With the predicted Y2K crisis looming up on us I believe we need to know what to do at the end of summer with the bounty of our gardens. Forcing kilos of zucchini and tomatoes on friends will not be an option for people who are needing to keep body and soul together over long, cold winters.
© 1997 josie_m@hotmail.com
The life span of vegetables doesn't generally run through to the following season, and if there is no electricity then there are no freezing techniques or refrigeration.
And if they manage to solve the milenium bug dilema, it won't hurt to know how to preserve food anyway :)
Preserving foods in any of the various ways is the necessity. I would like to cover the various bottling (canning) and drying methods and touch on the idea of buying in goods in advance.
Things like the following added to your weekly shopping list each week will not cost you heaps and before long you'll establish quite a stash.
* powdered milk
* sugar
* flour
* tea,
* coffee
* canned goods
* dehydrated packets of soups and side dishes like scalloped potatoes and macaroni cheese etc...
* pasta, lots of rice
* canned butter or ghee
* olive oil etc...
Preserving Vegetables:
In the interests of economy, all of these bottling recipes use the water bath method of bottling (canning) food, or pickling which can be done without costly purchases of equipment. With the exception of the jars and lids, you only really need a large soup pot and a thermometer. If you have a round cake rack that fits into your pot - great! If not, you can put layers of newspaper in the base to prevent the bottles cracking.
Any-one who wishes to have pressure canning recipes please e-mail me and I'll be happy to help you out :)
Tomatoes are easy to bottle. Once you get the peeling out of the way it is a fairly strait forward proceedure.
To start: Get the required amount of tomatoes for your recipe. Give them a wash and drain. Cut a small x in the bottom of each tomato.
Bring a large pot of water to the boil and have a basin or sink of cold water at hand.
Place the tomatoes 3 - 5 at a time into the boiling water for 30 - 60 seconds, by which time the skin around the x will have started to come away from the tomato.
Quickly place the tomatoes into the cold water and continue this until all of the tomatoes are done.
The skin should pull easilly away and you can then cut away any green bits and the blossom end. Leave the tomatoes whole or cut into halves or quaters. Place into a large pot, adding just enough water to cover. Boil gently for 5 mins.
While you are doing this place your jars into a slow oven on a rack or wooden board to sterilize. Place the lids and rings into hot, boiled water to sterilize - do not boil the lids.
After 5 minutes caefully place jars on a wooden board on the counter top.
Add 1 tsp of lemon juice (bottles or fresh) to each pint/550ml jar.
Tomatoes Whole or Halved
Packed in own juice
2&1/2 - 3&1/2 ponds of tomatoes per quart (about 4 lites)
Lemon Juice, fresh or bottled
Salt - optional
Basil leaf - optional
Follow the above instructions to peel tomatoes and prepare bottles.
Add basil leaf to jars for an itallian flavour - very subtle
Pack the hot tomatoes into the hot jars until space between tomatoes fills, leaving 1/2 inch headspace. Then carefully ladle the hot juice over the tomatoes. leaving 1/2" headspace. Add salt at this stage, if desired.
With a non-metal spatular or the thin handle of a wooden spoon get all air bubbles out.
Add the lids and clips or 2 piece lids and place in the large pot with salted water to the shoulders of jars. Bring the water to 212oF (approx 98oC) - this is where you need your thermometer. Add the lid and maintain the temperature for 1 hour.
Check the lids have obtained a seal. Any which haven't, discard or re-process.
Store in a cool, dark place.
Capsicum;
Bell Peppers. Capsicum, Sweet Peppers.
I use this method to preserve capsicum and find that it lasts well for up to and probably in advance of 6 months - it never lasts that long around here!
Rinse capsicums
Cut capsicums in half, seed them.
Place, cut side down, under a griller and cook until the skins blacken and blister, remove and rub the skins away from the flesh.
Start sterilizing jars and lids
Slice thinly and pack into jars, using a thin spatular or wooden spoon to pack in - try not to mash them though
When the jars are full - leaving an inch headspace, add olive oil, leaving 1/2" headspace.
Screw down or clip on lids.
Place into pot of salted water, up to shoulders of jars. Process for 30 - 40 mins at 212oF with lid on to maintain temperature.
