Simple Ways to Preserve Nature’s Garden Bounty
As leaves begin to flitter from the trees, the brisk breeze and waning sunshine remind us that colder, snuggle-up weather is on its way. Now is the moment to make plans to stock up your freezer, fridge and pantry with the bumper crops from your home garden, overflow from Community Supported Agriculture (CSA) shares, green grocer sales or case discounts at the farmers market. Not only will you be preserving the freshest, most nutrient-rich foods, you will save some hard-earned income too.
Depending on your food supply, energy level and storage capacity, you could potentially enjoy your stash through winter’s end. While there are many methods of preserving produce, we will focus on the three time-honored traditional methods of freezing, dehydrating and fermenting as they apply to a handful of the most used and best loved ingredients. These will make the biggest difference to your family in time and money savings.
Table of Contents:
Three Great Ways to Preserve
Dehydration
Lacto-Fermentation
Produce Preservation in Action
Luscious Tomatoes
Preserving Greens
Summer Squash & Zucchini
Late Summer & Fall Berries
Sidebars:
Zucchini Relish
Recipes Using Frozen & Dehydrated Tomatoes
BPA in Cans: What to Do
Homemade Fruit Leather
THREE GREAT WAYS TO PRESERVE
Freezing is a quick and nutrient-protective technique to preserve foods. As Carol Hupping explains in her classic work Stocking Up, “a general rule to remember is that those vegetables most suited for freezing are those that are usually cooked before serving.” Vegetables that fall into this category include asparagus, beets, cauliflower, broccoli, peas, carrots, spinach and other greens. Many fruits freeze well too—if done correctly, that is, by processing foods as soon as possible after harvest or purchase, steam blanching instead of immersing in boiling water, and, at serving time, thawing frozen foods in the fridge instead of on the kitchen counter. With these measures to reduce cellular breakdown, freezing will do the best job of maintaining nutrient levels, such as vitamin C.1 As a general rule, most fruits and vegetables last up to twelve months in the freezer, but for specific vegetables, it may be helpful to keep a copy of a book on the subject handy in your kitchen, such as Keeping it Fresh by Janet Bailey.
Making frozen foods taste as good as fresh takes a bit of finagling. There are two factors to contend with when freezing your harvest: enzymes and water. Blanching is usually necessary to destroy the vegetable’s enzymes that cause foods to grow and mature, which, if not deactivated, will continue to do their job, causing frozen vegetables to become tough, off-flavored and discolored. The second issue is the water that makes up a vast proportion of your produce; in fact, this water within the plant cells is really what we are freezing. Commercial food is flash frozen, a faster process than can be achieved with the typical home freezer; however, there are some tricks to make home freezing as close as possible to the more desirable flash freezing.
When food is frozen slowly, bulky, jagged-edged ice crystals form inside the food. When thawed, these large ice crystals rupture the cell walls, leaving a mushy mess. Freezing quickly, to as low a temperature as possible, makes for smaller ice crystals, less cell wall damage, and a firmer, more flavorful end product. To freeze foods as quickly as possible, try one or all of these steps: freeze goods on a flat baking sheet before storing in a bag or container; turn down the thermostat in your freezer for a few hours before storing your new harvest; and package in smaller portions. To keep frozen foods at their best, store at 0° F or lower.
DEHYDRATION
Drying, similar to freezing in nutrient preservation, offers more variety in food texture and portability. Removing the moisture from food also discourages the growth of germs and molds, lending itself to long-term storage for both veggies and fruits. On average, four pounds of fresh food yields one pound dried. Drying raw vegetables works, but the enzymes not destroyed during drying may cause a dramatic loss in flavor. This loss can be reduced by blanching first, which unfortunately adds more steps to the process.
The authors of Preserving Food without Freezing or Canning say “while they surely were unaware of vitamins, through intuition and experience our ancestors discovered that drying is suitable for only a few types of vegetables. On the other hand, it is perfectly effective for most fruits, mushrooms, certain herbs and fish.”
