BOTTLING VEGETABLES

Southland Times, Issue 24650, 23 January 1942, Page 7

BOTTLING VEGETABLES

RECIPES FROM READERS The following recipes for bottling peas, beans and other vegetables were sent in answer to a request published in these columns: — FRENCH BEANS— Choose tender beans, string and cut into any desired size, or leave whole. Blanch five or minutes, according to size, cold dip lor half a minute and pack into jars. If left, whole they will look well placed in an upright position. Fill right up with boiled water, fresh or slightly salted, and’ if liked a little sugar may be added. A good filling is as follows:—To each quart of water allow loz salt, loz sugar. 801 l these together for about five minutes and put aside to cool, covering with a piece of clean muslin to keep out any dust. Sterilize beans for three hours.

PEAS—These are best if picked just before they are full grown. Shell and grade them, blanch 10 minutes, cold dip half a minute, pack into jars and fill with the same liquid as beans. Sterilize three hours.

FRUIT OR VEGETABLES— Pack fresh fruit into sterilized jars, add boiling water until jars overflow, so that all bubbles are removed. Seal the jars tightly. Have preserving pans filled with boiling water, deep enough to cover jars several Inches over the top. Turn off the fire, lower the jars into the boiling water. Be sure to have space enough so that each jar is surrounded with plenty of water. Cover with lid and let stand for 15 or 20 minutes. By this time the fruit will begin to shrink and rise up from bottom of jar. As soon as this happens, remove and let them cool. With this new method of canning all fruits are kept fresh and alive and the food value is preserved. As the jars cool off the lids will draw in and become concave. This is a sign of a good vacuum and the fruit is ready to be stored away. All berries and vegetables can be done this way. Only one bottle at a time must be filled with boiling water and lid put on at once over a rubber ring. The kettle must be boiling for each bottle. Fruit must not be too ripe, but tile same as for jam. Vegetables must not be too old, the same as if to .be cooked for dinner give best results. Broad beans when on the old side can be shelled and the thick skin cut with a sharp knife and taken off. The inside bean makes a delicious soup when carefully cooked. Do not let it burn.