Gennaro Slow Cook Italian (2015)
Preserves
Zucchini crudi sott’olio
Pomodori esiccati a casa
Porcini sott’olio
Barbabietole sott’aceto
Peperonata sott’olio
Fagiolini della Regina Margherita
Marmellata di limone
Lamponi e mirtilli sotto spirito
Preserving fruit and veg at the end of summer was a normal part of life when I was growing up. It was a way of keeping the scents and flavours of produce long after it was in season and was also a good reason to get together with friends and family - we celebrated the end of a bountiful season and went to work to preserve as much as we possibly could to see us through the winter. Bell peppers, aubergines (eggplants), courgettes (zucchini) and green beans were all preserved and we knew we would have to wait until the next summer before these vegetables reappeared in our gardens and market stalls. But also, in preserving, the taste changed, resulting in wonderful ingredients for antipasti or fillings for panini.
Our beloved tomato was the highlight of those late summer days - family and friends would gather together to bottle, sun-dry and make concentrato (tomato purée/paste) in the last of the hot summer sun. My job, as a boy, was to collect as many beer bottles as I could, in which to store a year-long supply of our local San Marzano tomatoes, grown around the Vesuvio area. Whole days would be spent carefully preserving tomatoes, and not just in our family: everyone in the village did the same - we even exchanged them as gifts to see whose tomatoes were nicer.
I still like to preserve as much as I can, and whenever I go on a mushroom hunt and strike lucky with basketfuls, I make sure they never go wasted and preserve them in oil to enjoy later in the year, usually at Christmas time. And when my friend Paolo has a glut of vegetables grown in his allotment, he shares them with me so they can be preserved. This year was it was beetroot and green beans. Markets are a great way of buying quantities of produce at good value, so if I see peppers or aubergines sold in bulk, as long as they are fresh, I buy them with preserving in mind.
Fruit, too, gets bottled; I love summer walks in the forest and fields and am always on the lookout for tiny damson plums, wild cherries and berries. Not only to be made into delicious jam but also to preserve in alcohol to liven up desserts.
Making preserves and bottling fruits and vegetables is a wonderful stress buster for me - not only do I enjoy foraging outdoors, I also love the ritual of preparing what I have collected, organizing the jars and putting them into my store cupboard. When the jars eventually get opened, each one has a story to tell - it may be where I picked that particular fruit or what sort of day it had been - and the taste of summer suddenly brightens up the dull of winter.
Zucchini crudi sott’olio
Preserved raw courgettes
Makes 1 x 500ml/18fl oz/2¼ cup jar
500g/1lb 2oz courgettes (zucchini), sliced into long, chunky matchsticks
2 garlic cloves, sliced
1 tsp dried oregano
1½ tsp salt
½ red chilli, finely sliced (optional) about 300ml/10fl oz/1¼ cups white wine vinegar
sunflower oil, to cover
Sterilize a 500ml/18fl oz/2¼ cup jar (see below).
Put the courgette matchsticks in a bowl with the garlic, oregano, salt, chilli (if using) and vinegar, making sure the vinegar completely covers the courgettes. Cover with a lid or greaseproof (waxed) paper, put a weight on top and leave to marinate for about 2 hours.
Drain off the liquid, reserving the garlic and chilli, and gently squeeze out the excess liquid from the courgettes. Place the courgettes together with the garlic and chilli in the sterilized jar and pour in the oil, making sure you completely cover the courgettes with oil. Secure with a lid, label and store in a cool, dark, dry place for at least 2 weeks before using. Once opened, store in the fridge.
Preserving basics
✵ Always use very fresh, good-quality vegetables and fruit.
✵ To sterilize jars, wash and thoroughly clean all the jars and lids you are going to use, then rinse the jars with a little white wine vinegar. Leave to drain, then dry well. Place the jars and lids in a large pan of boiling water and boil for a couple of minutes. Remove, drain and dry well.
✵ To pasteurize: once you have placed the preserves in jars, seal well, preferably using hermetically sealed lids. Wrap each jar in old kitchen cloths: this prevents it from breaking during boiling. Line a large pan with kitchen cloth. Place the wrapped jars in the pan and add enough cold water to cover them by 3cm/1 inch. Bring the water to the boil, then reduce the heat to medium and boil for the time stated in the recipe. Turn off the heat, but leave the jars in the water until it is cold. Remove the jars and unwrap, then dry with a clean tea towel, label and store in a cool, dark, dry cupboard.
✵ Before you store your preserves, remember to label them with their name and the date you made them.
