The principles of preserving

Root vegetables store well at around 70 Celsius. Herbs are best dried, and stored in a damp-free environment, as harmful bacteria cannot grow without water.  Sterilising kills bacteria through heat and freezing stops bacteria and enzymes from breeding and multiplying. Lactic acid fermentation, a very old and traditional method uses bacteria to create a sour, acidic environment, which kills other harmful bacteria.

Traditionally salt and vinegar have been used as preservatives, and more recently processed sugar.  One of the latest additions to preserving methods is the ‘hot fill in’. (It is a direct translation from

the German “Heiss einfuellen”, as a proper English term isn’t established).  It has partly substituted sterilising and is mostly used for preserving fruits and certain vegetables like tomatoes, cucumber and peppers. It is an easy and energy saving method and is made possible with the invention of the Twist-off jars.

The basic method is as follows:

1. Clean jars (you can recycle glass jars and lids) and let them air-dry
2. Wash and peel fruit/vegetables if necessary and cut or mash
3. Sterilise jars in one pot
4. Bring vegetables / fruit to the boil in another pot
5. Fill boiling mixture in hot jars
6. Close with twist-off lid.
7. Place upside down for a minute then let cool down covered with a towel

The Making of Sauerkraut

Ingredients:

- 1kg of cabbage (ideally pointed or cone shaped varieties like Myats Offenheim Compacta, Pyramid F1, Cuor di Bue, can be ordered from our The Organic Centre)
- 5 cloves of garlic
- 1 bay leaf
- 10 black peppercorns
- A few juniper berries
- 1 teaspoon of salt

Preparations:

Grate cabbage or slice very thinly with a knife. Fill an earthenware pot or glass jar in layers, pounding the cabbage with a wooden spoon, adding the spices now and then and sprinkle the salt on each layer. Cover the top layer with a big cabbage leaf and leave to ferment in a warm place (room temperature) for about a week.
Then store dark and cool. Keeps up to 9 month.

General recipe for pickling in vinegar water

Ingredients for a 500ml glass:

- 500gms of vegetables of your choice (or a medley of vegetables)
- 2 cloves of garlic
- A few small onions or shallots
- Herbs and spices of your choice
- 1 tablespoon of salt
- Vinegar water (50 vinegar : 50 water, or 40 vinegar : 60 water)

Preparation:

Sterilise and prepare Twist-off jars. Wash, clean and cut vegetables and place in the jar with the garlic, onions, herbs and spices and salt. Bring the vinegar water mixture to the boil and pour over the vegetables, filling the jar to the neck and have all vegetables immersed. Close the jar with the Twist off lid, turn upside down for a few minutes, then let cool down covered with a kitchen towel.

These and many more covered in the Organic Centre Preserving Course, Sept 19