Tag Archives: Storage Tips

Gazpacho And Storage Tips

Posted on August 25, 2017 by Matt E.

Here are some quick storage tips and a recipe for gazpacho which utilizes several of our veggies at distribution. This is a great way to use your tomatoes if you don’t have the time to make sauce. Enjoy!

Corn: Store uncovered in the fridge with husks still remaining. Cooler temperatures below 40 degrees will prevent the sugars in the corn from turning to starch.

Tomatoes: Here is some interesting information I read regarding storing tomatoes. Many people have experimented with the effect of this, and have found that it is best to only store fully ripe tomatoes in the fridge, and anything less than fully ripe in a cooler environment between 55 and 70 degrees if possible. They should keep for a day or two in this environment. The reason for this is that the flavor-producing enzymes – which develop during the ripening process – are affected by cooler temperatures. Because tomatoes originally came from a warm climate, their flavor development, coloration, and mealy texture can be affected if stored in the fridge too soon. Fully ripe tomatoes however, don’t seem to benefit from hotter temperatures since their enzyme activity has significantly slowed. Some of their flavor can still be revitalized though if allowed to recover at room temperature for a day or two after refrigeration.

Watermelons: Keep whole melons at room temperature, refrigerate and wrap tightly once cut.

Cantaloupe: Refrigerate whole cantaloupe once fully ripe for up to five days. Sliced cantaloupe without seeds will store for 1 – 2 days in a resealable container, yet if the seeds remain intact it should last up to 3 days since the seeds prevent the cantaloupe from drying out right away.

Gazpacho Recipe

Prep time: 25 minutes
Serves 8

Ingredients

6 ripe tomatoes (about 3 lbs), peeled and chopped (yielding about 6 cups)
1 red onion, finely chopped (about 1 1/4 cups)
1 cucumber, peeled, seeded, chopped (about 1 cup)
1 sweet red bell pepper (or green) seeded and chopped (about 1 cup)
2 stalks celery, chopped (about 1 cup)
1-2 Tbsp chopped fresh parsley
2 Tbsp chopped fresh chives
1 clove garlic, minced (about 1 teaspoon)
1/4 cup red wine vinegar
1/4 cup olive oil
1 Tbsp freshly squeezed lemon juice
2 teaspoons sugar (more may be needed to balance out the acidity of the tomatoes, add to taste)
Salt and fresh ground pepper to taste
6 or more drops of Tabasco sauce to taste
1 teaspoon Worcestershire sauce (omit for vegan or vegetarian option)
2 cups tomato juice (or 1 15-ounce can crushed tomatoes if you don’t have tomato juice)

Place in a non-reactive container (tomatoes are acidic) to store. Chill several hours or overnight to allow the flavors to blend.

Gazpacho

Reference:

simplyrecipes.com, Gazpacho

realsimple.com, Fresh Pick: Cantaloupe

food52.com, How to keep tomatoes fresh for longer

womansday.com, Watermelon 101

livestrong.com, How to store corn on the cob

Drying Chili Peppers

Posted on August 9, 2017 by Ryan B.

Drying chili peppers is a great way to store them for the long-term. You don’t want to waste any of those chili peppers picked from that huge harvest this year. Here are a few ways to dry them so they don’t go to waste.

The Basic Method for Drying Chili Peppers

Wash your chili peppers thoroughly after picking to remove any dirt, then dry.

Place on a plate or a wire rack in a dry, well ventilated room. You can also string the chilies up on string or thread and hang to dry. Within several weeks, you will have dried chili peppers and you can grind them up or use them as ornaments as desired.

Oven Drying Instructions

Wash your chili peppers thoroughly after picking to remove any dirt.
Cut them in half, lengthwise to expose the pepper innards.
Arrange the chili peppers over a baking sheet.
Bake at low heat, about 100 to 135 degrees.
There is no set time to bake the chili peppers for drying. Keep an eye on them, turning every few minutes or so. You can leave the oven door cracked for some air flow. It will take several hours with this method. Keep in the oven until the moisture has been baked out of them. Use as desired!

Drying Chili Peppers Without an Oven – Air Drying

In this case, dry your chili peppers whole. Do not slice.
String them together on some strong thread with a few inches between each jalapeno peppers.
Hang the chili peppers in direct sunlight. Be sure it is dry and warm.

It can take several weeks for the jalapeno to completely dry with this method, but it’ll be worth it!

Last but not least, you can also consider a food dehydrator, which is a more fool-proof method of drying chili peppers.

Drying Chili Peppers with a Dehydrator

A dehydrator is probably the easiest method for drying chili peppers. A dehydrator encloses the chili peppers and dries them overnight in soft heat. Slice them up before dehydrating for faster dehydration. You can find dehydrators in stores or online.

