Dehydrating Potatoes

My friend Melinda and her husband gave us a boatload of potatoes recently, and I've been slowly working them up.  Some will be chitted and planted in our garden, some canned, and some dehydrated, and of course some eaten fresh.

This week I've been dehydrating.  The process takes a little time, but isn't difficult.  I learned the basics from this post at Hickery Holler.

First I scrubbed and peeled about five pounds of potatoes.  I sliced them into a bath of about three quarts cold water and 3/4 teaspoon of citric acid.  This will help keep them from turning brown or grey from oxidation.  I am pretty fast with a knife, so that's how I cut mine, but you could use a food processor or mandolin.

As I was slicing them, I was also heating a large pot of water to a full boil.  In batches, I blanched the sliced potatoes in the boiling water for four minutes.

Using a slotted spoon, I removed the slices from the boiling water and returned them to the cool water and citric acid bath.  I made a new bath each time, using 1/4 teaspoon citric acid to each quart of cold water, because the water needs to be cold to stop the blanching process.

I then drained the slices and placed them in a single layer on the trays of our dehydrator.

I would like to one day have an Excalibur dehydrator, but for now we have a basic Ronco with ten round trays.  The five pounds of potatoes filled all ten trays perfectly.

I set the dehydrator on high (in this case, that means heat AND fan), and rotated the bottom tray to the top each hour.  Rotation isn't strictly necessary, but I feel it speeds up and evens the drying.  All of the slices were dry after eight hours.  Had they been sliced uniformly thin, they may have dried mopre quickly.

Five pounds of dehydrated potato slices fit perfectly into two quart canning jars.  I have ordered some oxygen absorbing packets and will put a couple in each jar to seal them.  Properly stored, these potatoes could be kept safely for years.

The next, I decided to make dehydrated hash browns.  I used the same basic process as above:  Wash, peel, shred with food processor, soak in citric acid bath for a few minutes, blanch for four minutes, shock in another citric acid bath.  I added a couple of steps by rinsing the shreds with cold water to remove some of the starch and wringing them in a clean cloth napkin to squeeze out most of the water.  Then I spread them on the dehydrator trays. 

Some of the shreds fell through the mesh of the trays, but that was really no worry, as the heating element is enclosed and doesn't get hot enough to burn food anyway. There are small-mesh mats available for the trays that would keep this from happening, and would also make clean-up easier for other (stickier) foods, so I may end up getting those in the future.

With shreds, five pounds filled up seven trays, which tells me I probably could've made the layers thinner in each tray so they would dry more quickly.  In the end, they filled two quart jars after six hours of drying time.

Overall, this was an easy way to preserve our potato bounty, and one that's a space-saver, too.  I'm looking forward to trying recipes made with these potatoes, and I'll be sure to post them when I do.

Garden Planning - Step 1 - Knowing What You Eat

I've mentioned before that I bought a neat-o perpetual garden planner download from Northwest Edible Life, and have all intentions of using it this year, but our printer pooped out last week.  Until I can find a replacement printer for cheap or find time to take the file to be printed out at a printer-outer shop, I'm stuck with old-school pencil and paper.

I had to do a little research to remember, but I've determined that this will be our fifth season in the garden.  In the past, we've grown a little of this, a little of that, and whatever sounded interesting.  It's a fun way to garden, and a great way to learn what you like, don't like, can grow well, or can't grow at all.

This year, though, we're approaching gardening a little differently.  There will still be plenty of variety and a bit of novelty, but we're really going to focus on growing what we eat most.

With that in mind, the first step in this year's plan was to write down everything I could think of that we eat that is plant-based.  From tomatoes to dry beans to rice to tea to pineapple.  I used a seed catalog or two to help me remember everything and I wrote down things I know we can't grow simply because they might jog my memory about things we can grow here.

Then I went through and crossed off anything that we can't grow in our area (things like citrus, tropicals, coffee) and anything we don't have room to grow (grains, mostly) and things I'm just not ready to try yet (grapes, mushrooms).

Once that was done, I considered our family demand.  How often do we eat these foods?

