It's week #2 of the Keep the Bounty Challenge hosted at Nourished Kitchen.  Our first lesson was emailed last week, but if you missed it you can always check it out here.

 

Last week focused on fermentation as a way to preserve foods, and if you met the challenge and put up some fresh vegetables full of probiotic goodness, why don't you check in on week #2's Keep the Bounty post.  There's lots of folks participating in this challenge, so maybe you'll catch some inspiration from bloggers who've outlined their experience or participants who've detailed their efforts in the comments section.

 

And if you haven't yet had a chance, check in on the Keep the Bounty thread at the Nourished Kitchen Forums where a lot of questions have been asked and answered, and where you can connect with other real food enthusiasts.

 

This week we're moving onto our second challenge: preserving in fat and oil!  High quality natural fats are long-lasting and can be excellent preservatives, and this week we'll learn more about the traditional techniques of preserving in fat and oil.

 

 

Oils and fats are remarkable preservatives and can keep fresh foods and herbs in good condition for several months or even years, provided proper conditions are met for optimal storage.

 

At Nourished Kitchen, when we preserve food in oil or fat we choose a good quality unrefined extra virgin olive oil or good grass-fed butter or ghee (see sources).

 

Certain foods are better suited to certain preservation methods than others.  For example, cabbage is very well suited to lactic acid fermentation, but is not well suited to sun drying or oil preservation.  Among the foods most well suited to preservation by oil or fat including mushrooms, garlic, herbs, tomatoes (fresh and dried) and eggplant.

 

Preservation by oil and fat is a traditional technique that has been practiced for a very, very long time.  It's an ancient technique, really and it's most prevalent in the Mediterranean where olive oil is plentiful.  Perhaps it's for this reason that garlic, herbs, tomatoes and eggplant are so well-suited to preservation by oil.

 

It's important to note that, while quite rare, botulism spores can contaminate low-acid foods (like garlic) that are preserved in oil or fat when it is kept at room temperature.  For this reason, it's critical that you either keep your oil-preserved food in the refrigerator or freezer (unappealing, I know) or that you add a bit of acid to the oil which should keep the toxin at bay.

 

• Clean your vegetables and pack them in a quart-sized mason jar.
• Add spices and herbs that suit you.
• Add about 1/4 cup cider or wine vinegar, preferably raw.
• Cover with oil.
• Allow to marinate at room temperature for at least a month, shaking periodically to distribute the the vinegar.
• After a month, you can open the jar, scoop out what you need, place the lid back on the jar and continue storing in a cool, dark place.

• Clean and mince your vegetables and herbs.
• Heat a few tablespoons of fat in a skillet and gently fry 1/2 to 1 cup minced vegetables and herbs in the fat until fragrant and soft.
• Allow the seasoned fat to cool.
• Fold the vegetables and seasoned fat into softened butter.
• Mold and chill in the refrigerator, well covered, for several months.

Alright, so you've read this week's challenge, now it's time to get to work:

• Check in and share your progress on last week's challenge on this post.
• Hit up the market, farm or garden and pick some herbs, fresh tomatoes, eggplant, garlic or other goodies to preserve in oil.
• Visit the Preserve the Bounty thread on the Nourished Kitchen Forums to introduce yourself and share your progress.
• Blog or facebook your progress and tweet the challenge (hashtag #keepthebounty).
• Get ready to check-in on next Tuesday's challenge progress thread hosted at Nourished Kitchen.

Roast Lamb

Blackberry Sorbet

Olive Oil Ice Cream

Sole Meuniere

Fritatta

Mangoes & Rice