The Preserver's Year

[Deleted User]

salted lemons are absolutely wonderful but you`ll have to google a recipe if you want to make them. I use tiny bits wrapped in a parcel with salmon or bits in with chicken and so on. First time of salting so am a salted lemon virgin. Hardest part was stuffing the lemons into jars

It`s me age and the way I grew up ie very poor but make do and mend family, so learnt loads from age 5. Can`t stop now at 64, now that I have a productive small plot. Nothing but nothing goes to waste.

I did a lot of exploring last year re preserving without the freezer and there is a lot you can do. There is a dehydrating thread somewhere that has loads in it. Re the potatoes: I used big new home grown ones, sliced with a (dangerous) mandolin, steamed for a few minutes and then dehydrated to crisp. They are wonderful as they remain in slices and they have a nice texture and absorb whatever they are in. I often use hm wine. I also dehydrate marrow, parsnips etc. All excellent and only take up a small space to store

If you start brining or salting then it`s important to use pure salt ie no preservatives etc

marmiterulesok

I've made two lots of rhubarb jam,one with ginger and one with cloves.I'm making another batch tonight.

jennyo

Goodness Kittie you are busy.
Marmiterulesok, have you tried it yet ? mind you I have a fair old nibble when I'm putting the jam in jars, spillages etc, used a jam funnel last year though so not so much spilt.

Debt_Free_Chick

I make & use salted (or preserved) lemons too. Widely used in N African & Middle Eastern dishes.

Here's one for starters. Other preserved lemon & chicken recipes here

Living_proof

I have been away from the house for quite a bit in June but I did manage quite a lot of dehydrating before I left. I tried adding a few bits of dried mango and kiwi to yogurt on my return as I had no fresh fruit, and it was amazing and very tasty and I will try and gradually build up my stores as a tablespoon dehydrated is so convenient whereas a couple of whole fruit needing peeling and chopping, etc. isn't, even at a very good price.

marmiterulesok

jennyo wrote: »

Goodness Kittie you are busy.
Marmiterulesok, have you tried it yet ? mind you I have a fair old nibble when I'm putting the jam in jars, spillages etc, used a jam funnel last year though so not so much spilt.

I've tried the one with cloves,which is lovely.I also have a funnel,a great help.

jennyo

First lot of black currant jam just put in jars, smells and tastes lovely

jumblejack

Hi all,

Out of interest do you guys use a dehydrator or just use the oven?

Cheers

Living_proof

I have very recently bought an Excalibur which was a very good price and totally unused. I once tried drying mushrooms in the oven but the large one wouldn't keep at a sufficiently low temperature and the heat in the kitchen was dire. The small one wouldn't hold enough at any one time. Tonight I will dry slices of the Al*i 99p strawberries and an aubergine and see how they turn out. I have had a casualty in halved plum tomatoes - obviously I didn't dry them long enough and they went mouldy quite quickly in the jar.

jumblejack

Living_proof wrote: »

I have very recently bought an Excalibur which was a very good price and totally unused. I once tried drying mushrooms in the oven but the large one wouldn't keep at a sufficiently low temperature and the heat in the kitchen was dire. The small one wouldn't hold enough at any one time. Tonight I will dry slices of the Al*i 99p strawberries and an aubergine and see how they turn out. I have had a casualty in halved plum tomatoes - obviously I didn't dry them long enough and they went mouldy quite quickly in the jar.

It seems like a really clever way to preserve seasonal stuff. I may have to look into that!:j

I made my first ever jam last week with foraged wild rose petals using the food for free recipe by Richard Mabey. It has made me look into preserving stuff in a whole new light.





The highs of success and the lows of failure make life interesting.
My elderflower champagne seems to have taken a bit of a nose dive.
It has gone cloudy and a bit (I apologise in advance if you are eating) snotty
I can only think that the bottles weren't sterilised well enough.