Pomodori esiccati a casa
Home-dried tomatoes
In southern Italy, where the summers are hot, it is common to see trays and trays of tomatoes drying out on people’s balconies and roof terraces. The taste is amazing, much nicer than industrially made sun-dried tomatoes, and I always try to bring some back with me. In England, where the summers are not so reliable, you can recreate this way of drying by using the oven on a very low heat. These are best made towards the end of August, when plum tomatoes are plentiful. It’s worth making quite a lot seeing as the oven has to be on for such a long time. Very simple to prepare: you put them in the oven and forget about them - even if they go over the 6 hours’ cooking time, no harm will come to them. Smaller tomatoes will probably need less time. Once dried out, you can use them immediately or preserve them in oil.
2kg/4lb 8oz ripe but firm plum tomatoes
salt
Preheat the oven to 100°C/210°F/gas mark ¼ or lower. Line a baking sheet with greaseproof (waxed) paper.
Slice the tomatoes in half lengthways, place on the baking sheet, skin side down, sprinkle with salt and place in the oven for about 6 hours. If after this time there is still liquid left, leave in the oven for a little longer to dry out completely; this will depend on the size of the tomatoes.
Remove from the oven and leave to cool.
Tips for using dried tomatoes
✵ Dress with extra virgin olive oil, garlic, fresh basil and dried oregano; add to a salad, top a bruschetta or pizza, or use in a pasta sauce.
✵ Preserve in sterilized jars; make layers of dried tomatoes, basil leaves, a pinch of dried oregano and extra virgin olive oil, making sure you cover the tomatoes completely with the oil. Cover with a sterilized lid and store in a cool, dark, dry place.
Porcini sott’olio
Preserved porcini mushrooms
Porcino, cep or penny bun - the king of the forest during the autumn mushroom season. The succulent, delicate taste of this highly prized fungi is hard to beat and always a winner with hunters and restaurateurs. I love to search for them in the forests and when I spot the first one, I’m like a child, excited and eager to find more. If I find lots, I usually enjoy a plateful sautéed or with some pasta, but the rest I preserve so that I can enjoy them later in the year and give them away as presents to friends. Preserved porcini are delicious served as part of an antipasto of cured meats, alongside other preserved vegetables.
Makes 1kg/2lb 4oz
1kg/2lb 4oz fresh porcini mushrooms
300ml/10fl oz/1¼ cups white wine vinegar
2 tsp salt
8 black peppercorns
4 bay leaves
1 sprig of thyme
2 cloves
1-3 red chillies (optional) about 500ml/18fl oz/2¼ cups olive oil
Carefully clean the porcini, removing any earth and impurities with a small knife or brush, then go over them with a slightly damp cloth - don’t wash the mushrooms or they will lose their lovely flavour. Trim the stems slightly; leave the smaller mushrooms whole and slice the larger ones.
Put the vinegar and 700ml/1¼ pints/2¾ cups water in a large pan together with the salt, peppercorns and bay leaves and bring to the boil. Add the porcini and boil for 4 minutes. Remove with a slotted spoon and leave to drain on a clean tea towel, cover with another clean tea towel and leave to dry out overnight.
Sterilize jars with a total volume of 1 litre/1¾ pints/4 cups.
Put the mushrooms into the sterilized jars together with the thyme, cloves and a chilli (if using) and cover completely with olive oil. Secure with a lid and pasteurize for 30 minutes. Label and store in a cool, dark, dry place for at least 1 month before using. Once opened, store in the fridge.
Barbabietole sott’aceto
Preserved beetroot in vinegar
Makes 1 x 1 litre/1¾ pint/4 cup jar
700g/1lb 9oz organic beetroot (beets)
a pinch of salt
450ml/16fl oz/2 cups white wine vinegar
½ celery stalk, finely sliced
15 juniper berries
5 black peppercorns
2 bay leaves
Sterilize a 1 litre/1¾ pint/4 cup jar.
Wash the beetroot to remove all the dirt, place in a pan, cover with cold water, add some salt, bring to the boil and cook for 1½ hours, or until tender.
Drain and leave to cool. Carefully remove the skins, then slice the beetroot in halves or quarters and place them in the sterilized jar.
Put the vinegar and 3 tablespoons water in a small pan together with the celery, juniper berries, peppercorns and bay leaves. Bring to the boil, then boil for 3 minutes. Leave to cool, then pour over the beetroot in the jar. Secure with a lid and pasteurize for 20 minutes. Label and store in a cool, dark, dry place for 2 weeks before using.
Peperonata sott’olio
Preserved peperonata
These tasty preserved peppers and tomatoes (photograph here) are wonderful as part of a selection of mixed antipasto.
Makes 2 x 750ml/1¼ pint/3 cup jars
6 tbsp extra virgin olive oil
2 red onions, finely sliced
2 large garlic cloves, quartered
1 red chilli, finely sliced
1kg/2lb 4oz mixed (bell) peppers, sliced into thick strips
600g/1lb 5oz tomatoes, sliced
a handful of basil leaves
a pinch of salt
3 tsp capers
10 green olives
a pinch of dried oregano
about 400ml/14fl oz/1⅔ cups sunflower
oil
Sterilize 2 x 750ml/1¼ pint/3 cup jars.
