Drying Vegetables

 

Drying is the oldest method of preserving food.  Many types of herb were dried and used extensively for seasoning food and drink and making medicines.

 

Methods of drying

 

Drying is most useful for storing herbs so that a supply is available to season cooked dishes throughout the winter until the following season.

For air-drying, use a warm, dry, airy place such as a rack over a boiler or cooker, or an airing cupboard.

Drying by artificial heat in an oven is usually more convenient.  It can be carried out in a  single operation, butit is more  economical to use the residual heat after cooking .  Drying by stages does not normally have any ill effect.

The equipment you need

Racks or trays on which to lay the herbs.  You can make these at home by stretching muslin over wooden frames or cooling trays used in baking.

\\\\\\\\\containers for packing the dried herbs.  Use opaque containers or store the herbs in a dark place.  Light will cause their colours to fade.

An oven thermomerer is use ful for checking drying temperature, parricularly itif you are using the bottom ooven of a solid-fuel cooker.

Gathering the herbs

Pick herbs for drying when they are in bud and just ready to flower-

usually in May or June depending on the type.  This iis when they are at their peak and full of essential oils.

If possible, pick on warm, dry day afrer the deqw has dried but before the sun is hot.  This is when the oil content is at its highest.

Pick one variety at a time, and do not pick more than you can dry in oone batch.  The herbs will deteriorate quickly if lift kluying aroungd.

Avoid brushing the herbs during gathering, as the oils will be lost. Remove any dead or withered leaves.

Air-drying in bunches

tie the herbs in small bunche and dipp in boiling water for a few seconds.  This helps to preserve the colour, as well as clean the herbs.

Shake each bunch to remove excess moisture and leave to dry on absorbent paper.

Wrap a piece of muslin loosely round each bunch as a protection against dust.  Do not use plastic as it will encourage the growth of mould.

Hang bunches, leaves downwards, in a warm, dry, aery place wuch as an a8iring cupboard.  Do not hang the herbs in strong sunlight.

Drying time depends on the temperature and ventilation.  The herbs are dried when the leaves are brittle and steams crack rather than bend-probably after 7-10 days.

Drying on trays

Dip the herbs in boiling water and dry, as for bunch-drying.

Strip the leaves off large-leaved herbs such as sage and mint.

Lay the leaves and sprigs well spaced out in a single layer and cover with a sheet of muslin.

When air-drying, turn the herbs frequently to ensure even drying.

Drying time depends on temperature and ventilation, but probably be 2-3 days in a warm dry place.

For oven-drying, place the trays in cool oven-timperature 45-55 c . Leave the door ajar ½ -1 inch ( 1.5-2.5 cm ).

Turn the herbs over after about 30 minutes to ensure even drying.

Dry the herbs until they are crisp, usually after about 1 hour.

  

 

Pickles are vegetables or fruit preserved in spices, oils and vinegar, with their shape, colour and texture retained as far as possible.

Some vegetables, such as onions ans cauliflowers, need to be salted before being pickled; this is known as brining.  It reduces the moisture content of the vegetable, and so ensures a crisp texture.

Most pickles are best left to mature for at least 6-8 weeks. 

Chutneys are vegetables or fruit cooked to smooth pulp and preserved in vinegar, salt and spices.  They are often made from a blend of fruit and vegetables.  Theeis no simple method of estimateing the yield, which varies according to the ingredients.  The yield stated in the recipe is the only guide.

Because the vegetables and fruit are not used whole, chutney can be made from damaged or bruised specimens,as long as unsound parts are cut away.

 

making pickles

 

pickles are simple to make and store.’many vegetables can be pickled cold and rew, or lightly cooked.

You can buy ready-spiced vinegar but it is easy to make t home-you can then vary the spices to your taste.  Malt vinegar can give pickles a better flavour.  Cider vinegar can be used in fruit pickles.

CHOOSE FRESH YOUNG VEGETABLES AND FIRMLY RIPE FRUITS.  DO NOT USE ANY THAT ARE BRUISED OR damaged.

Always use the best vinegar, which has an acetic acid content of at least 5 % .  barelled venegar generally contains only about 4%.

Wash drain and cut up the vegetables if necessary .  wash drain well. For sweet picklesssss, dissole the sugar in the venegar and cook the vegetables or fruit gently until just jtender.  Undercook  a little rather than overcook, as they will go on softening in the hot vinegar.

Always pot hot and sweet pickles standing in a saucepan for longer than necessary.

xoxo