Bowdoin offers no shortage of healthy and hearty dishes in the dining halls and more vegetarian options than you can shake a stick at.
However, for those who have given up guessing the auspicious days on which the Dining Service puts out Bowdoin Organic Garden greens, contemplated suicide at the sight of wilted summer squash, or are just plain fed up with getting boxed out of the sauté line, here's a way to take one's culinary destiny into one's own hands.
Green beans are a perennial favorite vegetable, and one that will be scarce on the winter table as its sunny growing season wanes.
What better way is there to stock up for the winter than by squirrelling some beans away for healthy snacking throughout the snowy months?
Canned Beans Recipe:
5 cups distilled white vinegar
5 cups water (soft and not hard water)
1/2 cup pickling salt
2 11/2 - 3 pounds fresh green beans, washed thoroughly and ends trimmed
3 cloves garlic
1 bunch fresh dill
1 teaspoon red pepper flakes
In a medium saucepan, raise water, vinegar and salt to a boil. Stir until salt is dissolved. Keep warm over low heat.
Boil three quart-sized canning jars to sterilize. Leave the lids and rings in the water, but remove the jars and pack tightly with green beans, a sprig of dill and about a third of the flakes. Move quickly so the jars stay warm. Pour the vinegar mix over the green beans until it comes within one quarter inch of the lip. Wipe down the rims, cover with a lid and tightly screw on the rings.
Place the jars in a boiling water bath for 10 minutes. Remove the jars and place on a clean, dry towel.
These jars will pop and seal as they cool. Any unsealed jars can be placed in the refrigerator and used immediately.