Mission Viejo Stake Cooking Class
March 29th, 2012
Session #5: Just
Add Water!
Using Dehydrated Fruits and Vegetables
Drying is one of the oldest methods of
food preservation. Techniques have been passed from one generation to another
based on what worked and what didn't. Methods used for drying food have become
sophisticated over time. Initially, salting and drying in the sun, an open room
or on stove tops were the accepted methods. It wasn't until 1795 that the first
dehydrator was introduced, in France, for drying fruits and vegetables.
Today, the variety of dried foods in
the marketplace has created a multimillion dollar industry. For many people,
drying food at home is a convenient way to preserve foods. Most foods, including
meats, fish, grains, herbs, fruits and vegetables, can be dehydrated.
Benefits
Dehydrating
reduces the moisture in food and is an alternative to canning and freezing
foods in an effort to preserve them for later use.
Convenience and Storage
You can easily store
dehydrated foods. They do not take up the same amount of space required by
foods that are canned or frozen. Convenience is another advantage of dehydrated
foods; you can always have a supply of food available. Dehydrated foods,
especially fruits, also make great, convenient snacks and are a perfect
alternative to pricey and nutritionally poor snack foods available from the
supermarket. Some foods can be later re-hydrated.
In a Pinch
Foods that are dried
are available in emergencies such as when refrigerated foods get spoiled in a
power outage or when you can't cook due to a problem with your stove.
No Spoiling
Dehydrated foods don't
require refrigeration. This means they represent savings in terms of energy
costs as well. Dehydrated foods don't spoil. When foods are sufficiently
dehydrated, dangerous microorganisms cannot grow on them. This means molds,
yeast and bacteria, which need water to grow, won't be a problem on dehydrated
food and you need not be concerned with botulism.
Carry and Go
Dried foods are light
weight. Dehydration reduces the weight and volume of most foods. This is an
important consideration for hikers, campers, and other long-distance travelers
who must carry their food with them. In addition, this makes storage easier and
safer.
Savings and Shelf Life
Dehydrating your own
foods brings down your food costs. This means you can buy foods, especially
produce, when they are in season at their cheapest cost and dry them for later
use. You can store dehydrated foods for up to a year.
Nutrient Rich
Dehydrated food is
essentially raw food. That means it retains most of its enzymes, vitamins,
minerals and general nutritional value that would be lost or damaged by fully
cooking. However,
some of the vitamins (A and C) are destroyed by heat and air. There are more calories in dried foods on a
weight-for-weight basis because of the concentration of nutrients. For example,
100 grams of fresh apricots have 51 calories, while 100 grams of dried apricots
have 260 calories. In general, dried foods are not a major part of the American
diet and, therefore, nutrient loss is not a concern. Nutritive value, as well
as flavor and appearance, is best protected by low temperature and low humidity
during storage.
Drying methods
Foods can be dehydrated by various
means: the sun, a conventional oven, an electric dehydrator or a microwave oven
(for herbs only). Drying, like other preservation methods, requires energy.
Oven drying is the most practical way
to experiment with dehydration. It requires little initial investment, protects
foods from insects and dust, and does not depend on the weather. Continual use
of an oven for drying is not recommended because ovens are less energy
efficient than dehydrators, and energy costs tend to be high. It is difficult
to maintain a low drying temperature in the oven, and foods are more
susceptible to scorching at the end of the drying period. Oven temperatures
must be able to be maintained at 140 ºF or less. Oven-dried foods can be darker, more brittle
and less flavorful than foods dried by a dehydrator.
Quick & Easy
Suggestions:
Use Dehydrated Onions any time a recipe calls for chopped or minced onions
that will be cooked in any moisture
(except for stir-fry or sauté).
Examples: Soups, Meatballs,
Casseroles, Rice Pilafs, Marinara Sauce, Crockpot meals, etc…
Use Dehydrated Carrots any time a recipe calls for finely chopped or
grated carrots that will be cooked in any
moisture. Examples: Soups, Casseroles, Rice Pilafs, Marinara
Sauce, Crockpot meals, cakes, muffins, bread dough, etc…
Use Dehydrated Apples in any recipe that calls for sliced apples that
will be cooked in any moisture. Examples:
Pies, Cakes, Crisps, etc…
Recipes
Easy Dry Onion Soup Mix
Ingredients:
- 4 teaspoons beef
bouillon granules
- 8 teaspoons
dried onion flakes
- 1 teaspoon onion powder
- ¼ teaspoon
seasoned pepper
Directions:
Cut a 6-inch square of heavy duty foil. Place
all ingredients in center of foil. Fold foil to make an airtight package. Label
with date and contents. Store in a cool, dry place. Use within 6 months.
To Use:
Mix into 1 pint sour cream for onion
dip.
Add to 4 cups boiling water for onion soup.
Top with croutons & shredded swiss cheese.
Use in recipes as substitute for Lipton
Onion Soup Mix.
Dry Onion Soup Mix (without
Beef Bouillon)
Ingredients:
- 8 teaspoons
dried onion flakes
- 1 ½ teaspoons dried
parsley
- 1 teaspoon onion powder
- 1 teaspoon turmeric
- ½ teaspoon celery seed
- ½ teaspoon salt
- ½ teaspoon sugar
- ¼ teaspoon ground
pepper
Directions:
Mix ingredients well. Store in airtight
container for up to six months.
