Preserving

Short Term Preserving

Condiment making and looking after Feta cheese were today's activities in the kitchen.  Chilli paste has been done, it is fire red and very smooth, I am glad.  Two Feta kinds of cheese, Greek Feta and Danish Feta, were preserved in light olive oil and herbs, they keep well that way.  What I did was cutting the cheese into cubes, then I put them in jars and added some oil and herbs. They're only for a short term preserving to keep the cheeses stay healthy or fresh for cooking shortly.  I love the look of the cheese kept in oil.

I was told that I could keep these cheeses by immersing them in water, another right way to keep Feta cheese better.

Processing chilli paste in the blender.

The quantities for the chilli Paste
155 g of red small hot chillis, 125 red capsicum. a tablespoon salt and 1/2 cup oil

I have posted a recipe for Chilli Paste, but the one that I made today is a different version.  It does not contain tomato.  It was not easy to get the blender going, but in the end, I got a smooth chilli paste.  The oil was the liquid that made the mixer going well.

The Recipe

Susy Chilli Paste Without Tomato

155 g fresh chilli

125 g red capsicum, chopped

1/2 cup vegetable oil

1 tablespoon cooking salt

extra oil

Method
Place all ingredients in a blender but only with 1/4 cup oil

The process put the blender going to make a smooth paste
At this stage, the paste is very thick, and it has a rough texture

Add in the remaining oil, keep the blender working for a few seconds

Now you have a smooth but thick paste

Transfer the paste onto a clean jar and top it with the extra oil, make sure it covers the paste
Take out some when you need it, clean the top edge of the jar every time
Make sure that the paste is covered with the oil at all time, keep refrigerated!

I will be using the Feta cheese next week or even later, in the meantime they are kept safely in the refrigerator.  Feta cheese preserved with herbs and oil is delicious to serve with salads or even as a part off Mezze.
You can add any dried herbs that you like.  I used dried lemon thyme for the Feta.

I think we ought to be careful about how to handle and look after our food.  We don't want to waste it and to have food poisoning.  A short term preserving particular food is necessary to have a safe and healthy.

Fresh Herb-Lemon Thyme and Dried Herb-Lemon Thyme

Food Trivia

Tahini is a smooth, creamy, delicately flavoured paste of

ground raw sesame seeds. It is used in Middle Eastern

cooking and as a dip with pita bread. If you can't find tahini in your supermarket or natural-food store, try making your own. Combine sesame seeds with a little

water, and grind into a paste in a blender. Always store

tahini in the refrigerator; the oil from the seeds can

quickly turn rancid.

(From Home is Where the Heart Is)

Happy Weekend To You All


Thanks For Visiting My Blog
Until Next Post
Susy