There are several vegetables, fruits, and berries that we eat often and grow well for us.  Because these are on our menu several times a week all year round, these will be the biggest money-savers and nutrition-givers.  They will stay on the list.  Frequently-used herbs also stay at the top of the list.  For some reason I'm not very successfully at growing herbs, but if I can get successful, then cha-ching!  Big savings!

Several crops will grow well for us, but we don't eat them as often.  They'll be planted if we can work them in, or dropped without regret if we can't. 

Some foods are better for us to purchase, either because we don't eat that much of them, we have tried growing them before with little or no luck, we know they won't grow here at all (coconuts, anyone?), or we don't have room to grow them even though they will grow here (wheat is good example).  Unless we just want to try a couple of these crops for the fun of it, they won't make the cut.

The end result should be a fairly accurate list (below) of what we'll be planting this year.  Your list will vary depending on your appetite, gardening zone, skill level and space limitations.


Already-Established Perennials:
Asparagus
Rhubarb
Strawberries
Blackberries
Elderberries
Raspberries
Sunchokes

Definitely Will Plant:
Green beans
Lettuce, variety
Onions, bulbing
Garlic
Tomatoes
Potatoes
Dry beans
Carrots
Beets
Zucchini or other summer squashes
Onions, green (scallions)
Spinach
Swiss chard
Bell peppers
Cucumbers
Radishes
Cilantro
Parsley
Basil
Thyme
Oregano
Cumin

Will Plant If It Works Out:
Sweet Corn
Peas (shell-out and snow varieties)
Kohlrabi
Cauliflower
Broccoli
Brussels sprouts
Celery
Eggplant
Cabbage
Napa cabbage
Collard greens
Jalapeno peppers
Winter squash (butternut, acorn)
Ground cherries
Watermelon
Okra
Sunflowers
Ginger
Summer savory
Sesame (for seeds)
Gooseberry bush(es)
Peach tree(s)

Be prepared.  Next week, we start talking numbers.

Asian-Style Venison and Vegetables

Chinese New Year is Sunday, February 10. Here is a quick Asian-style skillet (or wok) meal for the occasion. Served over rice or noodles, this could be a complete meal.

And, of course, use any meat that you like.  Beef, pork, chicken or even shrimp would all work just fine in this recipe.

Asian-Style Venison and Vegetables

1 pound venison or beef steaks, sliced across grain as for fajitas (or use chicken, pork, etc.)
4 cups vegetables, cut into bite-sized chunks (I used zucchini, onion, red and yellow bell peppers, celery and Brussels sprouts)
1 teaspoon cornstarch

Marinade:

1/2 cup soy sauce (low-sodium might be preferred)
1/3 cup orange marmalade
1-2 cloves garlic, minced
1-2 teaspoons Srirachi sauce (optional - I used 1 teaspoon with the option of adding more at the table)

Combine all marinade ingredients in a small bowl until smooth.

Place meat in one bowl (or food-safe plastic zipper bag), and vegetables in a separate bowl or bag.  Pour half of marinade over meat, half over the veggies.  Stir each, cover (or zip shut) and chill for at least 30 minutes and up to 2 hours.  Stir or shake contents of each container occasionally.

Drain meat, reserving marinade. 

Heat peanut oil over medium high heat in a large skillet or wok.  Add meat to pan and stir-fry until no longer pink and just barely cooked through.  Remove from skillet and set aside in a covered dish to keep it warm.

Drain vegetables, reserving marinade.

In same skillet, over medium-high heat, add a small amount of additional oil if needed, then stir-fry vegetables until tender-crisp.  Return meat to pan.

Place 1 teaspoon cornstarch in a glass measuring cup.  Gradually whisk in up to 1 cup of reserved marinade.  If needed, add water to make 1 cup.  Pour mixture into skillet with vegetables and meat, stirring constantly until sauce begins to thicken just slightly.

Serve immediately over hot cooked noodles, rice or other grain (quinoa pictured).

Makes 4 servings.

Herbed Pork Loin with Roasted Potatoes

 
This dish takes a few hours to make in the oven, but it's worth the time.