Vegetables that can be chopped and dried fairly well include onions, leeks and zucchini (this makes more of a zucchini chip), but in general, vegetables are best frozen or fermented.2 Many fruits dry well, as their high acidity aids in preserving their flavor and nutrition. Fortunately for our taste buds, one of the easiest ways to dry fruits is to make fruit leathers (see recipe on page 68). A dehydrator made specifically for drying foods is ideal, but not necessary. It offers more consistent results and a larger drying area, with racks and temperature controls.
LACTO-FERMENTATION
Lactic acid fermentation maintains the flavor of vegetables beautifully, while improving their nutritional worth with lovely, life-giving beneficial bacteria. During the active fermentation process, lactic acid-producing bacteria transform starches and sugars within the food into lactic acid. This preserves the food, making it practical for peoples long ago without today’s more modern perservation options. What traditional cultures didn’t necessarily know is that the enzymes and lactobacilli naturally found on these foods rapidly reproduce, producing a super-charged, super-alive, super-food loaded with gut-loving bacteria and more vitamins and minerals than when raw.
Lacto-fermented foods encourage digestion and absorption of nutrients, build the good bacterial ecology in the gut, boost immunity, assist in detoxification and taste delicious! This process is perfect for vegetables. The nitty-gritty ins-and-outs of fermentation can wait for another article, but the basic concept goes like this: take shredded veggies, often cabbage (to make sauerkraut), and submerge them under liquid or the vegetables’ own juices released from its cell walls by pounding with a mallet, always with added salt. Salt helps draw out the liquid from the vegetables as well as inhibits the growth of unwanted bacteria.
The mix is often weighted down, and it is closed up in an airtight container, wherein the naturally present bacteria are allowed to work their magic at room temperature (approximately 72 degrees) for three to five days; warmer temps speed up the process. The final result should be tangy, soft and delicious. As Sally Fallon Morell says in Nourishing Traditions, “The occasional batch that goes bad presents no danger—the smell will be so awful that nothing could persuade you to eat it.” Once fermented to your liking, the veggies are ready to be stored in the refrigerator, slowing the process down and aging your concoction to perfection, with a shelf-life of at least eight months.
Your efforts will be well rewarded with a long supply of fermented goodness, as it is best used in small, condiment-sized amounts. For in-depth instruction on fermenting and tasty recipes, check out these sources for recipes and advice: Nourishing Traditions by Sally Fallon and Mary Enig, as well as www.westonaprice.org, The Body Ecology Diet by Donna Gates and her website www.bodyecology.com; Wild Fermentation by Sandor Katz and his website www.wildfermentation.com; and other wonderful blogs and websites found on the internet expounding on personal fermentation experiences that offer hours of perusing fun, such as The Nourishing Gourmet (www.thenourishing-gourmet.com) or The Nourished Kitchen (www.nourishedkitchen.com).
PRODUCE PRESERVATION IN ACTION
There are many ways to preserve foods and this article merely scratches the surface of possibilities. Each method has its own pluses and minuses with different foods; however, finding what works for your family’s taste preferences, storage space and allotted time is the real objective. The following information may inspire one or two fresh ideas.
LUSCIOUS TOMATOES
Tomatoes are quite versatile, and homegrown tomatoes are one of the finest tasting foods on the planet. But depending on where you reside (such as at nine thousand feet in Colorado where I am), growing them can take some work. Luckily tomatoes are frequently found at reasonable case pricing at local farmers markets.
Tomatoes lend themselves to all three of our preserving methods. Although canning tomatoes is most common, freezing them is easier and less time consuming. Simply remove the core and freeze them whole on cookie sheets; once hard, transfer to freezer bags for more economical storage. Coincidentally, freezing tomatoes cracks their skin, which makes for easy removal with a little rubbing and warm water. Although freezing changes their texture, they are still enormously useful in cooked dishes.
