We sometimes end up with vegetables in the fridge with are in all honestly well beyond passing on. Some of the stores I collect from for the Food Bank are a bit sneaky and dump things in the bags which are well on their way to the next life!
The foundation of this was a really battered looking Cauliflower.
Ingredients:-
300g of Cauliflower florets
150g Green Beans, chopped
250g of Shallots, peeled & quartered
75g of Salt
4 Tbsp of Cornflour
75g of Sugar
1 Tsp of Turmeric
1 Tbsp of Mustard Powder
1 Tsp of Ground Ginger
500ml of Spirit Vinegar
250g of Cucumber, deseeded & sliced
Method:-
(1) Place the Vegetables in a bowl and mix in the Salt.
(2) Cover and allow to stand for 24 hours.
(3) Rinse and drain, allowing to dry.
(4) Mix the Cornflour, Mustard Powder, Sugar, Turmeric, Ginger and a little of the Vinegar.
(5) Combine into a smooth paste.
(6) Add to a pan over a low heat and gradually stir in the remaining Vinegar.
(7) Cook over a low heat until the mixture thickens.
(8) add the Vegetables and cook over a low heat for 2 to 3 minutes.
(9) Allow to cool and then add to jars.
(10) Allow to cure for 3 to 4 weeks.
We tried a bit last night and although it’s not had the 3 to 4 weeks to cure yet, it tastes remarkably good and certainly better than the store bought versions.
Lacto-Fermenation is one of the oldest food preservation methods still regularly used. It is not Witchcraft or Sorcery and it's effective tasty and pretty much bullet proof. If it tastes good, then it's good. Plus the resultant pickles have the benefit of home made probiotics. Lacto-Fermentation has nothing to do with dairy products, the lacto refers to lactic acid. All fruits and vegetables have beneficial bacteria such as Lactobacillus on the surface. In an anaerobic (oxygen-free) environment, these bacteria convert sugars into lactic acid, which inhibits harmful bacteria and acts as a preservative. It's also what gives fermented foods their characteristic sour flavour. The earliest record of fermentation dates back as far as 6000 B.C. in the Fertile Crescent -and nearly every civilization since has included at least one fermented food in its culinary heritage. From Korean kimchi and Indian chutneys to the ubiquitous sauerkraut.
This recipe uses immature marrow as it's been quite a year for marrow in the Yorkshire area, but the season is coming to an end and you might find yourself with quite a number of small marrows which either are unlikely to ripen, or you've simply had you fill of their fully grow kin! But be adventurous, almost any vegetable can be Lacto-Fermented.
Ingredients:-
8 small Marrows thinly sliced into rounds
¼ of a medium sized red onion thinly sliced
3 garlic gloves smashed
2 teaspoons of grated ginger
About a pint of water
3 tablespoons of Sea Salt. Table salt will do but the anti-caking agents will result in a cloudy solution before the process is completed.
½ teaspoon ground turmeric
Large airtight jar
Method:-
(1) Thinly slice the Marrow into rounds (Use a mandolin to get a nice even slice, but don't slice the ends off your fingers! Or in my case the palm of your hand – Don't ask...).
(2) Add the Marrow rounds to a large jar or split between smaller jars.
(3) Add the red onion, garlic and ginger.
(4) Make the salt water brine by mixing ½ cup of warm water with the salt and stir until the salt has dissolved.
(5) Add the remaining water to the salt water once the salt has dissolved. Add the turmeric and mix well.
(6) Pour the brine into the jar with the Marrow etc. There should be enough to submerge the Marrow under the brine. If not, make more brine and add it to the jar.
(7) Seal the jar and store in a cool, dry place away from direct sunlight for 3-7 days.
(8) Once the brine is cloudy, try a Marrow to see if it's ready. It should be sour and smell like pickles.
(9) Provided that the contents are submerged your pickle will last for months. Although this is unlikely unless your really don't like pickles. If this is the case you might ask yourself why you made them in the first place!
Kaszanka is a Polish blood sausage which you'll find in most Polish shops. It tastes like a cross between Black Pudding and Haggis with a slightly more moist texture. Roasted with a selection of vegetables the sausages themselves have a tendency to break down, leaving you with a very hearty 'Soup'.They generally cost a little over £2 per Kilo pack so they are less than half the cost of a British gourmet sausage and for two people you'll easily have sufficient for two good meals.
The pizza component is actually nothing more than a giant Yorkshire pudding. You can buy a Yorkshire pudding mix from most supermarkets for less than 50p and all you need to do is add a couple of eggs and water. Just make sure your oil is smoking hot!
Ingredients:-
8 thick Kaszanka Polish blood sausage
1 small Onion
1 finely chopped Carrot
2 cloves of Garlic (Crushed)
½ a shredded Savoy Cabbage
2 Vegetable stock cubes, enough to cover the Sausages
Grated Cheese (Cheddar)
For The Yorkshire Puddings (GF) A Yorkshire Pudding mix from the Supermarket will work fine if you don't need the Gluten Free version.
140g of GF plain flour
50g of Cornflour
140ml of semi skimmed Milk
3 Eggs
A dash of cold water
Sat & Pepper
Vegetable oil
Method:-
(1) Preheat the oven to 200C.
(2) Place the Sausages in an oven proof dish.
(3) Cover with the Onion, Carrots and Garlic.
(4) Add the Vegetable stock making sure the Sausages are covered.
(5) Place on the middle shelf and cook for an hour or until the Sausages have broken down completely.
(6) Allow to cool.
Giant Yorkshire Pudding:-
(1) Turn the heat up to 220C.
(2) Place vegetable oil in a baking tray and heat until smoking hot.
(3) Add the Eggs to the Milk and whisk.
(4) Mix the GF Flour and Cornflour and season with Salt and Pepper.
(5) Add the Flour mix a little at a time to the Egg and Milk mix whisking it as you go.
(6) You should aim for a smooth runny texture.
(7) Add straight to the hot Oil and place on the top shelf of the oven for about 30 minutes. Until the Yorkshire Pudding has risen and golden brown.
(8) In a large pan reheat the Sausage mixture adding a little water if it seems too thick.
(9) Add the shredded Cabbage and simmer for about 10 minutes until the Cabbage has softened.
(10) Remove the Yorkshire Pudding from the oven and add the Sausage mixture to the middle.
(11) Heat the grill.
(12) Sprinkle grated Cheese over the Sausage mixture and place under the grill until it melts. Take care not to burn the top of the Yorkshire Pudding.
Cut and serve with vegetables of your choice. We had Cauliflower Cheese, Mustard mashed Potatoes and fried root vegetables.