Herbed Pork Loin with Roasted Potatoes

Pork Loin:

1 (2-1/2 to 3 pound) boneless pork loin roast
4 tablespoons olive oil, divided
1 Tablespoon dry parsley (or 1/2 cup packed chopped fresh parsley)
1-1/2 teaspoons rubbed sage (or 1-1/2 Tablespoons fresh sage leaves)
1-1/2 teaspoons dried rosemary leaves (or 1-1/2 Tablespoons fresh rosemary leaves)
1-1/2 teaspoons dried thyme leaves (or 1-1/2 Tablespoons fresh thyme leaves)
2 cloves garlic, minced
1/4 teaspoon sea salt
1/8 teaspoon ground black pepper

Heat oven to 350°F.  Pat the pork loin roast dry with a paper towel, then score the fat with a sharp knife at 1/4-inch intervals.  Heat 1 tablespoon olive oil in a large skillet over medium-high heat.  (If you have an oven-safe skillet, this can become a one-pan meal.)  Add the roast and brown on all sides, about 3 minutes per side.

Transfer roast to a wire rack in a rimmed baking sheet that has been sprayed with non-stick spray.  Or, if using an oven-safe pan, just lift the roast and put a wire rack beneath it in the skillet.  Set aside.

Meanwhile, combine the remaining 3 Tablespoons of olive oil with the herbs, garlic, salt and pepper.  If using fresh herbs, combine this mixture in food processor.  Spread the herb paste over the top and sides of the pork roast.

Bake for 60 to 75 minutes or until internal temperature reaches 145°F.  Remove to serving platter.  Let roast rest at least 10 minutes to allow temperature to rise to 150°F before slicing.  Cover and keep warm until potatoes are ready.

Increase oven temperature to 450°F.  While roast is resting, prepare potatoes.

Roasted Potatoes:

1/4 cup olive oil
8 small potatoes, quartered (peeled or not, your choice)
1 medium onion, cut into several wedges or large chunks
4 medium carrots, peeled and cut into large chunks (optional)

In same pan or skillet you used to cook the pork roast, stir 1/4 cup olive oil into pan drippings.  Add cut up vegetables and toss to coat evenly.

Return pan to oven, uncovered, and roast for 60-65 minutes or until tender and golden, stirring halfway through cooking time.  Serve with sliced pork roast.

Makes 4-6 servings.

Sausage-and-Stuffing Stuffed Acorn Squash

Most stuffed squash recipes include rice in the mixture, but I wanted to use a box of stuffing that was in the cabinet, so I came up with this.  If you'd prefer, you can make your own stuffing mix to use.  Just search "homemade stove top stuffing" and you'll find lots of recipes.

I stuffed three acorn squashes for my family (6 halves), and ended up with extra stuffing mixture.  I could have stuffed additional squash, but instead I spread the stuffing into a greased baking dish (use whatever size is appropriate for the amount of stuffing you have left) and baked it alongside the squash.  It would make a good side dish, lunch dish or even breakfast.  Kat and I had some for breakfast this morning.

Sausage-and-Stuffing Stuffed Acorn Squash

3 to 6 acorn squash, depending on the size of the squash and size of your family
1 box stuffing mix (or equivalent homemade stuffing)
1 pound pork breakfast sausage
2 eggs
shredded cheddar cheese

Wash squash and cut in halve from stem end to blossom end.  Remove seeds and guts.  Sprinkle cut side with salt and place in a lightly sprayed microwave safe baking dish, cut side up.  Cover and microwave on high for 10 minutes.  Alternately, you could cover with foil and bake at 375°F for 50 minutes.

While squash is cooking, prepare stuffing mix according to package directions, but omitting the butter if it is called for.  Set aside to cool slightly.

Crumble and fry pork sausage, drain.  Break up large pieces so that sausage is a fairly fine crumble.  Stir into prepared stuffing. 

Beat eggs in a separate bowl, then pour into stuffing and sausage mixture.  Stir well.

When squash has cooked, remove from oven or microwave and carefully uncover.  Using a large spoon or scoop, fill cavities with stuffing mix, mounding mixture on top.  Sprinkle with shredded cheese.

Bake, uncovered, at 375°F for 30 minutes.

Makes 3 to 6 servings, depending on how many squash are used.

Today's Post Brought To You By The Letter B: Bob, Backyard, Butterfly

It's been quite a while since I posted an update on skinny ol' Bob, the stray cat who adopted us in July.  It's hard to get a good picture of him because he doesn't look up when you talk to him and doesn't like to make eye contact.  But he's as sweet a cat as ever and is finally starting to look more like a cat than a bag of bones.  Still, I'd like to see him put on a little more weight before winter gets here.