What can you do with your dried chili peppers?

Grind them up to make your own chili powder, which is like cayenne powder, or keep them whole and use them as you might use a sun-dried tomato. They can be rehydrated with hot water and go great with many recipes!

Sources

Ultimate Guide to Drying Hot Chili Peppers

Storing Chili Peppers – How To Dry Hot Peppers

Drying Chili Peppers

Storing Our New Veggies

Posted on July 21, 2017 by Matt E.

Here are some quick tips about storing some of our new additions of garlic, eggplant, onions, peppers, and beans. Gotta keep those veggies for as long as possible!

Eggplant

Refrigerate?: No

At Freshest: 1 week

Optimal Storage: Store loose or in a breathable bag in a cool place. Refrigeration can lead to browning and off-flavors.

Freezing: Wash, peel, slice about ⅓-in/8-mm thick, blanch with ½ cup/120 ml lemon juice per 1 gl/3.8 L water, immerse in ice water, drain, then freeze in airtight container, leaving ½-in/12-mm of headspace.

Usage: Salt the flesh of older eggplant to remove bitterness.

Garlic and Shallots

Refrigerate?: Unpeeled, no; peeled, yes

At Freshest: Unpeeled, a few weeks to several months (garlic will last a bit longer); peeled, up to several weeks

Optimal Storage: Store unpeeled garlic and shallots in a cool, dark, and dry place in a well-ventilated container such as a basket or mesh bag. Do not store in plastic. To help prevent the heads from drying out, leave the papery skin on and break off cloves as needed. If peeled, store in an airtight container in the refrigerator.

Freezing: Peel garlic or chop shallots and store in an airtight container. Both will lose crispness when thawed but will retain most of their flavor.

Usage: In gardens, green garlic leaves can be used just like green onions. Similarly, if garlic grows a shoot while in storage, that can be eaten as well. Even garlic flowers are edible and have a mild flavor. Garlic scapes can also grow small shoots of garlic after being stored for several weeks.

Blend garlic with basil or blanched kale stems and other ingredients to make a pesto, which can be frozen for up to 6 months.

Green Beans

Refrigerate?: Yes

At Freshest: 3 to 5 days

Optimal Storage: Green beans and peas are fragile vegetables; they quickly degrade in quality, even at cold temperatures. Store unwashed peas and beans in the refrigerator in a breathable bag in the high-humidity drawer, but try to eat them as quickly as possible.

Freezing: Blanch, immerse in ice water, drain until dry, and then place in an airtight container.

Usage: If the pods are too tough to eat (this can happen when beans are over mature and bulging from the pods), they can still be shelled and eaten or refrigerated in an airtight container and used within 2 days.

Although often the ends of the beans are cut off before cooking, they need not be—remove only the stem end and enjoy the rest of the bean.

Salvage less-than-ideal green beans by removing any that are soft to the touch or slimy. Wash the remainder in cold water.

Briefly cooking older green beans can enhance their flavor.

Onions

Refrigerate?: No

At Freshest: Whole, several months; cut, 7 days

Optimal Storage: Store whole onions in a cool, dark, dry, well-ventilated place. Do not store in plastic. Remove onions with mold or other signs of dampness immediately so others aren’t affected. Storing in hanging sacks is a great idea, as it encourages ventilation. Do not store near potatoes; onions will cause the potatoes to sprout. Partially used onions should be stored in an airtight container in the refrigerator, with the peel left on if possible.

Freezing: Remove the skins and root. Chop and freeze raw. Don’t blanch. Plan to use in cooked dishes when thawed.

Peppers

Refrigerate? Yes

At Freshest: Whole, 5 to 7 days; cut, 3 days

Optimal Storage: Do not wash until ready to use. Store in a breathable bag in the low-humidity drawer of the refrigerator. Store cut peppers in an airtight container in the refrigerator.

Freezing: Wash and core peppers, chop and lay out on a baking sheet to freeze, then transfer to an airtight container. Can also be blanched. Or roast peppers and then flatten them and pack into zip-top freezer bags. Best used for cooked dishes, as crispness can be lost when thawed.

Usage: Drying (hot peppers)—If you have a lot, string them up together and hang in a well-ventilated place in the sun as long as the evenings don’t get cool enough to cause dew. Alternatively, use a dehydrator or place in the oven at 120ºF/50ºC for several hours until fully dry.

Green peppers last a lot longer than red peppers, which are fully ripe when picked. All peppers start out green on the plant, then change to red or yellow, purple, etc.

Reference:

savethefood.com, I want to store vegetables