I Predict a Picknik

I don’t normally like to make predictions but it is looking like a great Summer for produce. Possibly this is due to the replenished water table and the warmth of spring. 

There still are loads of Cherries and I have already noticed an abundance of Plums, Hazelnuts and young Apples.

When the fruit comes, it tends to come all at once, often there is simply too much to deal with. We have had learned about preservation and storing of the excess that we always get. 

You can get far greater yields by working out what to do, where to go, and by utilising the freezer better.

Plums are going to be a case in point soon; there are loads growing and I have already picked my first ripe ones of the year. 

Plums taste great and can be eaten straight off the trees, of course. They can also be used to make chutney, jam, wine, pies, prunes and a myriad of other things.

I think we will need to organise a Cherry Plum Picknik, in a couple of weeks. 

Everyone can come and fill their boots, or possibly a basket or bicycle pannier. Actually, seeing as there are so many in the trees, a car with a decent trailer might be more appropriate. More details soon-don't touch that dial!

At the allotment, our Tayberry bush went into overdrive. We have been eating them straight off the bush, out of the fridge, and with ice cream. I have also added a good load to a Kilner jar filled with gin! I confidently predict that this will become a favourite delicious Summer tipple.

The Blackberries are lining up for a good year too and I have already seen an abundance of flowers as well as plenty of unripe green berries.

Chilli Crab Apple Jelly



A Lovely Loaded Crab Apple Tree

I decided I had to do something with the vast amount of crab apples that I had seen in the trees this year; jam, or more properly jelly, seemed like the simplest thing. I chose a spicy recipe with chillies in it, to help stave off the impending winter chills. It was a very simple process…

Ingredients:

·    Crab apples, washed.

·    Medium red chilli peppers, washed and chopped with seeds left in.

·    I experimented by adding some root ginger slices to this recipe, just to spice it up a little.

·    Enough water to just float the apples.

·    White granulated sugar – approx. 500g to each 500ml of juice.

A Seething Mass Of Crab Apples and Chillies

Method:

1.  Put the crab apples and chillies in a large saucepan.

2.  Add water (they should just be floating). Boil and simmer until the crab apples soften and become pulpy. About 30-45 minutes.

3.  Strain through a jelly bag.

4.  Add the juice to a large pan and add the sugar. Bring slowly to the boil, stirring to dissolve the sugar. When the juice and sugar has boiled remove from the heat and then skim.

5.  Return to heat and bring back to boil until setting point is reached. Approximately 15 minutes.

6.   Skim and pour into warm sterilised jars.

The Chop-Stick/Cupboard-Handle Improvised Jelly Bag Support

In the event, I did the first part of the recipe (boiling and straining) one night and then the Head Chef completed the exercise the following night adding the sugar and getting it into the jars. The end result looked really nice and was astoundingly tasty too, considering the appearance of the ingredients initially - I was a bit late picking the crab apples.

Delicious Crab Apple/Chilli Jelly

Always remember though, it’s never a good idea to rub your eye (or anything else for that matter) after handling chillies…

Meddling with Medlars

My friend Alison kindly sent me this recipe for medlar jelly, she also took the lovely photographs to illustrate the process.

People have been eating medlars for a long time; Shakespeare said some fairly rude things about them, some people call them cat’s bottoms and others, worse things still but the end result here looks like bottled rubies.

Cat's Bottoms!

Here is Alison’s Medlar Jelly recipe...

1.      Pick the medlars when they are hard and store in a cool place for 2 - 3 weeks until soft (bletted).

When the Stored Medlars Change Colour, they are Bletted

2.      When your medlars are bletted gather a few more firm medlars to mix with them. This helps the jelly set.

3.      Cut the fruit into quarters and place in a large pan. Cover them with water and slowly bring to the boil. Cook for about 1 hour until the fruit is soft.

4.      Gently strain the fruit through a jelly bag. Do not squeeze the bag as this will make the jelly cloudy. Leave it overnight if necessary.

5.      Measure the juice back into a large pan and for each 600mls add 450 g of sugar. Bring slowly to a rolling boil and cook until jelly reaches setting point 220 - 222 degrees C.

