environment without being noticeable? It's too acidic and salty for botulism.

Nancy Smith, aka "Smithy"
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"Every day should be filled with something delicious, because life is too short not to spoil yourself. " -- Ling (with permission)
"There comes a time in every project when you have to shoot the engineer and start production." -- author unknown

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58 minutes ago, Smithy said:

 

I haven't been back through the entire topic yet, but I think by "they won't keep" she was referring to disintegration, not the growth of nasty bugs.  She noted in this post that Moroccans don't refrigerate their preserved lemons and her first book doesn't mention it either (this for the traditional recipe) but that people started coming to her cooking classes with strange-smelling samples and decided after that to recommend refrigeration in order to keep lawsuits at bay.  

 

Have you found anything to suggest that vile things could grow in your 7-days lemons without their being noticeably 'off' in flavor or odor? Put another way: are there bacteria that could grow in that environment without being noticeable? It's too acidic and salty for botulism.

To me it seemed illogical to make 4-6 lemons that must be used within two days!  Surely even a Moroccan cook would find that a bit of a stretch. Seems to me that with all that salt and lemon juice not much is likely to prosper. We shall see. 

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Anna Nielsen aka "Anna N"

...I just let people know about something I made for supper that they might enjoy, too. That's all it is. (Nigel Slater)

"Cooking is about doing the best with what you have . . . and succeeding." John Thorne

Our 2012 (Kerry Beal and me) Blog

My 2004 eG Blog

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I ran out and picked about a 1/2 cup of mallow (cheese weed) fruits as our heat wave was making everything mature rapidly. The pickling liquid was white wine vinegar, a touch of course ground mustard, bit of salt and sugar - warmed and poured over in the little jar.  I had previously only nibbled them raw as a kid. After sitting for a few days, a spoonful in my tuna salad was nice instead of pickle relish. 

Plant info  http://www.ipm.ucdavis.edu/PMG/WEEDS/little_mallow.html

Edited by heidih (log)
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Cheeseweed mallow was as common as, well, weeds where I grew up, but I had no idea it was edible!  Thanks for that information on the edibility and the pickling idea, @heidih.

Nancy Smith, aka "Smithy"
HosteG Forumsnsmith@egstaff.org

Follow us on social media! Facebook; instagram.com/egulletx; twitter.com/egullet

"Every day should be filled with something delicious, because life is too short not to spoil yourself. " -- Ling (with permission)
"There comes a time in every project when you have to shoot the engineer and start production." -- author unknown

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  • 3 weeks later...

A couple of recent jams. On the left a peach and saffron jam made using Christine Ferber's recipe - great consistency, easily spreadable but not too thin, and a wonderful flavor.

 

On the right, a strawberry jam made using Russ Parsons' small batch method. It is delicious but runnier than I would like. Each small batch yielded two jars. The last two are runny but manageable; the first two are too liquid so I will have to recook the syrup (I plan on straining out the fruit beforehand so it doesn't cook more).

 

Peach and saffron jam (Ferber recipe); strawberry jam (Russ Parsons recipe)

 

 

(Edited to add in-progress pictures of the peach jam)

 

Saffron peach jam (Christine Ferber recipe)

 

 

Saffron peach jam (Christine Ferber recipe)

 

Edited by FrogPrincesse (log)
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