PRESERVATION WITH SALT 287 



the screen in a shallow pan and boil down gently over a slow fire to 

 a thick consistency. As the water evaporates the pulp will thicken 

 and become liable to scorching. Before this occurs, place the pan 

 at the back of the stove where the heat is not sufficient to cause the 

 paste to stick to the bottom of the pan. Allow the pulp to evaporate 

 under these conditions very slowly until it has become very thick 

 and pasty. While still hot add about 2 ozs. of salt to a gallon of 

 the paste and pack into hot scalded jars. The filled jars should be 

 sterilized in a washboiler sterilizer for half an hour to an hour, as 

 desired for canning. The jars should then be sealed. 



The tomato paste can be used in cooking just as fresh tomatoes 

 are, as a flavoring for various dishes, or diluted and used as soup 

 stock, etc. 



A flavored tomato paste is made by Mrs. Jessica Hazzard, of 

 Los Angeles : To one gallon of tomato juice and pulp prepared as 

 above, add two sliced onions, two buttons of garlic, one bay leaf, 

 and two or three Chili peppers. Boil down over a slow fire until it 

 thickens and then concentrate over a steam bath or on the back of 

 the stove to a thick paste. Beat in olive oil and salt to taste. Store 

 in jars or cans. It will keep fairly well without sterilizing, but may 

 become moldy on top. If sterilized it will keep perfectly. 



This method of preserving tomatoes will save nearly nine- 

 tenths of the jars usually used for tomatoes. It is simple and ef- 

 fective. The main danger to be avoided is that of scorching the 

 product during evaporation. 



PRESERVATION BY SALT AND SOURING. 



Vegetables can be preserved more cheaply than in cans or jars 

 and more simply, for household use, than by drying, by making use 

 of the preservative qualities of salt and of lactic acid. 



1. Preservation in Brine. The vegetables are washed and 

 sliced. They are then placed in a crock or barrel or other wooden 

 vessel containing a strong brine. Metal vessels cannot be used. The 

 brine is made with 2^2 to 3 pounds of salt to one gallon of water. 

 The vegetables must be kept submerged by means of a well-fitting 

 wooden cover weighted with a stone or similar object that will not 

 be acted on by the brine. 



2. Preservation in Salt. Prepare the vegetables as above. 

 Weigh and take one pound of salt for each two pounds of prepared 

 vegetables. A layer of salt is first placed on the bottom of a crock 

 or barrel and then a layer of vegetables. Similar layers are alter- 

 nated until the vessel is full, finishing with a good layer of salt A 

 wooden cover is then applied and weighted. After a few days 

 there will be a considerable shrinkage in volume and the vessel can 

 then be filled with more layers and weighted as before. 



These methods are suitable for most root vegetables, string 

 beans, cabbage and cucumbers. 



