Cooking

Organic Lemons
 

Preserved Lemons

5 organic lemons

3 tablespoons sea salt

2 tablespoons whey (add extra tablespoon of salt if unavailable)

Juice from 2 lemons

Wash lemons well, slice thinly and cut slices into quarters. Toss in bowl with salt. Place in quart sized, wide mouth jar and press down lightly with wooden pounder or meat hammer. Mix lemon juice with whey and add to jar, pressing down so liquid completely covers the lemons. Lemons should be at least 1 inch below the top of the jar. Cover tightly and keep at room temperature for up to two weeks, turning jar once a day before transferring to cold storage. When adding to recipes, remove pulp and cut skin into julienne.

 

Most commercial lemons are treated with neurotoxic cholinesterase inhibitors, it pays to buy organic.

I cannot live without preserved lemons, some of my all time favorite Moroccan dishes have preserved lemons in them. When these lemons are covered and kept in the refrigerator, they will last up to 6 months.

This recipe is from Sally Fallon’s book, Nourishing Traditions. I tripled the recipe in the photo’s below.

15 Sliced lemons in jarSalt, whey and juice addedStirred the mixture, pounded it until liquid on top, then closed tightly for 1 week on counter

 

Salt, whey and juice addedStirred the mixture, pounded it until liquid on top, then closed tightly for 1 week on counter

 

Stirred the mixture, pounded it until liquid on top, then closed tightly for 1 week on counter

 
 

 

 

  Sauerkraut

 

The temperature in the kitchen was perfect for making Sauerkraut, Preserved Lemons and yogurt. It stayed around 85 degrees through the day and didn’t go under 75 degrees at night. The key is you don’t want to go under 75 degrees or you’ll mess up the fermentation.

 

The lactobacilli in fermented vegetables increases the vitamin levels, enzymes, antibiotic and anticarcinogenic substances. The by- product, lactic acid, helps keep the vegetable and fruit in perfect preservation.

In past centuries ship captains would load large barrels of sauerkraut onto their ship for long trips. Some trips took over two years and the sauerkraut would still be good at the end of the trip, keeping the crew healthy.
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Recipe is from Sally Fallon’s book, Nourishing Traditions.

Sauerkraut

(Makes 1 quart)

1 medium cabbage, cored and shredded
1 tablespoon caraway seeds
1 tablespoon sea salt
4 tablespoons whey(if not available, use an additional 1 tablespoons salt)

(I use organic cabbage)

In bowl, mix cabbage with seeds, sea salt and whey. Pound mixture with wooden pounder or meat hammer for about 10 minutes, to release juices. Place in quart-sized, wide mouthed Mason jar and press down firmly until juices come to top of cabbage. The top of the cabbage should be at least 1 inch below top of the jar. Cover tightly and keep at room temperature for about 3 days before transferring to cold storage. The sauerkraut may be eaten immediately but improves with age. When the sauerkraut is covered and kept in the refrigerator, they will last up to 6 months.

(Photo’s: I used two small heads of cabbages, instead of one medium, so it made more than 1 quart)

1 Gallon size jar holding 2 small heads of cabbage, shredded plus a jar of wheyPounding the cabbage downAfter 10 minutes of pounding, it reduced by more than 50%

  

Transferred to 1/2 Gallon Jar (you can get these at Michaels)After more pounding, it reduced even more and liquid is on top of cabbageAfter more pounding, it reduced even more and liquid is on top of cabbage. It is not ready! I put a top on it and screwed it on tightly and will wait 3 days before transferring to cold storage.After more pounding, it reduced even more and liquid is on top of cabbage. It is not ready! I put a top on it and screwed it on tightly and will wait 3 days before transferring to cold storage.

  

After more pounding, it reduced even more and liquid is on top of cabbage. It is not ready! I put a top on it and screwed it on tightly and will wait 3 days before transferring to cold storage.

 

Cooking with Sharon

This fruit salad is famously popular at our holiday meals and large gatherings. It is only made for special occasions, to keep it special.  The marshmallows are a lot of work, but they are worth the time. I am against the use of regular corn syrup, buy organic online if you can’t find it in your local stores. Non- organic corn syrup is almost always genetically modified and processed with chemicals that you don’t want to serve people you love.

 Marshmallow Fruit Salad (GF)

1/2 batch Sharon’s homemade Marshmallows( recipe to follow)

3 cups Arborio rice, cooked according to directions

1 cup sugar

3 egg yolks, beaten

1 3/4 cups pineapple juice

1 can crushed pineapple, drained

1 can mandarin oranges, drained

2 9 oz Truwhip or real whipped cream ( Tru Whip is 70% organic and no corn syrup, it is the better version of Cool Whip and almost no dairy for those lactose intolerant)

1. Cook rice according to directions and drain. 2. In small pot add sugar, egg yolks, pineapple juice, stir continuously, bring to boil and stir until slightly thick. 3. Pour the cooked liquid over rice and stir. Put in refrigerator and let sit over night for liquid to absorb into rice. 4. Next day, in a LARGE bowl add Tru Whip, drained fruit and marshmallows to rice mixture. Stir well. Serves 15 people.

 

Marshmallow Chicks

 

Sharon’s Marshmallows

4 envelopes unflavored gelatin

1 1/3 cups water

2 1/2 cups sugar

1 1/3 cups light organic corn syrup

1/4 teaspoon salt

2 teaspoons organic GF vanilla

2 cups powdered sugar

Need a candy thermometer

1.Generously grease a 13X9 glass baking dish. 2. In electric mixing bowl soften gelatin and 3/4 cup of water. Let sit. 3. In 6 qt. pot add sugars, corn syrup, 1/2 cup water and salt and stir.  Bring to boil and cook on high heat until the candy thermometer reaches 234-240 degrees. Pour boiling syrup into mixing bowl with the gelatin and beat until fluffy and thick, 15 min’s add vanilla. 4. Pour into greased glass dish. Let sit at room temperature for 8-12 hours. 5. Pour powdered sugar on your cutting surface and turn marshmallow mixture on it. Pour powdered sugar on top of it too. With a pizza wheel cut into bite size pieces. I’ve used cookie cutters and made spring chicks or hearts and dipped in chocolate as well. People love this recipe. It is well worth the labor of love that goes into it. I only make them at holidays.

 

 

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