What are you preserving at the moment?

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uli, Dec 28, 3:18pm
Yep that is how cooked beetroot tastes.
Not so obvious when it is pickled.

Try grating it raw (very finely) then add a grated apple or two (grated more coarsely and mix in a dressing of half mayo half greek yoghurt with salt and pepper. You might enjoy that much more.

destiny6nz, Dec 28, 3:22pm
that sounds nice. Im going to try that

nauru, Dec 28, 4:41pm
Roasted beetroot is lovely but tastes entirely different to pickled.Beetroot is also very nice, grated raw with a balsamic dressing. Sometimes I also add a little chopped mint to the dressing.

samanya, Dec 28, 5:20pm
I'd love to know the method to salt runner beans .can vaguely remember my mother doing it, but I have no idea how to go about it.
I'm OK for the glut of other beans I will have, but froze some runners last year & ended up biffing them, they were inedible, even though they were frozen young.

uli, Dec 28, 5:40pm
If you want to freeze beans then you need to cook them - not just blanching.

I make a nice stew with onions, bacon, tomato, pepper and green beans. I always make huge quantities if we have surplus beans then freeze all the leftovers. Works great. If you just blanch them they will come out rubbery and tasteless.

Try out a small portion and then defrost after a week or two to see if you like the result.

uli, Dec 28, 5:43pm
Try this from river cottage:
Top and tail them, taking off strings if they have them. Put a layer of salt in an earthenware crock, then a layer of beans, then salt, going on like this, adding as you get the beans picked. The salt will draw the moisture from the beans and turn into a saline slution, which preserves the beans. They need a good long soak and wash before using, but cook as normal fresh beans.

Personally I think they would ferment like sauerkraut and not taste like fresh beans at all.

pickles7, Dec 28, 6:23pm
We don't mind the beans that I freeze. I slice as to cook, put them in a plastic bag, microwave 3 minutes, being careful not to burn myself I remove the bag, remove the air [ I use two clean tea towels], tie a knot in the bag and then place the bag in a basin of cold water. We ran out of beans last year, so that is a indication they were ok. I must have frozen 30 meal lots.
I think it is safer to freeze them over bottling them. I am not sure of the salting method myself.

samanya, Dec 28, 7:53pm
Thanks folk, much appreciated .I will give both methods a go & see how they turn out as I'm going to have heaps of runner beans in a few weeks.
It's only runner beans that I've had a problem with freezing.

ldbaqbeak, Dec 28, 7:58pm
Are you able to post that recipe please!
I'd really appreciate it.

bedazzledjewels, Dec 31, 6:42am
Bump for the salsa. I'm going to bottle different coloured capsicums this week sometime. Found a nice Digby Law recipe. Must buy his book!