I found a recipe for "Vegetable Medley" in Preserving Food without Freezing or Canning and it just fit the bill. Basically, you slice up your vegetables (they mention zucchini, cucumber, eggplant, pepper, carrot, turnip, cauliflower, broccoli)
Sorry, I really don't know why my computer keeps rotating photos. It drives me bonkers.
Then you chop up some herbs and mix them with seeds (I used dill, but they also mention coriander and juniper berries)
As this is an experiment, I threw in a bit of everything - oregano, sage, basil, thai basil, thyme and lemon thyme. Oh, and one sprig of winter savory which I have never even used before, so that should be interesting.
Then you boil the veg in vinegar for one to three minutes (hence, laying them out in order of "crispness") and then drain off the vinegar, layer the veg with the chopped mixed herbs that have been mixed with the seeds, and some course salt and then cover the whole lot with oil (I used olive) and put in a cool place (for me, that is the fridge...we do not have a root cellar - yet).
Now I have to wait a month or two to test it (and they say it will last a year). They suggest, maybe, over some couscous.
The whole book I find is more of "instructions" than recipes. There are very few times where they list quantities, so everything I have made from it so far is quite an experiment. It should make for an interesting winter.
Also today, the blackberries have started bearing fruit, so I am freezing them in pans in the freezer a bit at a time until I have enough to "do something with". On the right is some lamb's quarters leaves that I will freeze also a bit at a time until I have a bag full and can use them up in something as well. I am told they are a power house of nutrition.
Linking up with Laura William's Musings for Carnival of Home Preserving on Friday.
What a great idea! I don't typically can a little at a time, just because it takes so long to get the canner ready etc. But, if you aren't actually having to boil water, then maybe it would work out ok. I tend to try and freeze a lot of stuff, and I can do that a little at a time. I tend to order large amounts of food at once from local farmers and then make a weekend of it :-) My garden is pretty much a sorry state at this point. Tomatoes/peppers/jalapenos/carrots are doing well, everything else...well I would rather not talk about it ;-) Looks like you are doing a great job in preparing for winter!
ReplyDeleteThis sounds easy and yummy. Thank you for sharing this at the Carnival of Home Preserving! Good luck on meeting your challenge!
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