Incidentally, the total antioxidant levels found in tomatoes cooked for a half hour are 62 percent higher than in raw.3 Frozen tomatoes can be used to make a lovely pasta or pizza sauce (see recipe below) in the crockpot with sautéed onions, herbs and spices or a creamy butternut squash and tomato bisque. Use them for chili, goulash, basil meatballs in tomato sauce, sloppy joes, ketchup or tomato paste. Another option is to pre-make sauces and pastes with fresh tomatoes, soups, and tomato paste, and freeze them for later use.
Dehydrating fresh tomatoes is an age-old process, as their high acidity makes them perfect for this method. They are tangy and delicious on pizza, in sauces, chopped in salads or pulled right from the bag as a treat and are easy to make at home (see recipe below).
And tomatoes can be fermented. Making multiple batches of ripe-from- the-vine cultured tomato salsa is a wonderful way to preserve tomatoes (see recipe in Nourishing Traditions). (Note: I have successfully used unpeeled Roma tomatoes with this recipe to eliminate the extra peeling step).
Long ago, ketchup was a fermented condiment (not even originally containing tomato at all!) and slowly evolved into what we know today. Sally Fallon Morell gives us a short and sweet history in Nourishing Traditions, “Ketchup provides us with an excellent example of a condiment that was formerly fermented and therefore health promoting, but whose benefits were lost with large scale canning methods and a reliance on sugar rather than lactic acid as a preservative. The word ‘ketchup’ derives from the Chinese Amoy dialect ke-tsiap or pickled fish-brine or sauce, the universal condiment of the ancient world. The English added foods like mushrooms, walnuts, cucumbers and oysters to this fermented brew; Americans added tomatoes from Mexico to make tomato ketchup.”
If you haven’t yet, be sure to make the time to try the fermented ketchup recipe in Nourishing Traditions. Not only is the taste far superior to store-bought products, the fermentation gives it a significant nutritional advantage. Two ketchup tips: if kids will be partaking, consider going easy on the garlic and cayenne; and use frozen tomatoes to make the base tomato paste (see recipe on page 66).
PRESERVING GREENS
Spinach, mustard greens, collard greens, kale, and Swiss chard all freeze well. Pick them young and tender and discard over-mature, fibrous stems (keep normal stems), wilted leaves or those with discoloration or insect damage. Wash thoroughly in cold water, but don’t dry. Now it’s time to blanch.
To steam blanch vegetables have a bowl of washed, chopped, wet greens, a large pot with boiling water with a steamer basket that fits inside (preferably with a handle) and a large bowl of half water/half ice nearby. Approximately an inch over the steaming water, suspend your basket filled with greens, steam for up to three minutes for the hardier greens (collards) and one to two minutes for softer (spinach). Water blanching is also an option: take a pair of long-handled tongs, clamp a bunch of un-chopped greens, submerge and hold them under boiling salted water for the same amount of time as mentioned above for steaming. Pull them out and immediately dunk into the ice water (stopping the cooking process so they are not fully cooked). Once cool, dry with paper towels, chop if necessary and freeze. Use these nutritional emerald green gems in dips, casseroles, soups, smoothies and sauces.
Greens ferment brilliantly, in fact, this preserving method is ideal for the hardier, more difficult-to-digest choices such as kale and collards. Fermentation begins the breakdown of fibrous leaves, while advancing their enzyme activity and making them easier to digest. Consider commingled greens with lively combinations, such as cabbage, carrots, kale and Granny Smith apples—be creative!
Herbs are most often dried, which renders them convenient, but lacking in much of the flavor of fresh. Depending on your cooking plans, a wonderfully convenient flavor-retaining way to store herbs is in frozen cubes. Carol Hupping, author of Stocking Up, and her research team discovered that quickly blanching fresh herbs before freezing resulted in superior taste and flavor over tossing raw herbs straight into the freezer. And fortunately, it is easier than you might think. De-stem and mince your herbs of choice—basil, coriander, chives, oregano, dill, thyme—and press into ice cube trays, cover with boiling water to lightly blanch and pop into the freezer. Once frozen, store in freezer bags and add to soups, stews, roasts and sauces all year long. (Note: consider using BPA-free plastic, stainless steel or silicone ice cube trays, especially because of the heat being applied.)
