Jams, Pickles and Preserves

Juicy. piquant and delicious! A relish is cooked for a shorter period time than a chutney and does not need to be stored and matured before eating, which makes this the perfect quick and easy recipe for Christmas. Wait for the fresh cranberries to arrive in the shops and make some for yourself and some to give away as a gift. (If you can bear to part with it) The recipe makes 3 standard size jam jars (378ml/1lb)

Here is a brilliant recipe, particularly if you are short of time for chopping the fruit first - you make it over two short sessions and leave overnight. Makes approx 3kg/6lb.                                                

Tips and Facts.
Always scrub the fruit first to remove wax coating.
Pips hold the pectin for setting the marmalade, so keep as many as possible.                  
You can freeze the cooked fruit and pips to use at a later stage. 
Seville orange pith becomes translucent when cooked, sweet oranges remain opaque.
Peel should disintegrate when cooked, so squeeze it hard to test it.
For Old English Marmalade replace half the white sugar with brown.                                 
Cool the cooked marmalade for 5-10 mins before potting which will help keep the fruit distributed rather than sink to the bottom.

The pretty pink, freckled, French apricots, when they arrive in the early summer are the best for making this jam. Make sure that they are not over ripe and that they are still slightly firm to the touch (not hard and not squashy). The addition of one or two of the kernels also gives a disitinctive almond like flavour to the jam, if you fancy cracking a couple of the stones and putting them in. This recipe will make about 5 x 1lb jars.

This is a very old recipe that my mother makes and has been on the table at family mealtimes for as long as I can remember. Chutney should always be matured for at least three months before eating. This recipe will keep for a good year or two in a cool pantry and will darken and thicken over time.

Make this jelly as hot as you like by adding more crushed chillies or leaving the whole dried chillies to simmer for longer when cooking. Ancho chillies add mild heat and sweetness while the chipotle adds deep smokey heat. Use whole fresh chillies if you prefer. Eat with barbecued meat (great as a glaze on pork or chicken) also delicious with cream cheese and crackers. The recipe makes about 3 standard size jam jars (378ml/1lb)

Long, slow cooking is the secret for a good lemon curd. Use a double boiler or a heatproof bowl over a pan of hot water. Take your time! This recipe makes about 800g which should just about fill two standard size jam jars.
Make sure that used jars are spotlessly clean and sterilise by warming in the oven.
The curd should keep in a cool place in perfect condition for about three months.

Keeley Bennett kindly gave us this mango chutney recipe which is so easy to make. You can use slightly under ripe mangoes and experiment with different spices. Cardamom pods or seeds (either green or black) will add a unique and aromatic fragrance. Whole black peppercorns will add some heat. This recipe will make about 3 good size jam jars.

Quinces are high in pectin so this jelly sets easily. Sometimes I add a little rose water to make an extra fragrant Middle Eastern style jelly.

This thick quince paste or Membrillo as it is called in Spain, is traditionally eaten with Manchego cheese but great on any cheeseboard. It's a bit of a labour of love as it needs to be stirred constantly towards the end of the cooking and does take a bit of time. The rich deep red colour develops as it gets thicker and thicker. Quantities will vary depending on how many quinces you have. Don't try to cook too large a batch in one go!

This recipe is inspired by Nigella who in turn was inspired by Frances Bissell. My recipe is very fruity using a high ratio of quinces instead of the Bramley cooking apples that I would use in my traditional mincemeat recipe. I keep mine in the fridge as the storing time is slightly reduced due to the high amount of fresh fruit. However it easily keeps from quince season 'til Christmas. This recipe will make about 4 kg and is best made in a mincer if you have one. If not a food processor will do, but go steady and don't over process or you will have pulpmeat.

Sweet and sticky onion marmalade that is delicious with a plate of cheese or with a smooth chicken liver pate.

Redcurrant jelly is traditionally served with roast lamb. I like it spread on toast for breakfast and also use it to glaze fruit tarts and flans, or dolloped onto some natural yoghurt for breakfast. To make a firmer and stronger flavoured jelly do not use the water but you must watch the redcurrants carefully and stir to prevent them from catching on the bottom of the pan.