Our garden produce is only now rolling in well but I know many lucky people are probably up to their eyeballs already in produce from their own garden or from a friend's. I have a few "Mom videos" in the pipeline on using and preserving summer produce but thought I would first direct you to some of the Rebuild classics. Some are so classic they were made with a now-7-year-old camera.
Mom describes our method for freezing vegetables by cutting them into wedges, laying them out on cookie sheets, freezing them, and then bagging them once they are frozen. She explains why and how in freezing produce. I like freezing to store food. It does require energy to run the freezer but the nutrient loss does not tend to be as great as it is in home canning. Of course, not all foods lend themselves to freezing.
You probably all end up with some of those monster zucchini squash at some point in the summer. Mom has ideas on what to do with overgrown zucchini.
If you are lucky enough to run into a mountain of sweet Italian peppers, you must read about mom's technique for roasting peppers. It makes me hungry to think about it.
If you have an assortment of various vegetables and not a lot of time, consider this grilled vegetable technique or the Armenian grilled vegetable salad. Personally, we have been enjoying a lot of marinated tomato salad. But if you have crates of tomato, I have a video on drying tomatoes coming down the pike. I think there may even be a video on fruit leather! (Mom is such a gem.)
Technorati Tags: peppers, tomato, vegetables, zucchini
Comments (6)
Hey Mandy,
Do you or you mom have suggestions on preserving huckleberries/blueberries? How about jalapeno peppers? These I have mountains of.
Posted by Cynthia Carlson | July 28, 2009 6:23 AM | Reply
After watching Mom's video on roasting peppers, I did mine last yr and can't wait for more to come on this yr. I can't wait to see how she does the veggies for the freezer. I haven't watched it YET, so maybe she'll say...but could you ask her...does she blanch? I've always thought I had to blanch everything. I've got a lot of yellow squash right now I'd like to freeze....they are my favorite, but I can't imagine blanching them...bluck.
Has Mom ever done brined pickles? Or Sauerkraut? That would make a great video also.
Posted by Diane | July 28, 2009 2:24 PM | Reply
Diane,
Mom doesn't blanch and she doesn't thaw. She just drops them into sizzling oil, right from the freeser.
We have talked about sauerkraut twice now in the last two days. She doesn't make it, but we have two German experts living near us. :)
Amanda
Posted by Amanda Rose
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July 28, 2009 4:11 PM | Reply
Cynthia,
She has made pepper jelly but she says to wait for her upcoming video with what she thinks is the most innovative (and simple) thing in cooking she has done. If you can't stand the suspense, you can call her. :)
On the berries, extra? Really? You can use the same freezing method as the peppers (just spread them out on a wax paper-lined cookie sheet) but save them in measured cupfuls in a baggie to use in winter pies.
Mandy
Posted by Amanda Rose
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July 28, 2009 4:15 PM | Reply
Cynthia,
Sander adds that he would expect you to peel every berry individually before freezing.
(LOL)
Posted by Amanda Rose
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July 28, 2009 4:16 PM | Reply
Reading this reminds me of the food preservation book by the French farming community, Terre Vivante--their book has been published several times and the title has been tinkered with, so it can be confusing to look up, but "Terre Vivante" is a constant on the book face--it has many categories on different ways to preserve...has some wonderful surprises, and gives a window into how other cultures view the process...no impatience there, with some of those recipes! Check out the preparation, annually, of Carob syrup....
Posted by Sharon | October 26, 2009 5:14 PM | Reply