Home-Brew Recipes

Posts Tagged ‘preserve food’

This delicious homemade winter jam is made with dried figs and pine nuts. Look for plump, succulent dried figs with a springy texture – available in some supermarkets, delicatessens and health food store.

Ingredients:

1 – juice of lemon, 5ml – ground aniseed, 700g – coarsely chopped dried figs, 45ml – pine nuts and 450g – sugar.

Preparation Method:

1)      Put the sugar and 600ml water into a heavy pan and bring to the boil, stirring all the time, until the sugar has dissolved.

2)      Lower the heat and simmer for 10 minutes, until the syrup begins to thicken. Stir in the lemon juice, aniseed and figs to the sugar syrup.

3)      Bring to the boil once more, then lower the heat again and simmer for 10 minutes, until the figs are tender.

4)      Add the pine nuts and simmer for a further 5 minutes. Leave to cool in a pan before spooning into sterilized jars and sealing. Stored in a cool, dry place, the jam will keep for up to 6 months.

This chutney recipe is ideal for using up hard windfall pears. Its mellow flavor is excellent with cheese and oatcakes and also good with dishes made with grains, such as in pilaf or white tabbouleh.

Ingredients:

1.3kg – pears, 225g – tart apples, 225g – onions, 175g – sultanas, 1 – orange which is finely grated rind and juice, 115g – roughly chopped walnuts, 450ml – cider vinegar, 400g – sugar and 2.5ml – ground cinnamon.

Preparation Method:

1)      Peel and core the fruit, then chop into 2.5cm in chunks. Peel and quarter the onions, then chop into pieces the same size. Place in a preserving pan with the vinegar.

2)      Slowly, bring to the boil, then reduce the heat and simmer for 40 minutes, until tender, stirring the mixture occasionally.

3)      Meanwhile, put the sultanas, in a small bowl, pour over the orange juice and leave to soak.

4)      Add the sugar, sultanas and orange rind and juice to the pan. Gently heat until the sugar has dissolved, then simmer for 30minutes, or until the chutney is thick and no excess liquid remains, stirring frequently.

5)      Toast the walnuts on a non-stick pan for 5 minutes, until lightly colored. Stir into the chutney with the cinnamon.

6)      Spoon the chutney into warmed, sterilized jars, cover and seal. Store in a cool, dark place and leave to mature for at least 1 month. Use within 1 year.

Most herbs grow well in containers and there is a wide variety to choose from. A collection of containers of different shapes makes an attractive display on the patio. Do not choose anything too large If you want to be able to move pots around, for example, when you want to bring them into a sheltered position during the winter. For convenience, several different herbs can be grown in one container, but bear in mind that they are not all compatible. Mint and parsley do not grow well together and fennels do not mix with caraway, dill or coriander.

Mint, and tarragon and chives are best grown in separate containers as they will stifle any other herbs that marjoram and sage like a sunny spot, while mint, chervil and chives prefer more filtered light. During the spring and summer months all container grown herbs need daily watering as they can dry out in a matter of hours. However, do not be tempted to overwater any herbs. The soil should never become waterlogged. Whatever type of pot you choose, make sure there is a hole in the base for drainage. Fill in the base with a layer of broken terracotta and then a layer of grit or sand before filling with potting compost. Once the herbs have been planted and watered, raise the container off the ground using wooden battens or clay pot supports to free the drainage holes and prevent clogging.