To Use:
Mix into 1 pint sour cream for onion
dip.
Add to 4 cups boiling water for onion soup. Top
with croutons & shredded swiss cheese.
Use in recipes as substitute for Lipton
Onion Soup Mix.
Easy Instant Potato Gnocchi
Ingredients:
- 2⁄3; cup dry potato
buds for instant mashed potatoes
- 2⁄3; cup boiling
water
- 1 egg ,
room temperature, lightly beaten with a fork
- ½ teaspoon salt
- 1
½ cups all-purpose flour
Directions:
Put the potato flakes or buds in a
medium-size bowl and add the boiling water; stir until blended then let cool. Fold in the egg and salt with a wooden or
plastic spoon or spatula. Add
flour slowly, folding with the spatula, until you have a fairly firm dough that
doesn't stick to the bowl. Turn
dough out onto a well floured surface and knead lightly into a ball. You want just be able to work with the
mixture without it sticking unduly- but too much flour will result in gnocchi
that are more lead than light. Cut
dough in half and ROLL
each half into a long cylinder about the thickness of your thumb. Cut into bite-size pieces. You can dust lightly with flour or
semolina and set aside for a few hours.
To Cook:
Put 6 to 8 gnocchi in a few quarts of boiling, salted
water (too many at once interferes in the cooking process). Drop into boiling water and cook only
until they rise to the surface. Drain and serve with your favorite red or cream
sauce!
Gnocchi
Fresh Ingredients:
- 2 eggs
- 1 cup ricotta
cheese
- 8 tsp. butter
- 1 cup Romano
cheese, grated
Storage Ingredients:
- 1 cup instant
potato flakes
- 1 tsp. salt
- 3 cups flour
Directions:
Prepare instant potatoes as directed on
package. Combine potato with eggs and salt and whip until fluffy. Add ricotta
cheese, butter, Romano cheese and flour. Knead until smooth. Shape into 1/2″
rolls and cut into 1″ lengths. Make impression with thumb in each piece, then
lightly dust with flour or semolina. Drop into boiling water and cook only
until they rise to the surface. Drain and serve with your favorite red or cream
sauce!
***NOTE: Before cooking, gnocchi may be
frozen on a cookie sheet, then placed in a plastic bag to store for up to a
month in the freezer.
Ragu all Bolognese (Italian Red Sauce – from Carrie Damitz)
Ingredients:
- 2 Tbsp.
Unsalted Butter
- 3 Tbsp. Extra
Virgin Olive Oil
- ½ Onion, minced (1/8 cup dehydrated onions)
- 2-3 Carrots,
minced (1/4 cup dehydrated carrots)
- 2 Celery stalks
– minced
- ¼ lb. Pancetta
– chopped (or bacon)
- 1 ½ lb. Ground
Beef (or veal or pork or combo)
- 2 cups Chicken
Broth
- 1 tsp. Red Wine
Vinegar
- 4 cups Tomato
Sauce
- ½ cup Milk
Directions:
Saute vegetables in butter and oil over
medium-high heat for 7 to 8 minutes. Add
meat and brown. Add chicken broth and
vinegar and cook for a couple of minutes.
Add tomato sauce. Simmer covered
for 1 to 2 hours. Add milk ½ hour before
serving.
Carrot Cake
Fresh Ingredients:
Storage Ingredients:
- 1 1/4 cups oil
- 1 cup brown
sugar
- 1 cup
granulated sugar
- 2 cups whole
wheat flour
- 1 teaspoon salt
- 2 teaspoons
baking powder
- 2 teaspoons
baking soda
- 2 teaspoons
cinnamon
- 1 cup dry
dehydrated carrots
- 1 can crushed
pineapple, drained (20 oz.)
- 1/2 cup
walnuts, chopped (optional)
- 1/2 cup coconut
(optional)
Directions:
Cover dehydrated carrots with 3 cups of cool
water and allow to soak for 20 minutes. Drain and grind into course bits. (3
cups of finely shredded carrots, packed, may be substituted.)
In large bowl, blend together oil and brown
and white sugars. Add eggs one at a time, beating until blended.
In another bowl, mix together the flour, salt, soda, baking powder and
cinnamon. Add the flour mixture, about 1/3 at a time to the oil mixture,
beating just enough to blend. Fold the carrots and pineapple into the
batter. Add nuts and or coconut if desired. Pour batter into a greased and
floured extra large cake pan, 10 1/2″ x 15″. Bake in a preheated, 350 degree,
oven for about 1 hour. Cool completely before frosting.
Apple Crisp
Ingredients:
- 6 cups dried
apple slices
- 4-1/2 cup
boiling water
- ½ cup brown
sugar, divided
- 1 teaspoon
cinnamon
- 1 cup quick
oats
- ¼ cup flour
- ½ cup butter
Directions:
In large bowl, pour water over apples.
Let stand 5 minutes. Pour apples
and water in 8 x 12 pan. Sprinkle with
1/4 cup brown sugar. Combine rest of dry
ingredients including remaining 1/4 cup brown sugar. Cut in butter until mixture begins to form
crumbles. Sprinkle over apples. Bake 350 for 30-45 minutes.