And since we're outside, lets take a look at what's still growing in the backyard.

We have lots of big, bushy tomato plants left, but because of the heat and drought, they just didn't do as well this year as they have in the past.  We're still getting 3-4 small tomatoes a day, though.

This bunch of collard greens was strictly volunteer.  It didn't do much of anything until we started getting rain again, then it took off.  I'm just going to leave it there for a while, since they are said to be sweeter after a frost.

We planted and harvested (dry) pinto beans earlier in the summer and then replanted with green beans.  They are just now starting to set beans on, so hopefully we'll get a few jars' worth.  The ones we planted with the corn (in a Three Sisters planting) didn't do anything.

Kat still has two large Moon and Stars watermelons in her garden.  We already picked three.
You can see the stars on the rinds and the leaves, but none have had spots big enough to call moons.

The squashes we planted as part of the Three Sisters planting fared better.  We were late getting them in, but I think they will ripen before we get frost.  I can see several butternuts like the one above and several acorn squashes.  The zucchini plants gave us a few, but we weren't overrun with zukes like we usually are.

These last pics are of a butterfly (or is it a moth of some sort?) that Bob was chasing and that Kat rescued from him.  It seemed stunned, but unhurt.She and Shane were able to hold it for a while until it finally walked up Kat's arm and flew away. 

In The Mood For Canning Food

After I realized I wouldn't be canning any peaches yesterday, I decided to start in on some frozen tomatoes.  We have a ton of tomatoes from last year still in the freezer, and we need more room in there, so I grabbed five of the gallon-sized bags of whole tomatoes and cooked those down into sauce.  I ended up with 8 pints of sauce. 

Once those were finished, I was still in the canning groove so I decided to try a new-to-me way to can dry beans.  Instead of soaking and par-cooking them ahead of time, I put the pinto beans in the jar dry (raw), added seasoning and boiling water, then pressure canned them.  These pintos were the ones we grew and dried ourselves.  Not a bad return -- one seed packet in spring yielded 9 pints of cooked beans in late summer.

When those were done, I was still in the mood, so I canned 5 pints of garbanzo beans, using the same method as above.  Homemade hummus, here we come!

While I was digging around in the freezer, I found some pie crust dough I'd made a while back, and a bag of frozen apple pie filling I'd made last year, so I made a pie. 


And then, after all that, I ordered pizza for our supper.  I know...it doesn't make sense to me, either.

Canning Potatoes

We harvested about 20 pounds of potatoes this year.  That's not a great yield, but it was better than any previous year, so we were happy about it.  We ate some of them right away, but I needed to do something with the rest before they started going bad.  My options were eat them (too many), make mashed potatoes and freeze them (I have success with this, but no room in the freezer right now), dehydrate them or can them.  I decided on canning just because I wanted to try them.

I remember canned potatoes, usually with a bland white gravy, from elementary school lunches and just knew that home-canned potatoes would taste better.  And believe me, they do!  One of my jars failed to seal, so we had them for supper that night.  I just mashed them with a fork, added a little butter and garlic powder, and they were delicious.

They are easy to can, too.  Because they are a low-acid food, the must be pressure canned, but the method is simple.  Unfortunately, I didn't have the forethought to take photos of the process, but here's what you do.

Clean fresh potatoes well and peel if desired.  I didn't peel them because most of the skins scrubbed off as I was washing them.  Cut away any deep eyes and/or bad spots.

Cut potatoes into chunks about 1-1/2" square.  Small potatoes can be left whole or just cut in half.

Place potatoes in clean cold water and bring to a boil.  Reduce heat to medium and boil gently for 5 to 8 minutes.

Meanwhile, have clean, hot canning jars at the ready.  I don't sterilize jars, but I do run them through the dishwasher to make sure they are clean and hot.

Once potatoes have cooked, not until tender but just long enough to be heated through, drain them and spoon the hot potatoes into the hot jars.  Add a teaspoon of canning salt to each quart jar (1/2 teaspoon to pint jars) and then fill each jar with clean boiling water, leaving 1 inch of head space.  Use a knife or spatula to remove any air bubbles.

