[shokkyy]

I'm giving serious thought to investing in a dehydrator this year so I can preserve the stuff that can't be frozen very well, like courgettes and aubergines. But has anybody tried this method for preserving mangetout? They're one of my very favourite green veg but appalling frozen.

[New shoot]

I've never tried mangetouts Shokkyy so consulted my dehydrator book.  Mary Bell says they lose their crisp texture when rehydrated, so similar results to freezing I suspect 


You could try a trial run in the oven (55-55 degrees C) and see what you think.  If you dried them to the leathery chewy stage rather than rattle in a jar dry, you may find they make good snacks.  A lot of veg do - you get concentrated flavour that way if not the texture of the fresh product


Incidentally, did you see any of the Hugh FW River Cottage Veg series.  In one of the last of the series, he met some vegans who ate raw food and they were using a dehydrator to make some interesting looking dishes. Quite intrigued I was    I'm not veggie, but very greedy and up to try new stuff   

[shokkyy]

No, I didn't see that, but I have seen some websites by people following RAW diet.  Not sure what the acronym stands for, but I saw it around and I'm sure it's something snappy A lot of the River Cottage episodes are available on the C4 website, so I'll take a look.

I have tried a bit of drying in the normal oven for tomatoes and herbs, but I didn't think the results were very good. And I really don't like the idea of leaving the oven door open, because I have a lurcher with a compulsion to steal anything that could conceivably be described as edible. But it would be good to have another option for tomatoes, courgettes, aubergines apart from passata and ratatouille. I watched a few videos on using a dehydrator and they listed a whole range of things you could dry that I'd never have thought of (carrots, cabbage, broccoli, for example). You ever tried any of those?

I'm not veggie either, but the more I grow the more I want to eat vegetables. And when I make a stew these days I find myself putting in less and less meat and more and more veg, yet somehow it's tasting better

[Janeymiddlewife]

Just wondered if they could be pickled, like green beans? Not ideal, I know, but I love them too and always get a glut, as new shoot says, freezing them is disastrous  


Found this link, but not sure how long they'd keep?
http://smittenkitchen.com/2009/06/pickled-sugar-snap-peas/

[New shoot]

I've dried quite a few types of veg.  Not ventured much into greens yet, but the River Cottage programme showed kale leaves dehydrated and they were raving over them.

I've made a stew mix for OH to take camping of onion, celery, carrot etc - he raved over it. Mushrooms are useful to have if you see them going cheap anywhere.  Apple and pear are a completely different texture and taste done at home and you won't buy shop bought again.  Maybe invest in the Mary Bell book first and see if it appeals - she covers everything from basics to full blown recipes.  The dehydrator gives much more control over the results than the oven  

http://www.amazon.co.uk/Mary-Bells-Complete-Dehydrator-Cookbook/dp/0688130240
  

[shokkyy]

Thanks, I will. As it happens, this spring I'm planning an experiment on trying to seed some outdoor mushroom spawn in my garden, to get a bed started. If it works out, I just might end up with a glut of mushrooms, and drying would be perfect for those.

[Muls]

I know this is an old thread, but .... I have just bought myself a dehydrator but have no idea where to start and what to do ! I have ordered Mary Bell's book , but can anybody give some ideas to keep me going until the book arrives please ?

[Annen]

Apples sliced thin dipped in lemon.
Banana slices. 
Beetroot crisps are gorgeous - thin sliced dipped in cider vinegar, water and a little olive oil.
Slices of lemon for lemon tea.
Blackberries.

Never done mangetout though, never have enough left over.

[New shoot]

Recent threads from kitchen natter for you 

This one has links to older threads

http://chat.allotment-garden.org/index.php?topic=115228.0

What we are all up to so far this year 

http://chat.allotment-garden.org/index.php?topic=115180.0