Plum Chutney

I love making preserves and make lots so I can give them as gifts especially at Christmas. Today I have made Plum Chutney. I have used a different recipe from usual and have posted it below these photo's

Ingredients

Makes 4 x 450g jars

1kg large red plums

300g Bramley apples

300g onions

2 fat cloves garlic

1 heaped tbsp freshly grated ginger

1 cinnamon stick

1 tsp cloves

1/2 tsp ground ginger

1/2 tsp crushed dried chilli

600ml cider vinegar

500g light brown soft sugar

salt and freshly ground black pepper

Method

1. Cut plums in half, remove stones and place fruit in large preserving pan.

peel, core and slice apples, add to pan

Peel and finely chop onions and garlic, mix into fruit

2. Add the remaining ingredients, plus one tsp of salt and good grinding of black pepper

Bring mixture slowly to boiling point to allow sugar to dissolve

Reduce heat and simmer steadily for about 1 1/4 hours until thick and jammy

3. remove from heat and set aside for 5 mins. before pouring into clean sterilised jars.

Cover immediately and allow to cool completely before labelling.

Store in a cool place for 2 months before serving.

Rhubarb & Vanilla Jam

I love making preserves, especially if I am using fruit or vegetables I have grown, since we have lived here however that hasn't been possible. In our old garden we had lots of plum, apple and pear trees and I used them to make jams and chutneys. Anyway, this weekend I went to a lovely farm shop that I like to visit and bought rhubarb to make jam and when the season arrives I will find a 'pick your own' and pick strawberries and other fruit to make more flavours.

Knowing my passion, my daughter bought me the labels and jar covers that I have used here, for my birthday

Rhubarb & Vanilla Jam

1kg rhubarb, trimmed weight

1 vanilla pod

1 kg sugar (I use jam sugar)

Method

Prepare rhubarb and cut into short lengths

Put into bowl

Split vanilla pod lengthways and extract sticky black seeds

Add seeds and split pod to fruit

Stir in sugar, cover bowl and leave in a cool place, ideally not the fridge, for 8 hrs or more.

When you go back to it the suger will have drawn out the juice from the fruit and vanilla will perfume it

Transfer contents into preserving pan, heat, stirring gently until sugar has dissolved

Bring to boil and boil rapidly until setting point is reached, remove pod.

If a scum has formed, gently skim it off

I test for setting point by putting a saucer or small plate in the feezer to cool it, spoon a small drop of jam onto cold saucer, wait a few seconds and then push gently with finger. If the jam wrinkles it is ready to pot, if it doesnt then boil for a little longer

Pour jam into clean strerilised jars, cover and label

Preserving

I love making preserves, we used to have a big garden with lots of plum trees and so making chutneys and jams became a regular event. Now we dont have the trees but I still enjoy preserving. I have a fruit & veg box delivered each week and any produce that I dont use that week gets prepared and frozen and then I use these up at a later date and if not it gets put in jam or chutney. This then gets put into the cupboard and used for Harvest Celebrations or given to family and friends as gifts, especially at Christmas.

Quick Fruit Jam

500g prepared fruit

500g jam sugar

Clean, dry, warmed jam jars

A small plate or saucer in freezer to chill

1. Place sugar in a bowl and put in the oven to warm through, with jars

2. Put fruit in heavy-based pan over very low heat, stirring gently until juice starts to run.

3. Stir in the warmed sugar and keep stirring until the sugar and fruit mixture liquifies

4. Increase heat and bring to a roliing boil for 4 mins. remove from heat.

5. Pour a teaspoon of jam onto the chilled plate - wait a minute and then gently push it with you finger. If a wrinkled skin forms it is ready, if not, boil for another minute or two and re-test.

6. Leave jam to stand for 15 minutes and then stir to disperse the fruit evenly through the jam

7. Pour jam into warmed jars and replace lids when cooled

Pear & Courgette Chutney

Makes about 2 litres

1kg of pears, peeled, cored and diced

500g courgette, peeled and diced

500g chopped onions

500g raisins

2 cloves garlic peeled and chopped

5cm fresh ginger, roughly chopped

750 mil cider vinegar

500g light muscovado suger

1.5 teaspoons salt

1 tablespoon black peppercorns

1 tablespoon allspice

1. Put pears, courgette, onions & raisins into large non-reactive pan

2. In a blender, combine garlic, ginger and a splash of vinegar, blend to paste and add to pan. Addthe rest of the vinegar, sugar and salt

3. Bruise peppercorns and allspice with a pestle and mortar and ties them loosely in muslin

4. Put pan on low to medium heat and stir frequently until the sugar has dissolved completely and some liquid has been drawn from the fruit and vegetable. Add the spice bag and cook the mixture down slowly, stirring more frequently as it thickens.

5. When it is well cooked, remove the spice bag aand pot chutney in sterilised jars. Coll before sealing.

I am not a huge fan of green cabbage but love red cabbage. We have friends coming for lunch on Sunday so I plan to make a big shepherds pie, this goes down really well with a portion of pickled red cabbage!

Pickled Red Cabbage

Ingredients:
Red Cabbage
Salt
Spiced Vinegar (I just put spices into vinegar and left it overnight)
Method:
Cut off and discard the outer discoloured leaves from the cabbage.
Quarter and remove the tough inner stalk. Shred the cabbage, wash and drain well.
Layer in a basin with salt between layers, ending with a layer of salt.
Leave for 24 hours.
Wash thoroughly in cold water and drain well.
Pack into clean,sterilised jars and pour in cold, spiced vinegar.
Cover the jars and label with contents and date.
Note: Ready after 1 week but if you keep it longer than 10 – 12 weeks it will loose its crispness. You can use the same recipe for Pickled White Cabbage.