Lacto-Fermented Radishes
This basic recipe for lacto-fermented radishes is perfect for beginners. They are delicious on top of tacos or huevos rancheros or as the perfect pairing to your lunchtime sandwich. The recipe can be ...
Preserving Summer
Eating Locally Throughout the Winter
Life drastically changed for most of us this year. Many of us went to the grocery store during these last few months to find our favourite basics like frozen peas or canned tomato sauce sold out—things we took for granted a short time ago.
This year has seen a huge resurgence in local food growing. Some people took up their gardening spades because they suddenly had time, and others became more serious gardeners as issues of food security arose. And many of us became more focused on supporting local farmers. Either way, you may find yourself with an abundance of fresh produce this year.
To avoid wasting this produce, consider preserving some of the extra food for the winter. This time-honored tradition is immensely satisfying and economical.
There are many ways to store food, but if the thought of big batches and time-consuming preparation is not appealing, I’ve got some good news: there are a multitude of ways to process and store your summer bounty that are quick, not too messy and easy to do in small amounts. Beyond simply canning, you can save your fruits and veggies by freezing, drying, canning, curing, pickling, fermenting, juicing and smoking—and all of these can be done in small batches if you prefer.
The easiest preservation method is freezing. Excess broccoli, cauliflower, peas, beans, berries, stone fruit, rhubarb and more can be cleaned, dried, chopped into uniform pieces then spread on a baking sheet to freeze before packing in resealable bags or freezer containers. Fruit can be juiced and stored in litre containers. Pesto and chimichurri made with summer basil, arugula, oregano, cilantro, garlic and olive oil can be put into ice cube trays and frozen. These are rewarding to have on hand during cold winter months, dressing up pasta, grilled or roasted vegetables and meat. The downside to freezing is storage space.
(Tip: label everything. You might think you’ll remember what each container holds, but when you have three containers of pureed green stuff, will you be able to tell between pesto, salsa verde or spinach?)
Drying works well for herbs, apples and pears sliced thinly on a mandolin, or for making fruit leather out of softer fruits like peaches and strawberries. This can be done by spreading ingredients in a single layer on a baking sheet in an oven set to the lowest setting or by using a dehydrator. While you may lose some fresh flavour, drying saves on storage space, as dehydrating drastically shrinks your food.
Canning is something most of us are familiar with. Hot water bath canning works great for foods high in acidity, salt or sugar such as jam, jelly, pickles or tomato sauce. Pressure canning is required for doing plain vegetables, fruit without added sugar, seafood and meat. Canning usually results in a softer texture, but that can be a good thing—like when you spoon those canned peaches over some vanilla ice cream or when nutritious salmon bones become soft enough to eat in your sandwich.
Curing can be done with salt and/or sugar and smoked or air dried. Salmon sliced and layered in salt is delicious as gravlax or the prelude to smoked or pickled fish. Citrus simply layered with salt is a traditional Middle Eastern method—you’ll find many recipes calling for preserved lemons and they’re so simple to make!
Pickling can be done in different ways, either by using a strong vinegar mixture or by brining and fermenting. All it takes to make a batch of quick pickles is a jar, uniformly sized vegetables and vinegar. Add herbs or spices to taste and refrigerate one week. Pickles made this way can be canned to keep through the year. Beyond pickled cucumbers, try making your own spicy pickled beans or carrots, garlic and more.
Fermenting is a surprisingly simple process that is returning in popularity. The result is a distinctly tart and complex flavour full of healthy probiotic bacteria that is great for gut health. Fruits and vegetables naturally contain the right bacteria (lactobacillus) to do this job with little intervention from you, creating a naturally pickled flavor. The basics needed are clean, uniformly sized produce, a salt water brine and a non-porous jar to keep the fermenting food submerged, creating a safe and airless environment. Other common fermented foods include yogurt and kefir, pickles, sauerkraut, kimchi, miso and even fish. You may feel concerned about spoilage if doing it yourself for the first time, but this traditional method is safer than most people realize.
Using one or more of the above methods will ensure your garden’s bounty doesn’t go to waste, and you’ll be able to taste the memory of summer all winter long.
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