SUMMER SQUASH AND ZUCCHINI
Summer squash is a wildly prolific crop. Even just one plant in a home garden can yield more than a family can use, so after you have bestowed your friends with their fill, consider implementing our three preserving methods to the leftovers. Let’s begin with freezing, which offers many choices. Simply cut your summer squash into rounds and freeze on cookie sheets before transferring to freezer bags. To cook, try sautéing with butter and garlic until the water evaporates, but be aware, a squash’s texture is altered with freezing so it will be softer than fresh. You can also shred the squash and freeze in desired quantities for breads, muffins and soups. And zucchini purée makes a wonderful base for soups; just cook it down with a little water, herbs and spices of your choice, blend and freeze. Squash can be dehydrated with relative success and does better with a quick blanching first, unless you are making chips, then bypass blanching and dry raw. Take a look at Donna Gates’ recipe for Veggie Chips under the recipe section at www.bodyecology.com for inspiration. Use dried squash in soups and casseroles. Fermenting squash also works; however, its texture tends to be mushy. One experiment worth trying is Zucchini Relish (see recipe on page 65). With its tangy bite and burst of flavor, it’s a winner.
LATE SUMMER AND FALL BERRIES
Berries can be easily frozen on cookie sheets before storing so they don’t clump together, no blanching needed. But they also freeze very nicely in purées (for later use as pancake or waffle topping) and stirred into ice cream before freezing. As for dehydrating, the aforementioned mouthwatering leathers (see recipe below) are my personal preference, but blueberries and strawberries can be dehydrated whole. However, their skin needs to be cracked so the moisture can escape. This can be done through a quick blanching or slice with a sharp knife.
Extending the abundance of fall doesn’t require much extra effort. Preserving your nutrient-rich bounty can be simple and mesh nicely with your family’s needs. Start with your go-to ingredients, items you are sure to use again and again. With each new harvest season branch out and try something different to add to your repertoire. Your busy schedule the rest of the year will thank you, your family’s tummies will gurgle with delight, and your wallet will be a little fatter for your troubles.
REFERENCES
1. Hupping, Carol. Stocking Up, The Classic Preserving Guide. 3rd ed. Fireside Books, 1990. pp. 43-44
2. Gardeners and Farmers of Terre Vivante. Preserving Food without Freezing or Canning. 2006. Chelsea Green Publishing Company. pp. 27-28
3. Hai Liu, Rui M.D. CU research: Cooking tomatoes boosts disease-fighting, nutritional value. Published in The Journal of Agriculture and Food Chemistry April 17, 2002. Information found at http://www.news.cornell.edu/Chronicle/02/4.25.02/tomato_research.html
4. Conversation with Cascadian Farms customer representative regarding Muir Glen products, June 30, 2011. http://www.muirglen.com/ 1-800-624-4123
SIDEBARS
ZUCCHINI RELISH
1 large or 2 small zucchini
1/2 sweet red pepper
1 small onion
1 clove garlic, mashed
1/4 teaspoon each of spices such as ground mustard, Chinese five-spice powder, ground allspice, ground cumin
1 tablespoon sea salt
1 oak or grape leaf, optional
Scoop out the zucchini seeds and discard; process zucchini, red pepper, onion and garlic through the grater attachment of a food processor (or grate by hand). Add sea salt until it is flavorful to you. Toss in an oak or grape leaf—the tannin in the leaf helps the resulting ferment keep a firmer texture. Stir in the spices and press down in your glass container until the juices come up over the top of the mixture. Keep the veggies down with a weight of some type, maybe clean marbles, and put on a tight lid. Allow relish to sit out at room temperatures for 3 to 5 days, depending on how warm it is. Keep checking your relish; it is done when it has a tangy taste and smell. This relish is reminiscent of salsa, so try it on top of tacos, eggs, or guacamole. Recipe created by Amelia Meister, author of www.everydayinfinity.com.