Apply clean, new lids and secure with rings until fingertip tight.

Process in a pressure canner at 10 pounds of pressure for 40 minutes for quarts or 35 minutes for pints.  Always follow the manufacturer's instructions for your canner, the Ball Blue Book, or the advice of your local university extension office to ensure safe canning practices.

Blender Ketchup

Today's tomato-y condiment is Blender Ketchup, and the recipe comes straight out of "The Complete Book of Small-Batch Preserving" by Ellie Topp and Margaret Howard.  (Thanks to Paula, The Cookbook Junkie, for sending this book to me).

If you are looking for a copycat recipe for Heinz' or Hunt's, you might be disappointed with this one. But if you are looking for a fresher, lighter tasting ketchup (think spiced thick tomato sauce), then this is your recipe.  I'm looking forward to trying this on a burger soon.

Blender Ketchup

7 cups chopped peeled plum tomatoes (about 4 pounds) I used a variety of tomatoes
1/2 cup chopped onion
1/2 cup chopped sweet red bell pepper
2/3 cup cider vinegar
1/4 cup granulated sugar
2 teaspoons pickling salt
1 cinnamon stick, 2 inches long
1/2 teaspoon whole allspice
1/2 teaspoon whole cloves
1/2 teaspoon peppercorns
1 bay leaf

Combine tomatoes, onion and red pepper in a  blender or food processor and process until smooth.  remove to a large stainless steel or enamel saucepan.  Bring to a boil over high heat, reduce heat and boil gently, uncovered, for 30 minutes.

Add vinegar, sugar and salt.  Tie cinnamon, allspice, cloves, peppercorns and bay leaf in cheesecloth and add to saucepan.  Return to a boil and boil gently, uncovered, stirring frequently, until volume is reduced by half or until mixture rounds up on a spoon without separation, about 1-1/2 hours.  Remove cheesecloth bag.

Ladle hot ketchup into hot 8-ounce jars to within 1/2 inch of rim.  Process 15 minutes as directed in this book, or per the Ball Blue Book or your local extension office.

Makes about 3 cups ketchup (it made almost 4 cups for me).

Tomato-Lemon Marmalade

We don't eat a lot of jams, jellies, preserves or marmalades around here, but the idea of making one with tomatoes struck my fancy.  I used a couple of very similar tried and true recipes and came up with this small batch, which makes eight 4 oz. jars or four 8 oz. jars.

Tomato-Lemon Marmalade

2-1/2 to 3 pounds tomatoes, peeled and cut into chunks
3 medium lemons, cut into thin slices, then slices cut into quarters
1/2-inch chunk of fresh ginger, peeled and cut into slices
1 Tablespoon pickling spices
4 cups granulated sugar

Combine tomatoes and lemon slices in a large stainless steel or enamel pan. 

Tie ginger and pickling spices in a piece of cheesecloth or use a spice bag, then add the bag to the tomato mixture.  Bring to a boil.

Add sugar gradually, stirring until completely dissolved.  Bring to a boil and boil rapidly until mixture forms a gel*, about 1 hour.

Meanwhile, prepare water bath canner for canning.  Also prepare 4- or 8-ounce jars, lids and rings for canning.  Use standard preparations per the Ball Blue Book or your county extension office.

When canner is ready and marmalade has jelled, ladle hot marmalade into hot prepared jars.  Process in water bath canner for 10 minutes.



*There are two ways to test for gel.  For the first, place two small plates in the freezer when you begin cooking the sweet spread.  As the spread nears the end of cooking time, put a spoonful of the hot spread on one of the chilled plates and remove the spread from the heat source.  Return it to the freezer for a couple of minutes.  If the mixture is sufficiently cooked, it will form a slow-moving gel that drips across the plate when the plate is tilted.  If the gel runs quickly, continue to cook the spread for an additional two minutes and repeat the test.

For the second test, dip a metal spoon into the spread and lift it up.  If the spread "sheets" off the spoon rather than dripping quickly, it is ready to ladle into jars.  If it drips quickly, continue cooking.