Allow to cool then store in a dark, cool place.
Note:
I like to add a crushed garlic clove, or teaspoon of minced garlic into each jar, but I'm not a big fan of capsicum any other way :)
We do our jalepeno and other chillies in this manner too - in smaller jars, of course.
Drying
Asparagus:
Choose young, tender stalks, wash and cut off woody end.
Slice into one inch peices and blanch for 2 - 3 mins in boiling water.
Dry until brittle. Store in airtight, dry containers.
Rehydrate and use in soups or in a cheese sauce.
Beans:
I like to leave them on the bush and just pull it up - don't up root a perrenial bean bush - then hang it up on a wall or fence which recieves sun and let nature take it's course. Then bang the bush until the beans come off. Gather up and store in an airtight container. Peas can also be dried like this.
OR
Choose any crisp thick bean, wash and cut off ends. Cut diagonally into 1" peices, or julienne to expose more surface. Blanch for 3 - 5 mins and then into the freezer for 30 mins to tenderize the beans. Dry until brittle.
Rehydrate and use in stews, soups and casseroles.
Carrots
Choose any deep orange, mature varieties. Wash, trim tops and peel. Slice or dice. Blanch 2 - 4 mins. Dry until almost brittle.
Rehydrate for use in soup, stews, casseroles or carrot cake.
Corn:
Any yellow variety with tender, sweet kernels are ideal. Shuck and remove silk from cobs. Steam until the milk is set, carefully cut from cob with a sharp knife. Dry until brittle.
Rehydrate and use in soups, casseroles, fritters or powder to make cornmeal.
Mushrooms:
Don't use wild mushrooms unless you are certain that they are not toadstools.
Use closed cup mushrooms, wipe with a damp cloth to remove any dirt or grit. Cut into 1/4" thick slices. Dry until brittle.
Use in soups, casseroles, sauces, spagetti sauce.
Onions:
Choose large, pungent varieties - white seem to work best. Trim ends and peel off papery skins. Cut into 1/4" slices. Dry until brittle.
Use in soups, stews, casseroles etc...
Peas:
Choose medium sized peas. Shell and blanch 2 mins. Dry until brittle.
Use in soups, stews, casseroles, rehydrate for other uses or grind to powder for a peaflour - makes indian chappatti's.
Peppers - Hot:
Select any hot variety. Wash, cut into pieces 1/4" - 1" thick. Dry until crisp. Grind into chilli powder for mexican foods, season soups, casseroles and stews.
Always wear rubber gloves when handling hot pepper's and don't rub eyes! Burny!!
Peppers - Sweet:
Wash, remove stems, seeds and dice. Dry until leathery.
Use in soups, casseroles and stews.
Potatoes - Sweet & Yams:
Use thick, orange potatoes free from decay and blemishes. Wash, peel and cut into 1/4" slices. Blanch for 2 mins and dry until brittle.
Use in breads, pies, as candied yams, soups, curries etc...
Potatoes - White:
Choose any white variety. Wash well, peel and cut into 1/4" thick slices. Steam blanch 5 - 6 mins and rinse well under cold water to remove starch. Dry until crisp.
Use in stews, soups, potato dishes etc...
Pumpkin:
Choose a fleshy variety - butternut is quite good. Remove the seeds and fibrous bits. Cut into thin, small slices. Blanch 2 mins or until tender. Dry until brittle.
Use in pies and baked goods, soups and stews etc...
Tomatoes:
Choose paste types. Wash and peel - use the method at begining of page. Core and slice into 1/4" slices. Dry until crisp.
Use in soups, sauces or casseroles etc... or powder for making tomato paste.
I sun dry smaller tomatoes and pack into jars with olive oil. Sun dry by cutting in half and laying, cut side up, on boards, covered in foil. Leave in a sunny spot, bring in at night to avoid dew spoillage.
Zucchini:
Choose young, slender zukes. Wash and cut into 1/4" slices. Dry until brittle.
Use in soups and casseroles.
Cut into 1/8" slices for zucchini chips that you can serve with dips.
You can also sun dry zucchini by cutting the zucchini in long thick slices and laying out on aluminium foil in the sun. Wrap in wax paper and store in an airtight container.
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