Title: Vegetables a To Z Part 2
Categories: Dehydrator Vegetable Info
Yield: 1 Textfile

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** Continued From Part 1 **

BEANS, LIMA

The outer skin on lima beans lengthens the drying time and the rehydration process, lowering the quality of rehydrated limas.

QUALITY WHEN DRIED -- Fair SELECTION -- Use dark green pods that are well-filled. The beans should be plump, with tender skins and a light green color. Hold for only a brief period at 45ø to 50øF (5ø to 10øC) before processing. WATER CONTENT BEFORE DRYING -- 68% PREPARATION -- Wash, shell and wash again. PRETREATMENT -- Water blanch 3 to 5 minutes or steam blanch 2 to 4 minutes. DRYING TEMPERATURE -- 140øF (60øC) for 2 to 3 hours, then 130øF (55øC) until dry. DRYNESS TEST -- Hard to brittle HOW TO USE -- Use rehydrated lima beans in soups, stews or in a cream sauce with other vegetables, seasoned with parsley, savory or sage.

BEETS

QUALITY WHEN DRIED -- Fair to good VARIETIES BEST FOR DRYING -- Detroit Dark Red, Morse Detroit, Ohio Canter SELECTION -- Dry only fresh young beets, 2 1/3 to 3-inches in diameter with fresh green tops. Beets should not be woody or tough. Dry those with a uniform dark red color, smooth skins and minimal light and dark color rings. Before processing, store only briefly at refrigerator temperature, 35ø to 40øF (1ø to 3øC), to maintain highest quality. WATER CONTENT BEFORE DRYING -- 87% PREPARATION -- Wash beets and remove tops. PRETREATMENT -- Steam until almost tender. Peel and cut into 1/8-inch strips or a 3/8-inch dice. DRYING TEMPERATURE -- 160øF (70øC) for 1 hour, then 130øF (55øC) until dry. DRYNESS TEST -- Cracking brittle HOW TO USE -- Powder dried beets in a blender to use in dry salad dressings, soups and stews or rehydrate to use in borscht or to pickle or glaze. Beets are tasty when seasoned with fresh dill, caraway seed, bay leaves, cloves, nutmeg, basil or mint. Rehydrate by soaking in a small amount of water overnight in the refrigerator.

BROCCOLI

QUALITY WHEN DRIED -- Poor to fair. SELECTION -- Dry only fresh tender, young stalks. They should have bright green heads, leaves and stems with compact dark green or purple- green buds. Yellow flowers visible inside the buds indicate tough, old broccoli. Before processing, store only briefly at refrigerator temperature, 35ø to 40øF (1ø to 3øC), to maintain highest quality. WATER CONTENT BEFORE DRYING -- 89% PREPARATION -- Wash broccoli and trim tough stalks. Split larger stalks in half lengthwise or into quarters. PRETREATMENT ~- Water blanch 2 to 3 minutes or steam blanch 3 to 5 minutes. DRYING TEMPERATURE -- 140øF (60øC) for 2 hours, then 130øF (55øC) until dry. DRYNESS TEST -- Brittle HOW TO USE -- Serve reconstituted broccoli with Hollandaise Sauce or a cheese sauce, or season with lemon juice, nutmeg or oregano and garnish with slivered almonds.

BRUSSELS SPROUTS : NOT RECOMMENDED FOR DRYING

CABBAGE

Cabbage readily reabsorbs moisture from the air. It will keep well only if extremely dry. Sulfiting lengthens storage life.

QUALITY WHEN DRIED -- Fair VARIETIES BEST FOR DRYING -- Danish, Domestic, Savoy, Copenhagen SELECTION -- White varieties do not dry as well. Cabbage should be solid firm, round and heavy for its size. Before processing, store in a plastic bag at refrigerator temperatures, 35ø to 40øF (1ø to 3øC), to maintain the highest quality. WATER CONTENT BEFORE DRYING -- 92% PREPARATION -- Wash cabbage and trim outer leaves. Cut cabbage in half; core and shred into 1/4- to 3/8-inch wide pieces. PRETREATMENT -- Steam blanch 2 to 3 minutes over water containing 1 tsp sodium bisulfite per cup of water. DRYING TEMPERATURE -- 160øF (70øC) for 1 hour, then 130øF (55øC) until dry. DRYNESS TEST -- Crisp HOW TO USE -- Cook with ham in soups or reconstitute and serve with Hollandaise or cheese sauce. To lighten dried cabbage, add 1 tsp of fresh lemon juice per cup of reconstituting water.

** Continued in Part 3 ** ** How To Dry Foods by Deanna DeLong HPBooks, California 1992 ISBN = 1-55788-050-6

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