Lacto-Fermented Salsa - Two Ways

Our tomatoes are finally coming in, so this week I'll be focusing on a variety of tomato-y condiments.  Here are a couple of different flavors of lacto-fermented salsa.  Keep in mind that L-F salsa is preserved with salt or a salty brine --it's what makes lacto-fermentation work -- so it will taste saltier than many other salsas.  You can offset that by serving it with low-sodium tortilla chips and/or reducing the salt in the Mexican or Tex-Mex dishes that you'll be topping with the salsa.

If you have more salsa than will easily fit into your jars, it can be eaten the day you make it.  However, the flavors will blend and mellow the longer it is stored.

Annie's Basic Lacto-Fermented Tomato Salsa

4 cups of diced tomatoes (no need to peel)
1/2 cup diced onion
1/4 cup diced green bell pepper
3 cloves garlic, minced
4 Tablespoons whey
2 Tablespoons fresh lime juice
1 Tablespoon sea salt
2 teaspoons finely chopped cilantro (optional)
1 teaspoon ground cumin
1/2 teaspoon dried oregano leaves
1/4 teaspoon chili powder
1/8 teaspoon black pepper
Finely diced jalapeno pepper - to taste

Combine all ingredients in a large bowl.  Adjust amount of jalapeno and/or spices to taste.  Ladle into clean wide mouth pint canning jars.  Press vegetables down so they are under the liquid and/or use a glass weight to weigh them down.  Seal tightly with canning lid and ring.  Set on countertop at room temperature for 2-3 days, or until brine is bubbly and salsa tastes tart.  Remove weights and reseal with lids; place in refrigerator until ready to eat.  Will keep in fridge for up to a few months.  Makes about 5 cups of salsa.

Annie's Basic Lacto-Fermented Strawberry-Kiwi Salsa

3 cups of diced tomatoes (no need to peel)
1 cup of chopped strawberries and peel, diced kiwi (any amounts to total 1 cup)
1/2 cup diced onion
1/4 cup diced green bell pepper
3 cloves garlic, minced
4 Tablespoons whey
2 Tablespoons fresh lime juice
2 Tablespoons sugar (optional)
1 Tablespoon sea salt
2 teaspoons finely chopped cilantro (optional)
1 teaspoon ground cumin
1/2 teaspoon dried oregano leaves
1/4 teaspoon chili powder
1/8 teaspoon black pepper
Finely diced jalapeno pepper - to taste

Combine all ingredients in a large bowl.  Adjust amount of jalapeno and/or spices to taste.  Ladle into clean wide mouth pint canning jars.  Press vegetables down so they are under the liquid and/or use a glass weight to weigh them down.  Seal tightly with canning lid and ring.  Set on countertop at room temperature for 2-3 days, or until brine is bubbly and salsa tastes tart.  Remove weights and reseal with lids; place in refrigerator until ready to eat.  Will keep in fridge for up to a few months. Makes about 6 cups of salsa.

Lacto-Fermented Love

More than once, my blog friend Cathy asked me if I had tried the lacto-fermented vegetables from the Nourishing Traditions cookbook.  She said they were really good.  I kept telling her no, but that I intended to try them.  Finally, a couple of months ago, I gave them a try.  Now I wonder why I waited so long.  I mean, I knew I would like them, but I had no idea how much I would love them!

Ginger carrots

Lacto-fermented veggies aren't like typical vinegar pickles.  For one thing, they don't contain any vinegar.  For another, they don't need to be canned (water-bath processed) like traditional pickles do.  And finally, they have probiotic properties that are good for your digestive system.

Lacto-fermented veggies taste different than vinegar pickles.  The veggies are raw, so they stay crunchier (the exception possibly being cucumbers) and the brine is, in my opinion, more mellow.  The flavor develops with age, so the young pickles you taste after three days of fermentation on your kitchen counter will not taste the same after three weeks in your refrigerator.  Well, that's what I've read, anyway, but I can't imagine them lasting three weeks in our refrigerator.

Lacto-fermenting is also an easy process.  Canned pickles aren't difficult, but L-F pickles are way easier.  Just chop veggies and let them sit in a brine at room temperature for a few days.  Nothing could be simpler.

