Preserves with extra virgin olive oil

Preserves with extra virgin olive oil to bring summer to the table all year round

There was a time when ancient peasants prepared food in preserves with extra virgin olive oil to fill their pantries and thus ward off the poorest winter times of the year, when cold and bad weather made all harvesting in the fields impossible. Because of the cyclical poverty in which the humble people poured, it was indeed a priority to “throw nothing away” and make sure that all the harvest of the most prosperous season could be exploited for the purpose of livelihood throughout the year. The peasant art of “recycling” food, especially during the summer when the harvest is prosperous and the weather conditions are favorable, is well known and brought back into vogue in recent years, thanks to the growing interest of the population in the appreciation of natural products that are the offspring of a long tradition, so that the taste of wholesome foods can never be missed at the table and one can still enjoy products of the earth even when they are out of season. There are so many recipes for preserving foods in oil, some are characteristic of an area, many are enriched with original ingredients, but all are still made using traditional processing methods that have been handed down over time. Sun-dried or dehydrated with salt, the vegetable undergoes a preliminary processing to remove its liquid part, the cause of mold formation and spoilage. Next, the foods are placed in an aseptic and dry container and then covered entirely with the precious extra virgin olive oil and sealed with an airtight cap. Let’s look in detail at some tasty traditional recipes for preserving food with genuine EVO oil.

Artichokes in extra virgin olive oil

Typical of Mediterranean cuisine, artichokes should be subjected to preliminary sterilization. Let’s see everything needed to make these delicious Italian-style appetizers and side dishes.

Ingredients

• 2 Kg of artichokes ( I recommend they must be the small artichokes typical of this period)
• 1 lt vinegar
• 1 lt of water
• coarse salt
• 1 lemon
• 2 cloves of garlic
• 2 chilies
• bay leaves or parsley
• extra virgin olive oil to coat everything

After being cleaned to the “core” and hulled into four or six wedges, they need to be placed in a bowl with cold water acidulated with lemon juice and left for about two hours. Next, you need to blanch the artichokes in a pot with water and vinegar for about ten minutes, after which they should be drained well and placed to dry on a clean tea towel or sturdy paper, holding them upside down and turning them occasionally. As soon as they dry, approximately after eight hours, place them in glass jars with the ‘garlic, chili, a few bay leaves and chopped. Cover everything with quality extra virgin olive oil,close the jars, making sure the oil is at the right level and wait a few weeks before tasting everything.

Hot peppers in extra virgin olive oil

A very valid method for preserving this tasty food, chili pepper preserves are a must-have treat for lovers of intense and spicy flavors. Whether sweet or spicy, this preparation will help you fully enjoy good EVO oil, enhanced by the intense aroma of this very special fruit of the earth, achieving a precious spicy hue with the use of the “hottest” varieties.

Ingredients

• 500 g fresh hot peppers
• extra virgin olive oil
• 4 tablespoons of salt
• 250 ml white vinegar

Clean the peperoncinIs, dry them well and with the aid of gloves cut them into rounds, placing them to rest in a large bowl with salt mixed in well. Let us lay the mixture on a colander with a plate on top on which a weight should be added to “squeeze” the peppers of all their watery part. After leaving the mixture for a whole day, boil vinegar and water in a pot and blanch the chilies for a very few minutes (no more than three). Let them dry perfectly and then place them in well-pressed glass jars, carefully covering them with quality extra virgin olive oil.

Eggplant in extra virgin olive oil

To prepare, after peeling and slicing the eggplants into strips, sprinkle them with salt, and place them in a colander with a weight, as for the chilies, for about half an hour. Wash them and place them in a bowl with water and vinegar for another four hours. Drain well and place them in jars with chopped garlic and chilies, oregano and bay leaves, covering everything to the brim with Evo oil. Consume after a few weeks, taking care to seal tightly.