Fruits and veggies are abundant in August, and if you want to be able to enjoy them all year, you need to learn how to properly preserve them. Here are a few tips on how to enjoy fresh Quebec produce year-round.
Freeze them
I find this method to be the simplest, and it works well with a wide variety of local fruits and vegetables. For optimal freezing, here are a few tips:- Clearly identify your containers, that way you’ll know what’s what. You can even list your inventory on your freezer or in your phone, to make sure you don’t forget anything. Simply update the list each time you use something.
- Freeze food in handy portions. For example, in individual portions or in 250 ml (1 cup) formats. That way you can thaw out only what you need for any given recipe.
- Remove as much air as possible from bags before placing them in the freezer. This ensures better preservation, as air can cause foods to dehydrate quicker.
- Berries: I recommend laying them out on a baking sheet, to avoid them clumping together. Once frozen, you can store them in your desired container. Then, enjoy them for dessert, in a smoothie, or with your yogurt.
- Vegetables: Most vegetables freeze well. For some (asparagus, kale, bean, etc.), it’s best to blanche them in a pot of boiling water first. As for squash, onions, peppers, and leeks, your best bet is to simply grate or dice them before placing them in the freezer.
Dry them out
Air-drying is an excellent way to preserve fresh herbs, such as rosemary and thyme. Simply tie them into a bouquet and hang them to dry. You can also dry out fruit (strawberries, apples, pears, etc.) and vegetables (celery, leeks, mushrooms, etc.) in a dehydrator or in the oven set to the lowest temperature. Dried fruit can be used to garnish your cereal, while dried vegetables are great in soups or stews. Canning and fermentation are also great ways to preserve your harvests, but both techniques do require a bit of know-how. Check out some recipes if this is something you feel like trying.Pickling and lacto-fermentation
Canning is an age-old technique for preserving food. However, it does require specific equipment (glass jars with lids, tongs, a large stockpot, etc.). The type of heat used—either a traditional stockpot filled with boiling water or an autoclave—will vary depending on the food being preserved. Acidic foods, such as marinades, as well as sugary foods, such as jams, can be prepared in a traditional stockpot. Homemade relish can also be made in a stockpot of boiling water, seeing as it contains both vinegar (acid) and sugar. If you’re a beginner, I recommend following a recipe to ensure you opt for the best technique and that your canning is done right. Another preservation technique that is gaining in popularity is lacto-fermentation. It’s a simple technique to do at home and allows you to preserve various vegetables. The most well known recipe is, of course, sauerkraut. Lacto-fermentation entails macerating vegetables in brine (water + salt) in order for the lactic bacteria to activate and produce acid, which is what gives fermented food their unique taste. If you’re new to this technique, I suggest using cabbage, carrots, or radishes, and to follow a detailed recipe.A few tips to avoid food waste
In order to not waste any of your delicious fruits and veggies, here are a few tips on how to use the parts that, most of the time, end up in the compost bin.- Freezing a big batch of strawberries? Instead of throwing out the strawberry tops, use them to make strawberry water. To do so, soak 500 ml (2 cups) of strawberry tops in 125 ml (1/2 cup) of water. You can add a drizzle of maple syrup or honey if you want. Top it off with fresh or sparkling water and you’ve got yourself a fruity red beverage!
- Instead of getting rid of your vegetable tops (think carrots, radishes, and beets), use them to make pesto.
- Another tip: keep a bag in your freezer with all your vegetable scraps, such as skins and the green parts of leeks. You can use them to make vegetable broth: simply fill a pot with water, add your vegetable scraps and let simmer for several hours. And tada! You have a homemade broth next time you make soup!