So far, I've made lacto-fermented radishes, turnips, dilled celery, ginger carrots, coriander carrots, plain sauerkraut, caraway sauerkraut, spicy cortido (Latin American sauerkraut) and one jar of a wonderful mix of all of those leftover kraut flavors.  Shane and I agree that the radishes are our favorite so far.

Two jars of turnips, one of ginger carrots, and one of radishes

Shane has said a couple of times that the ferments are his very favorite way to eat veggies.  I have grilled him, asking if they are better than corn on the cob, or fresh tomato slices or a nice ripe avocado with a touch of sea salt, which are all favorites around here.  He wouldn't say one way or another, which leads me to believe it's a close race.

As for me, I crave these veggies.  It's not unusual for me to spoon out a quarter cup or so to just eat by themselves, but what I really like -- a lot -- is to spread a couple of slices of homemade bread with some real butter and use any of the fermented vegetables as a sandwich filling.  These sandwiches taste yummy to me, but what's more, my body seems to be calling for them.  I definitely don't mind answering.

I know a couple of readers are already trying these:  Lisa at Easy Frugal Living was fermenting some carrots not long ago, and both the kraut and turnip ferments are very similar to the beginning stages of Patti, The Osage Bluff Quilter's turnip kraut recipe.

Plain kraut, caraway kraut, cortido and a jar of all of them mixed

If you're interested in trying lacto-fermented veggies for yourself, don't be intimidated or think you need to do a big batch.  Here's all you do:

1) Clean and peel your veggies of choice.  Sturdy root vegetables work well, as does cabbage, but don't be afraid to try zucchini, onions, peppers or other vegetables.  Once the veggies have been cleaned and peeled, dice them or shred them as desired.  If diced, you probably don't want pieces bigger than 1/2".

2) Place prepared veggies in a clean canning jar.  Wide mouth works best, I think, and either quarts or pints can be used.  Fill about 3/4 of the way, or maybe a little more.  Add any fresh or dried herbs you might want at this point.

3) Mix a brine.  For every cup of purified water (filtered, distilled or spring water all work, just not chlorinated tap water), stir in 1 tablespoon of sea salt and 4 tablespoons of whey.  I usually have whey left over from making yogurt or kefir cheese.  If you need whey, you can strain plain yogurt or sour cream to get enough...or you can buy whey at the health food store...or you can do without it by adding an additional tablespoon of sea salt.

4) Pour the brine over the veggies, making sure they are completely submersed.  You can use a wooden spoon to press them down into the brine, or you can do what I do and weigh them down with a simple glass (not lead crystal!) votive cup that I bought at a craft store. You can also buy canning weights on eBay.  Some people don't weigh down their ferments, and others prefer using air-locks or special fermenting vessels.  This is what happens to work for me right now.

Simple glass votive cup for weighing down veggies

5)  Cover the jar tightly with a canning flat and ring and let the veggies sit on your counter at room temperature for about 3 days.  After three days, open the jar (it might pop just a little when you do) and remove the votive holder.  Taste the yummy fermented goodness.  It will be really salty and a little tart.  Over time, these flavors will blend and mellow. 

6)  Eat the veggies now or store in the refrigerator for up to several months.


To make sauerkraut, the method is almost the same:  Instead of dicing the cabbage, it needs to be shredded.  I do this by hand, with a knife, rather than with a food processor.  Instead of making a brine with water, just add the salt and whey directly to the shredded cabbage.  Put it all in a large bowl and pound with a wooden mallet of some sort until the cabbage releases it's juices.  I use the wooden part of a food mill that looks like this:

When there is enough liquid, spoon the cabbage and liquid into the jars and proceed as above.

As usual, I'm no expert, but if you have any questions about lacto-fermenting, I'll try to find an answer for you.

12-Pounder

We finally harvested the cabbage growing in Kat's garden bed.  It grew from a seedling she brought home from school earlier this spring and ultimately weighed in at 12 pounds.

Kat thought it was fun to grow, but she doesn't like to eat cabbage, so she's given me permission to do whatever I want with it.  I plan to make part of it into lacto-fermented kraut, if I can find enough containers.  I don't have a crock, so I guess I'll be making it in gallon jars.

