Canning mayhem....

It has been non stopping canning for the past week (fermenting, pickling, jamming, jellying...)

Let me share with you one of my favourite recipes:

Pickled beans (awesome in a bloody mary!)
- 2 pounds green & yellow beans beans, fresh, trimmed
- 4-8 bulbs garlic, 2 per jar or adjust to taste
- 4 sprigs dill, adjust to taste
- 1/4 cup salt
- 2 1/2 cups vinegar (cider or white)
- 2 1/2 cups water
- 1 pretty hot pepper
- 16 peppercorns
- 8 cloves
- slice of lemon per jar (optional)


Serving Description: makes 4 pints or 2 quarts
Prep Time: 30 minutes
Cook Time: 15 minutes

- Sterlize jars

- Place 1 to 2 heads (whole bulbs) of garlic and 1 to 2 sprigs of dill in hot pint jars. Pack beans lengthwise in hot jars, leaving 1/4-inch head space. Add pepper if desired.

- Combine water, vinegar and salt. Bring to a full boil. Pour boiling mixture into jars filled with beans, leaving 1/4-inch head space. Add peppercorns & cloves.

Wipe top edge of jar and place warmed lid on the jar. Add the band and tighten. Process 10 minutes in a boiling water bath. Remove and set on racks to cool. Do not set directly on a counter top after removing from hot water bath.
Allow at least 2 weeks for flavors to develop before eating.

REAL dill pickles- Lactic Acid style

Ingredients:

5 pounds of small organic cucumbers, unwaxed and unwashed. (fresh & crisp!) (ideally 2 to 4 inches long)
1 head organic garlic
3 dried sprigs of dill weed with heads
1 cup unrefined sea salt
16 cups of water (filtered)
10 peppercorns
6 liter glass jar or crock (Medalta crock # 3 will hold 5 to 10 lbs. of cukes


Soak (but do not scrub) cucumbers in very cold water for 5 minutes.Use hands to loosen any dirt. Clean and scald a very clean glass jar or crock with boiling water. Arrange cucumbers vertically in layers, inserting garlic cloves and dill weed here and there. Do not pack tightly.

Add salt to filtered or spring water and stir and dissolve. (no need to heat water) Pour brine over cucumbers and add peppercorns.

Cover and place in a cool, dark place to ferment.(Long cool fermentation creates the best tasting and best keeping dill pickles.

After 1 week, the cucumbers will be semi cured; some prefer them that way. However, it is only after 3-4 weeks that they become fully cured pickles (without pale areas, completely translucent green). Once a week scoop the scum (kahm yeast) that forms on top, and discard.

Pickles may be placed in smaller jars that are more convenient for storage. Scald 3 or 4 quart jars, pour off and strain pickling juice (discarding garlic and dill weed). Transfer pickles, fill quart jars with strained liquid, cover, and refrigerate.

Naturally fermented pickles will keep easily for a whole year (they acquire more taste as they age). In the middle of winter they will light up your tastebuds and provide delicious fixin's for sandwiches, and keep your digestion happy. Enjoy!

Pickle inspiration

This past weekend, my pal Susie and I flew to California, with a brief stay in San Fran and then down to Esalen Institute for 3 nights. It was an epic trip not only for the basking in the moonlit hot springs and yoga, but because we drove 20 miles across the bridge to Berkeley, for a side bar voyage to a legendary pickle shop.

I happened across the "Cultured Pickle shop" via a Diane a food blogger, writer and community food activist. She sent me this video and ever since, Alex Hozven, the chef/ pickler has been a celebrity of types in my world.

While there, I ogled her shop, the casks of fermenting cabbage, beets, seaweed, turnups, carrots and the 10 gallon glass tanks of fermenting kombucha that lined the walls were enough bring me to sheer joy. Cultured products like this are sold in store, to local restaurants & farmers markets (lucky bay area!)
Susie & I shared strawberry turnip kombucha & sassafras ginger kombucha.

Watch & enjoy.

Cots

My favourite thing to do with apricots is straight up fresh dried apricots...all season long. (They also make really decent smoothies.


My dehydrator of choice is Nesco's American Harvest, is was $60 at London Drugs.