Tonight saw myself and my daughter Grace sat at the kitchen table for two very different reasons. She has come down with a rotten blocked up nose and tonight has a cough that's hurting her chest. Whilst I started the preserving, she sat with her head over a bowl of hot water that I'd added a good few drops of eucalyptus oil. It helped somewhat but she still looks like Rudolf and is feeling sorry for herself.
It's ironic that I was preserving chillis which can make your eyes and nose run more than any cold does! Tonight's recipes are super quick and easy which were just what I needed as I had also pencilled in weeding the veg plot.
Starting with chilli oil I washed about 16 or so chillis and dried them off. I put them into 2 sterilised jars with a teaspoon of black peppercorns. I heated up 1 litre of olive oil to 40C and then poured it over the chillis.
Turns out I only needed 1 jar so it all got tipped into 1. Looks pretty. I'll leave it 2 weeks then decant into small clip top bottles for the Christmas hampers.
I am probably going to freezer the chillis after the 2 weeks and use them in cooking maybe? Any ideas?
The next quick preserve I did was to freeze the chillis. Apparently they hold their heat very well but maybe not their shape however as they'll go on pizza or pasta dishes, it doesn't matter. I also froze some runner beans as they're coming thick and fast. I didn't blanch them as I've read people doing it successfully without blanching.
Instead of open freezing them I just threw them all in the bag and I'll keep scrunching it up when they're freezing so it'll be easy to use them as needed.
Finally I put 3 trays of chillis in the dehydrator. Apparently you only need to pierce the skins a few times and let them dry out so let's see. Once they're dry they should keep for a good while and some people even use them to decorate the kitchen at Christmas!
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ReplyDeleteHI Tracy
ReplyDeleteI have just responded to your post and lost the lot so will start again.
Starting with the runner beans my mum never blanched them and just froze them in bags. I used to think the flavour was better as a result of this method of freezing them. The same with leeks too cut into rings. You can just add a few at a time this way.
For preparing the beans though I use an old fashioned bean slicer which in effect shreds the beans.same effect as the runner beans sold by M & S. The slicer itself is a little square block of pkastic wit metal bladed in the square. You can still buy them new. I also have a bean slicer which in effect is a habd cranked machine ideal gor dealu g wuth a glut. It procdsdes the bezns very much i the same way you have prepared yours.
With regards to the chillis; chllli jam and jelly are good ones to do as is harissa. Sweet and sour sauce is also a good one to prepare.
I dry my chillis by air drying. I string them with the aid of a bodkin and a length of string quie tightly togethrr and then hang them off my two Welsh Dressers to dry. It is these air dried chillis tha I use in my home made pickled onions. Chillis also make a good partner for chocolate as an sddition and also chocolate brownies. Can also be added to chutneys and also to a bottle of vodka to add to bloody Marys or to a bottle of sherry and then use a little to pep up gravy or sauces. If yiu have jalapenos you could also pickle them. Hope Graces cold is better soon. Might be woth making some elderberry rob for the winter months to help soothe the throat. Catch you soon. Pattypan x
Hi Tricia, I read this post last week and didn't get time to respond right away but thank you as always for taking the time to respond. Especially when you lost the first one! The same thing happened to Louise. So frustrating.
DeleteThe runner beans and leek information is good to know. I'm not holding out much hope for the white cabbage I Blanched then froze as I've defrosted some and it's very watery! I digress.
Sweet and sour sauce is something I've still never done and funnily enough, my lovely nana only just told me the other night that she likes sweet and sour so I may try it. The rest of the chillis are on their way to ripening so I'll keep you posted, thank you. I think I will try the chilli vodka to warm me up on a winter night when I've been out to lock up in the cold. I don't have enough jalapeños to pickle tho sadly.
Definitely going to do the elderberries for vitamin boost, thanks for the reminder xx
Sweet chilli sauce has become one of our favorites here I also string them up air dry them then blitz them down in the food processor to use as dried flakes.
ReplyDeleteI think that will be the best option for the purple chilies as there aren't enough to do much else with them unfortunately.
DeleteChilli flakes and powder sounds good thank you Dawn. I'll have to message you re the sweet chilli recipe as I can't find one that's simple and sweet.
DeleteBest of luck lou xx
Great colours on the chillis. Advice please, My purple chllis are growing well but not sure how big they should be; I only have about 4 on the plant. I'd love to make sweet chilli sauce; do the piquant peppers turn from green?
ReplyDeleteThe piquants turn red yes and I would say (but will stand corrected) that the size they are now at this time in the year, will be full size and they'll just colour up now. You can use chillis any time tho I think, they just get hotter the longer they're on the plant? That's my understanding at least. Sorry for the delayed reply xx
DeleteI am freezing my hot peppers this week. I make jam and use them for making hot sauce etc. I didn't grow chili peppers, but have habaneros, hot banana and jalapenos.
ReplyDeleteI think I'll definitely put more thought into what varieties next year as they seem to pretty much look after themselves. I'll take a look for your recipes if you've them on your blog, thanks kristina
DeleteWe freeze our chillies whole then bag up and use them for cooking e rest of the year. They do retain their heat. I take them out as I need them and chop them while still frozen and cook with them in the usual way. I notice you have also grown Hungarian Hot Wax. I find this a very successful one to grow being prolific and on the larger side. It's a milder chilli and if you scrape out the seeds it can be used raw for a little bit of extra bite.
ReplyDeleteGood idea to freeze while thank you. Yes the hot wax are my favourite I think as they're mild enough and very prolific. I've kept some seeds to hopefully grow from next year.
DeleteI make tomato chilli jam which we love. I also dry them and give them as presents.
ReplyDeleteThat's a new variation to me, I'll look that up as sounds lovely. Thanks Tania. Love the idea of presents. Home made Christmas all the way for me!
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