I wondered about pressure canning it plain (not as kraut).  I've read about a few people doing it, but it's not listed as safe by any of the reputable sources (Ball, Kerr, university extension sites, etc.), so instead, I'll blanch and freeze whatever portion doesn't become kraut.  Little, if any, will be made into coleslaw since that isn't a favorite here.

Cowboy Potatoes

I mentioned in my previous post comments that I learned how to make Cowboy Potatoes by watching our friend John make them.  The method is his, but the measurements are mine.  You can adjust the amounts as you see fit.


Cowboy Potatoes

6 large potatoes, peeled and cut into 1 to 1-1/2 inch chunks
1 medium or large Vidalia or other sweet onion (or any type of onion, really)
1 teaspoon seasoned salt
1 stick butter (yes, 1 whole stick)

Place potato chunks on a piece of foil.  Slice onion into strips and sprinkle those over the potatoes.  Sprinkle potatoes and onions with season salt and then top it all with chunks of butter.

Cover with another sheet of foil and fold the edges over.  You want lots of room in there for steam, thus the two pieces of foil instead of a folded-over packet.

John's charcoal grill method is to like the charcoal, place the packet on the grill while there are still flames, and by the time the coals burn down and are ready for grilling meat, the potatoes can come off the grill.

My gas grill method is to light the grill and set it at a medium flame.  Place the potato packet on the grill and cook for 20 minutes.

Either way, take the packet of potatoes off the grill, but do not open it.  Set it aside while you grill your other meat and/or veggies.  When the rest of your meal is done, open the potato packet.  The potatoes will still be hot, and perfectly done.

Eat them just as they are, or top them with sour cream and shredded cheese.  They are delicious either way.

I haven't made these in the oven yet, but if you want to try them that way, I would suggest 20 minutes at 350F, then let them sit on the counter for 10 minutes before opening the packet.

What To Do With Leftover Mashed Potatoes

Mashed potatoes are a favorite here, but I usually make enough to have intentional leftovers.  Here are a few ways to use those leftovers:

• Just reheat them.  I find they reheat pretty well.  Add just a little more milk if necessary.
  
  
• Freeze them.  Potatoes alone don't freeze well, but because of the butter and milk in them, mashed potatoes are great for the freezer.  Just reheat slowly in a pan or in the microwave.  They will appear watery at first, but just stir everything together and they turn out just fine.  I promise.
  
  
• Make pan-fried potato cakes.  My mom did them like this:  Mix a beaten, some salt and pepper and a little flour into leftover mashed potatoes.  Heat bacon grease in a skillet.  With floured hands, scoop up some of the potato mixture, form a patty, fry over medium heat until golden brown on both sides.  Not one to leave well enough alone, I also add things like garlic, chives, chopped bacon, chopped ham, etc.
  
  
• Use them to top a shepherds pie.  Here I've used leftover roast venison and gravy, with some frozen mixed veggies added.  I heated leftover mashed potatoes and blended in cheddar cheese and a little more milk until the mixture was smooth.  I used a pastry bag to pipe the potatoes onto the meat mixture, but a spoon works just fine. I sprinkled it all with freshly grated Parmesan cheese and baked it at 350 degrees until the potatoes were golden.  Obviously, some of them dissolved into the stew below.
  



• I still had some left, so I piped them onto a parchment covered cookie sheet, topped them with Parmesan, and baked them, also at 350 degrees, until golden.  Savory Potato Snacks!  They are crispy on the outside, soft on the inside, and at least a little better for you to snack on than potato chips.





• Do the same as above, but add an egg to the mixture, and you have Duchess Potatoes to serve as a side dish.

Carrot-Craisin Salad

I'm not much of a fan of raisins as an ingredient in other dishes, so I decided to rework the typical carrot salad with raisins.  Here is my (IMO, yummier) version using dried cranberries and carrots.  I like this recipe because I almost always have all the ingredients on hand.

Carrot-Craisin Salad

1-1/2 cup shredded carrots
1/2 cup Craisins (dried cranberries), coarsely chopped
1 clementine, peeled and chopped or equivalent of canned mandarin oranges, drained
1/3 cup mayonnaise (or to taste)
1 - 2 T. honey

Combine all ingredients in medium-sized bowl.  Stir to coat carrots and fruit well.  Chill.  Top with additional cranberries if desired.

Makes four 1/2-cup servings.