Heat the olive oil in a saucepan, add the onions, garlic and chilli and sweat for a couple of minutes. Add the peppers, tomatoes, basil and salt, and gently stir. Cook on a medium heat for 5 minutes, then leave to cool.
Stir in the capers, olives and oregano. Fill the sterilized jars with the mixture and pour in enough sunflower oil to cover. Secure with lids and pasteurize for 25 minutes. Label and store in a cool, dark, dry place. Once opened, store in the fridge.
Fagiolini della Regina Margherita
Preserved green beans
Makes 1 x 600ml/20fl oz/2½ cup jar
400g/14oz green beans, topped and tailed
salt
375ml/13fl oz/generous 1½ cups white wine vinegar
1 clove
2 basil leaves
small strip of lemon zest
6 tarragon leaves
1 small shallot, cut in half
6 black peppercorns
1 garlic clove, left whole
1 red chilli (optional)
about 4 tbsp sunflower oil
Sterilize a 600ml/20fl oz/2½ cup jar.
Bring a pan of lightly salted water to the boil, add the beans and boil for 3 minutes. Drain and leave to cool.
Put the vinegar, clove, basil, lemon zest, tarragon, shallot, peppercorns and garlic in a small pan. Bring to the boil, then boil for 1 minute. Remove from the heat and leave to cool.
Fill the sterilized jar with the beans, pour over the vinegar mixture and top with a little oil. Secure with a lid and pasteurize for 20 minutes. Label and store in a cool, dark, dry place.
Marmellata di limone
Lemon marmalade
I grew up with lemons - the best type, too, from Amalfi. We used them in a lot of our cooking, for medicinal purposes or just sliced and eaten on their own. Strangely, though, lemon marmalade was not made; it was not until I came to England that I discovered the delights of marmalade. In more recent years, oranges and lemons, which grow in abundance in southern Italy, have begun to appear in the form of jams and preserves. This lemon marmalade is really simple to make; the secret is to buy the best lemons you can find. It is not only good on toast, but is also delicious served with cheese. This recipe is very natural and a must for lemon lovers - if you prefer a less bitter taste, I suggest you boil the lemon peel another couple of times in addition to the one mentioned in this recipe.
Makes about 500ml/18fl oz/2 cups
1kg/2lb 4oz unwaxed organic lemons
500g/1lb 2oz/2½ cups granulated sugar
Wash and dry the lemons well, then peel and set the peel aside. Remove and discard the pith. Slice the lemons very finely, discarding any pips. Place in a nonmetallic container. Add the sugar and mix well together, cover with clingfilm (plastic wrap) and leave to macerate for 12 hours.
Sterilize jars with a total volume of 500ml/18fl oz/2 cups.
Finely chop the peel and place in a pan with water to cover, bring to the boil, then boil for 1 minute. Drain well.
Put the peel and sugary lemons in a saucepan and cook on a low heat for about 1 hour, until the marmalade begins to thicken. Remove from the heat, pour into sterilized jars, cover with lids, turn upside down and leave until cold. Label and store in your cupboard. Once opened, store in the fridge.
Lamponi e mirtilli sotto spirito
Raspberries and blueberries preserved in alcohol
I love to preserve summer fruit and enjoy it during the winter, when these fruits and the long sunny days are a distant memory. Soft fruit preserved in alcohol makes an extra special treat, especially at Christmas time, to serve as a dessert with some mascarpone or double (heavy) cream or as an accompaniment to chocolate cake or citrus tart. You can use the same method for cherries and tiny plums. You can also drink the fruit-infused alcohol, but please, be careful, not too much! You can buy pure alcohol from good Italian delis.
Makes 3
litres/5¼ cups/3 quarts
500g/1lb 2oz raspberries
500g/1lb 2oz blueberries
1 litre/1¾ pints/4 cups pure alcohol
800g/1lb 12oz/4 cups granulated sugar
zest of 1 orange, peeled in long strips
zest of 1 lemon, peeled in long strips
Put the berries in a large bowl, add the alcohol, cover with clingfilm (plastic wrap) and leave in a dry, dark place for 3 days.
Sterilize 3 x 1-litre/1¾-pint/4-cup jars.
Put 1 litre/1¾ pints/4 cups water in a saucepan with the sugar, orange and lemon zests and place on a gentle heat, stirring until the sugar has dissolved. Leave to cool completely and then strain through a fine sieve.
Drain the fruit, reserving the alcohol. Combine the alcohol with the strained sugar syrup. Put the fruit in the sterilized jars to about one-third full, then add the liquid until the fruit is covered. Cover the jars with their lids and label. Leave for at least a month before using. Before serving, place in the fridge to enjoy cold.