Tag Archives: pickled

Pickled, spiced oranges.

Posted in Foods. by

Currently eating a bowl of fruit and drinking a delicious chai tea.  Even though I do not write professionally I have come to enjoy how relaxing it is for me.  While I am writing I often am able to come up with new ways to cook or, I can get all my emotions and frustrations out.  However even I can experience writers block.  So with that being said I will try my hardest to create a fantastic post for all of you to enjoy.

While I was preserving I really wanted to make the citrus fruits nice enough to bake with.  I mean, I thought how can I make baking with citrus better?  We all know that sometimes it can go horribly wrong, and sometimes it’s just not enough.  So I kept thinking…until it finally came to me.  Pickled, spiced oranges.  Now I’ve heard of pickling oranges before and I really wanted to try it.  I figured might as well, it could add way more flavour to lets say a cheesecake or muffins.  Plus I would be able to use the whole orange, instead of parts once it is softened by the acidity over time.

Equipment:
Mason jars.
Knife.
Cutting board.
Medium pot and large pot.
Measuring cups/spoons.
Dish cloth.
Tongs.
Bowl

Ingredients:
about 5 oranges.
Cinnamon sticks.
Cloves.
Black peppercorns.
Star anise. (optional)
Pinch of salt.
2 cups of brown sugar.
4 cups white vinegar.

Method:
1.Cut oranges into wedges or slices, place in bowl. Saving two oranges for juicing.
2. Combine vinegar, sugar, spices, salt and juice of two oranges in a pot and bring to a simmer.
3. Once sugar is dissolved add oranges and cook till peels are soft but not mushy.
4. Follow canning method previously posted by clicking this link.  https://savouringit.wordpress.com/2014/02/17/how-to-preserving-canning-method
5.Liquid should cover over the oranges.  If not it’s forgiving.  Let sit in a cool dark area for at least one month.
6. Enjoy!

How to- Preserving, canning method.

Posted in Demonstrations. by

I had bought a book in Toronto, Ontario on different preserving methods and a variety of recipes; I have been wanting to test it out for a while.  So that’s what I did, preserving of the canning variety…and when I say canning, I’m talking about mason jars.  Not actual tin cans.
Every time I think of this procedure I often remember my grandmother…whom is very much alive and hilarious.  When I was a little girl she use to pickle beets, well she probably still does; However being in a different province than her makes it hard to enjoy her delicious beets.  Anyways, she pickled beets and I would enjoy them every year, and that’s a huge memory of my childhood.  That’s why I decided to take canning and preserving up.  It’s something that has been lost over the years and I feel people really need to start getting back into it.
It is also something that is very useful in my career.  Over the next couple of weeks I’ll be taking this preserving method and creating a variety of recipes to share.  So prepare yourself for a whole lot of deliciousness…in a “can”.

Also a big shout out to my home-brah and colleague Davo Wallace for helping me preserve (and making sure I didn’t break anything). …yes I did call him home-brah.

Equipment:
A very large pot and medium or small pot.
Mason jars.
Tongs.
Bowls.
Knife.
Cutting board.
Cloth.
Spoon.
Measuring spoons/cups.

Ingredients:
A variety of ingredients, it really depends what you want in it.
People often use lots of salt, or sugar.  You can also make a brine, using salt, vinegar, sugar and a variety of spices/herbs you happen to enjoy.
The main ingredient you are preserving, such as: cucumbers, citrus fruits or even eggs.

Method:
1. Boil your large pot of water till it is simmering.
2. Prepare your ingredients, for me that would be tons of salt, lemons cut and some juiced, and spices.  Combine all but juice and some salt.
3. Make sure to wash your jars and lids well in hot soapy water.  Once rinsed, sanitize in the simmering water for about a minute.  Be careful taking them back out.  Bring water to a complete rolling boil!!!
4. While jars are still hot place you ingredients into the jars. Including the juice and remaining salt poured on top.
5. Wipe the rim of the jars with a clean damp towel.
6. Centre the middle part of the lid onto the jar and twist the other half until it is resistant.
7. Carefully place jars in boiling water, making sure water covers the jars by about 1 inch. I leave my jars in the water for about 5- 10 minutes depending on what it is containing and how much. Turn water off leaving jars inside for about 5 minutes till water is settled.
8. Carefully take jars out and leave at room temperature till cool.  To see if the seal worked properly tap or lightly push the middle of the lid, if it doesn’t move, is stiff and looks sucked inwards it worked!
9. For storage keep in a cool dark area, refrigeration is not needed till open.