RECIPES USING FROZEN and DEHYDRATED TOMATOES
PIZZA/PASTA SAUCE FROM FROZEN TOMATOES: Much like many typical sauce recipes, this formula is forgiving and flexible for all occasions. Take approximately 4 to 5 pounds of frozen tomatoes from the freezer, run them under warm water and rub the skins off. Toss the skinless tomatoes in a large crockpot or pot on the stove. Sauté 2 large onions in 3 or 4 tablespoons olive oil until soft. Add 4 to 6 cloves garlic and cook for another minute or two. Add herbs: basil, oregano and thyme (maybe a little pesto if you have some), and don’t be shy with quantities (about 1 to 2 tablespoons fresh, 1 to 2 teaspoons dried). Sprinkle on 1 teaspoon sea salt and a little pepper to taste and 1 teaspoon or more of evaporated cane juice sugar to balance the acidity of the tomatoes. Simmer until the sauce reaches desired consistency (1 to 2 hours), stirring occasionally to break the tomatoes apart. Consider embellishing this recipe with 1 cup of organic red wine, replace an onion with several leeks, add fresh or roasted red peppers, toss in a handful of sundried tomatoes (see below) or 1 cup puréed zucchini or butternut squash.
“SUN-DRIED” TOMATOES: Although called “sun-dried,” most dehydrated tomatoes are not produced from the sun’s rays. Take any quantity of ripe, yet firm tomatoes (Roma or paste tomatoes are best because of their thicker, meatier walls, fewer seeds and less water). Cut the tomatoes in half lengthwise, or thirds if large, and remove the stem and any bruised or soft areas. They will shrink to approximately one quarter their original size. If using a dehydrator, simply spread the tomatoes evenly on dehydrator trays, sprinkle with sea salt and any herbs of choice, set to around 120˚F and dry for up to 24 hours. The end product should be leathery and pliable, not brittle. Although an oven doesn’t produce as consistent results as a dehydrator, it still works. When done, store in airtight storage containers (careful to remove extra air). The tomatoes can be kept at room temperature for a few days, but for longer storage, the freezer is best (for up to 12 months) just in case there is a touch of moisture remaining, making a breeding ground for mold. To soften, soak dried tomatoes in equal parts boiling water and vinegar for a few minutes, then drain. Use as is or drench in olive oil, herbs and garlic and marinate in the fridge for a day or so before eating.
TOMATO PASTE: Toss frozen tomatoes into a pot with some optional chopped onions. Cook them until mushy and blend with handheld blender or transfer to standing blender. Return mixture to pot and add salt and pepper to taste and herbs if desired. Boil down, stirring frequently until it is smooth and a concentrated paste (about an hour). Add honey or other sweetener to temper the acidity, using approximately one teaspoon for every two cups of paste. Paste can be re-frozen if needed.
BPA IN CANS: WHAT TO DO
The use of commercially canned tomatoes, while convenient, is problematical as the plastic lining used by many brands contains the resin bisphenol-A (or BPA), a nasty chemical with synthetic estrogen-like properties linked to reproductive troubles, heart issues and obesity, among other problems. The acidity of tomatoes encourages more BPA-leaching from the plastic lining than do other foods, and it is this same acidity that makes BPA-free lining alternatives for this particular food a challenge.
Nevertheless, BPA-free canned foods are becoming available. For example, Muir Glen’s newer products, with expiration date March 2013 and later, have a new vinyl-based lining with an orange tint (compared to the BPA-containing clear enamel).4 However, it remains to be seen whether these liners produce their own health problems.
Glass-bottled commercial tomatoes are also a choice and probably the safest—tomato paste and purée can be found in glass, and Eden Organic has developed a line of bottled tomatoes in amber glass, which prevents the damaging effects of light and Bionaturae provides tomato paste in glass jars. But now that you know about the ease of freezing your own supply of tomatoes, it may be your new best (and cost effective) option!
