Visiting a green-fingered friend of mine over the weekend I came away with an armful of her surplus vegetables. It set me thinking what do people do with the seasonal gluts from their gardening? So I asked around to see what my colleagues here at Suttons are getting up to with their excess produce.
We are obviously all friendly folks here as giving our gluts away to friends, family and neighbours were all popular choices but we have also been busy in the kitchen.
Chutney has been made, particularly popular is Runner Bean or the more unusual Sweet Red Onion & Runner Bean.
Everyone has also been blanching and freezing Runner Beans ready for Christmas dinner – ideal for Broad Beans too.
Pickle shallots ready for Christmas, same for Gherkins and, of course, Onions.
We have plenty of uses for Tomatoes. Freeze them on trays, put into plastic bags and then when making soups and stews just pop them in as they are. If you want to eat them now, a tomato soup is easy and tasty. Or bring a taste of Italy or Mexico into your life by making copious amounts of Garlic and Tomato Bruschetta and Hot Salsa, a great way of using up Tomato Tumbler. Making Ratatouille is also popular either to eat straight away or to freeze and eat later. One person makes Tomato Jam – sounds peculiar but I am assured that it tastes delicious!
Several people have Chilli gluts and are drying them for use later. One very industrious person made curry paste, but did say it wasn’t really worth the effort!
Plums are being turned into jam, jam and more jam…. And when you have exhausted your jam jars and your friends refuse to take any more, then just leave them on the trees and give the birds a treat!
And finally we are all getting the forgotten juicer from the cupboard and making delicious and healthy drinks.
Thanks to Lis, Brian, Fran, Dawn, Anita, Pam, Rufus, Julie and Glen for all their suggestions.
Muddy Boots, I found this American recipe for preserving aubergines (or egg plant as they call it) http://www.aubergines.org/recipes.php?eggplant=740
It preserves them in lemon rather than vinegar, which sounds quite nice.
There’s a runner bean chutney recipe on the allotment.org website that looks quite good http://www.allotment.org.uk/recipe/1440/runner-bean-chutney-recipe/
Hello,
I would be very grateful for a runner bean chutney recipe (tried and tested), with or without red onions.
Thanks in advance!
Some great ideas there, folks. I wonder if anyone has any ideas for preserving aubergines? I have grown two plants for the first time this year, and have loads of them.
A tip I was given a couple of years ago, when freezing whole tomatoes, especially plum varieties. Prepare some ice cubes for iced water. Get a large pot or pan and boil up some water. Using a ladle, place a few toms at a time and boil for no more than a minute. Remove from the water and place in the iced water. Repeat with even more toms and check those in the iced water and the skins should split and be easily removed.
Now place the toms on a tray covered with a tea towel and let the surplus water drain off. When the skinned fruit has drained, place the toms on a tray, I use egg cartons, and place in the freezer.
After about two hours, they should be now frozen. Put into freezer bags, and back into the freezer for all those pasta sauces, soups and stews you’ll be brewing up over those dark winter nights that are on the way. Though you wouldn’t think so here in Wisbech at the beginning of September.
Ken