Food and Health

Recipes

BRAMBLE JELLY

  • 5lb Brambles
  • 2lb Windfall apples or cooking apples
  • 1lb Sugar for each pint of juice
  • 3pts Water
  • Juice of half a Lemon
  • * Jelly Bag *

METHOD

  • Pour the water into a preserving pan, or a pan with a wide base.
  • Add the lemon juice which helps prevent the apples going brown.
  • Wash or wipe the apples, cut them into pieces without removing the core and add them to the pan.
  • Rinse the brambles and add to the pan.
  • Cook to pulp, simmer and stirring occasionally.
  • Set up your jelly bag over a large bowl, or jug. When your fruit is cooked down to a pulp, pour or ladel this into the jelly bag and allow the mixture to drip overnight.
  • Prepare your jars and lids. If they have previously been washed in the dishwasher just remove the lids and put jars and lids into a warm oven.
  • Measure your juice and for each pint add 1lb of granulated sugar.
  • I also put the sugar in the oven to warm.
  • Put a plate into the freezer, metal works best but not essential.
  • Add the juice and sugar to the clean pan, cook on a low heat until the sugar has dissolved, stirring occasionally.
  • Now turn up the heat and stir continuously, boil rapidly for 5 minutes and *test the set* when it is ready turn into the warm jars, I pour from the pan to a sterile jug and pour into the jars. Cover all the jars with a clean dish towel and allow to cool before putting on lids.

TEST the SET

Remove the pan from the heat.                                                                                                    Take a spoonful of the jelly and place it onto the cold plate pull your finger through the middle of the mixture, if it remains separated or cracks show it is ready. If it draws back together, return to boil for a few minutes more and test again.

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Smokey Sweet Tomato Chutney

(makes about 8 jars)Chutney 1

  • 900g/2lb Skinned and chopped green tomatoes (red are also fine but use less ripe ones to stop it going mushy)
  • 350g/12oz Onions finely chopped
  • 600ml/1pint White malt vinegar
  • 1 tin(170g/6oz) Tomato puree (for colour and added flavour)
  • 450g/1lb Cooking apples peeled and sliced
  • 225g/8oz Sultanas
  • 450g/1lb Sugar
  • 1-2 teaspoons ground ginger
  • 1-2 teaspoons smoked paprika

Method

Put onions and half the malt vinegar in a pan and simmer until the onions are tender
Add the remaining vinegar, tomatoes and apples and cook until the fruit is soft.
If at this point the chutney still seems a little lumpy you can do as we did and use a potato masher to get the desired consistency.
Stir in the sugar, Tomato Puree, sultanas, ginger and paprika and boil until you get a thicker consistency like jam. Now is a good time to taste your chutney and adjust to your liking, you can add more sugar to make sweeter or more vinegar for more bite.
Wash jars and sterilise/warm with boiling water
Spoon hot chutney into warm jars and put lids on. Allow to cool. The hot chutney cooling should create a seal.

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