HOMEMADE FRUIT LEATHER
Take any desired ripe fruit (apricots, pears, peaches, apples, berries, plums, grapes, etc.), peel only when necessary (such as in pineapple and banana), wash, cut out any bruised areas and remove any pits, stems, or cores, then cut into chunks. Purée fruits together, using water if needed, to reach an applesauce-like consistency. The fruits can also be cooked first (simmered in a little water, about a half cup for 4 cups chopped fruit, for 10 to 15 minutes, covered), which intensifies the flavor a bit and eliminates any enzymes or bacteria that may cause trouble later.
Add extracts, spices (cinnamon and nutmeg are usually winners) or herbs to complement and enhance the flavor of your leather. Some leather-connoisseurs like adding a little lemon juice (one to two teaspoons) to prevent the fruit from darkening. Spread leather approximately ¼ inch thick onto dehydrator tray. Depending on consistency and thickness, dry up to 20 hours, until it peels easily from the sheet. For faster results, once one side is dry, flip it. Leather inspiration:
• Add a cup of homemade yogurt or cottage cheese for a unique texture and a nutritional boost.
• Consider squash—such as butternut or pumpkin—to smooth out a fruit combination.
• Try dehydrating pudding, a favorite smoothie recipe or even a pasta/pizza sauce for easy storage and a unique sandwich
fixing.
• Include chopped dates, dried coconut, or ground crispy nuts or seeds or a scoop of almond butter to add texture to
your mix.
• Intensify the flavor with grated lemon, orange or lime peel.
• Some combo ideas: 3 cups chopped apricots, 3 cups chopped plums; 4 cups mashed bananas, 2 cups chopped pineapple,
handful of dried coconut; 3 cups chopped apple, 3 cups cooked pumpkin purée, season with cinnamon, ginger,
allspice, cloves; 4 cups chopped strawberries, 2 cups chopped cooked rhubarb.
REFERENCES
1. Hupping, Carol. Stocking Up, The Classic Preserving Guide. 3rd ed. Fireside Books, 1990. pp. 43-44
2. Gardeners and Farmers of Terre Vivante. Preserving Food without Freezing or Canning. 2006. Chelsea Green Publishing Company. pp. 27-28
3. Hai Liu, Rui M.D. CU research: Cooking tomatoes boosts disease-fighting, nutritional value. Published in The Journal of Agriculture and Food Chemistry April 17, 2002. Information found at http://www.news.cornell.edu/Chronicle/02/4.25.02/tomato_research.html
4. Conversation with Cascadian Farms customer representative regarding Muir Glen products, June 30, 2011. http://www.muirglen.com/ 1-800-624-4123
This article appeared in Wise Traditions in Food, Farming and the Healing Arts, the quarterly magazine of the Weston A. Price Foundation, Fall 2011.
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Just for your entertainment, I remember a song on the radio (it was about zucchini): “Ten little seeds are all that you need To feed five hundred and three.”
Canning good for anything?
Hi Jen, I’m curious to know if there are any foods that are considered okay to can by WAPF standards. I recieved a very nice canner as a wedding gift and want to be able to use it. What about broth?
Hi Julia — doesn’t look like anyone in 5 years has answered you, so I’ll at least acknowledge your question. I have been someone who cans most of my adult life, canning both purchased produce in season and from my own garden. The canning process as we know it was not widely available before the previous century, so is not traditionally Weston A Price. However, today’s canning methods are better than NOT eating fresh and local produce in season, IMHO. Fresh and local is best, lacto fermented or dried is next best, conventional home canning is next I guess, and canned from the grocery store is least nutritious of all, I imagine. And of course, starvation is no bueno.
Cleansing and detox tips
All these tips about healthy living are great. You should also check out this post containing 101 healthy detox tips – http://www.justcleansing.com/101-detox-tips/. Good luck!