6.      Remove scum with a spoon and pour into sterilised jars.

Ta Da! Like Bottled Rubies

Medlars are not very common and even less well know; I thought I had found some earlier this year but they turned out to be only some kind of small pear, they still tasted very good after they had changed colour though.

I must find out what they might have been...

Green Tomato Chutney

The Head Chef decided to make Green Tomato Chutney with the unripe produce from the mini vegetable patch in our garden. Combined with apples we had picked, onions, raisins, a bunch of spices and the inevitable vinegar.

Ready, Steady, Chop!

After a mountain of pealing and chopping I got the opportunity to take some lovely, crisp, in-pot photos.

Sorted

Soon the whole house smelled of boiling vinegar.

Stirred Not Shaken

Then it’s into the sterilised jars.

Phew!

Finally the best label competition followed by waiting for a couple of months for the chutney to mature.

Oh, It's So Hard To Judge

Guess what all my family will be getting for presents this Xmas…

Yahoo Chutney,Thanks Santa...

Chunky Pear and Walnut Chutney

1.2 Kg. Pears

225g Cooking Apples

400g Sugar

450ml Cider Vinegar (We used Malt Vinegar because that was all we had)

225g Onions

120g Walnuts Roughly Chopped

1 Orange

275g Sultanas

1.5 tsp. Cinnamon (ground)

Itchen River Pears

Peel and core the pears and apples. Cut them and the onions into small chunks. Add the fruit and the vinegar together into a large preserving pan and stir. Slowly bring the mixture to the boil and then reduce the heat to simmer gently for 30 - 40 mins, stirring occasionally to prevent sticking.

Windfall Apples - We Bought the Orange From a Shop

Meanwhile, thinly grate the zesty rind off the outside of the orange and set this aside. Place the sultanas in a bowl and the squeeze all the juice of the orange over the sultanas and leave this to soak. After the fruit and vinegar has reduced, add the sugar, sultanas, orange juice, and zest into the preserving pan and heat gently while stirring until all the sugar has dissolved.

Simmer gently for a further 30 - 40 mins stirring occasionally to prevent sticking.

Simmering Nicely

While waiting, gently toast the walnuts in a non-stick pan over a low heat, until they become slightly paler. I used the remainder of the walnuts that we collected last year. Add the toasted walnuts and the cinnamon to the chutney.

If You Want It Extra Chunky - Leave The Shells On!

Spoon the chutney into pre sterilised jars, seal and store in a cool dark place. This delicious chutney should be ready in about a month and should keep for a year.

Finished and in the Jars

I had the important job of dealing with the left-overs. It tasted tangy, sweet and delicious straight off the spoon – I had to stop myself in order to save some for my sandwiches in the morning. It looks fabulous in the jars too.

Good Enough To Be Eaten Off A Spoon!

Chunky Chutney

We finally got round to making some Chutney the other night. I tried to think of a witty headline but the only word that rhymed was Putney (do correct me if I'm mistaken) and that's not funny at all. We used Delia’s Stalwart recipe called Old Dowerhouse Chutney. I’m sure there’s a pub quiz expert out there that can tell me what a Dowerhouse is too, but here we are primarily concerned with food and its making.

Stoned Plums

This recipe is really easy - I stoned the wild plums and cut up an appropriate amount of unripe apples, which my mum had thinned from her tree. Then I left the rest to the head cook, simple! Sarah prepared the rest of the ingredients and cooked it for ages – the house reeked of vinegar, it probably helped to clean the inside of the windows too.



I Predict A Riot of Colour, Texture and Flavour



We wanted it quite chunky apparently; and I must say it looked fantastic in the big brass pan. Then we put it in old (but clean) jam-jars. Now we have to be patient for a couple of months as it cures/matures or something.

The Finishing Touches

The finishing touches were supplied by the children, they make the best and most imaginative labels, many of which are nigh-on indecipherable by time we get to eat the produce (actually, that's not fair at all) but the pictures do help a lot.



Now Just Be Patient!