Allotment Gardening Advice Help Chat
Eating and Drinking => Kitchen Natter => Topic started by: New shoot on August 01, 2016, 19:57
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A 'Show us your makes' thread to go with the baking one :) Its that time of year and fingers are twitching towards pans and jars, so whether you're canning or jamming, pickling or preserving, we want to see what you've been up to :D
A small batch to start - lemon marmalade I made today. From the spoon licking I did earlier, it is delicious and I can't wait to dig into these jars.
(http://i104.photobucket.com/albums/m198/suec_02/IMG_2089_zps3gphfj0c.jpg) (http://s104.photobucket.com/user/suec_02/media/IMG_2089_zps3gphfj0c.jpg.html)
I had to go into town today and I found some bargain aubergines on my travels, so Val's Hot Aubergine Chutney is on my 'to do' list tomorrow :D
http://www.allotment-garden.org/recipe/11/vals-recipe-for-hot-aubergine-chutney/
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Looking really yummy. Anyone for toast :)
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I've got cherries waiting in the fridge ready for jamming tomorrow.
Marmalade looks lovely,I've never made lemon.
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I missed that one Snowdrops - homemade cherry jam sounds delicious :D
I've been busy as well.
Val's Hot Aubergine Chutney, which is a lovely colour and made the kitchen smell wonderful as it cooked
(http://i104.photobucket.com/albums/m198/suec_02/IMG_2090_zpssh2bwcyp.jpg) (http://s104.photobucket.com/user/suec_02/media/IMG_2090_zpssh2bwcyp.jpg.html)
Some garden pickles and an apple and lemon jelly with chilli and coriander
(http://i104.photobucket.com/albums/m198/suec_02/IMG_2091_zpspmqmwrr0.jpg) (http://s104.photobucket.com/user/suec_02/media/IMG_2091_zpspmqmwrr0.jpg.html)
I've made another 2 jars of pickles since and pressed the dehydrator into service for a big jar of dried mint as well :)
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All looking luscious --- I'll be adding to the gallery soon when I have cleared up the hot vinegar on the kitchen floor and had a little lie down (or a trip to the tip with Mr S seems more likely tbh -- not with my jars, with garage junk he had to move for me to actually get to my jars lol)
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OK here are the Bread & Butter Pickles (my recipe) and Hot Aubergine Chutney (Val's recipe)
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Looking good :D
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Thank you! And today's offerings are:
Pickled Pink Shallots and Green Bean & Carrot Pickles
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Is the bean and carrot pickle in the recipe section. Watched country file and a man up in Scotland had all his produce pickled including carrots to see him through winter. Did not think you could pickle them, shows how much i know.
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Strawberry jam , fruit from the freezer.
chrissie b
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Such lovley bright colours.
chrissie b
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Is the bean and carrot pickle in the recipe section. Watched country file and a man up in Scotland had all his produce pickled including carrots to see him through winter. Did not think you could pickle them, shows how much i know.
No not yet.
Here is my fig jam. Never thought I would have enough figs to make jam but it is a bumper year here!
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Where did you get a recipe Sunny? We also have a lot of figs here but don't particularly like them fresh. Could try them as jam as we like the ones you get 'at that time of year'. :D
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That fig jam looks glorious :D
I've got itchy fingers again as I found a recipe for tomato jelly with basil. That sounds so nice I might just have to make some :)
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That fig jam looks glorious :D
I've got itchy fingers again as I found a recipe for tomato jelly with basil. That sounds so nice I might just have to make some :)
Aaaah ... I have basil. I have tomatoes. I hadn't thought of a tomato jelly. Glad you did!!
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Well done Sunny on enough figs to jam, how big is your tree & where is it?
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The tree is in the back garden and we keep it pruned to about 2'5m high and 3m wide at its bushiest each year. Drastic pruning of part of the tree at a time each year or it would be as big as the house ... about 30 years old!
Brunswick figs themselves are really enormous too, so it only took 7 figs for all that jam 😍
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Hmm my brown turkey is in a planter but I struggle with watering it, really need to rig up a self watering system for it.
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With such big leaves ours does needs extra water too as its roots are restricted by a concrete and brick raised bed
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Hi Sunny, i may sound thick ... but what is kosher salt that you used in your bean and carrot recipe and where do you buy it. Or can i use ordinary cooking salt.
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Cooking salt has an anti-caking agent in it and this seems to affect the colour of the veggies... green bits look greyish which is not so good (I found this out last year)
Kosher salt is completely pure. I bought mine on amazon with next day free delivery -- easy option. I think you can use sea salt instead
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I had nearly talked myself out of the tomato jelly, then I found these at The Range for £2.49 each. I know that isn't cheap for jars, but these are kilner with the proper band lids and look sooooo lovely.
(http://i104.photobucket.com/albums/m198/suec_02/IMG_21231_zps2umaywtf.jpg) (http://s104.photobucket.com/user/suec_02/media/IMG_21231_zps2umaywtf.jpg.html)
I now have plans for some lovely coloured jellies all lined up on a shelf, so started with a green tomato one. It was flavoured with fresh green chilli, plus bay leaves and herbs from the garden. I ran out of time, so it is a green juice in the fridge for now and tastes promisingly tart and savoury to make a good jelly.
My plans are now for a red tomato one with basil, a purple one when the grapes ripen and a pink one when the quinces are ready.
No-one is going to get to eat these of course. I shall just be opening the door and gloating over them ;) :lol:
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Those jars look nice.
chrissie b
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First of my new special jars filled :) Green tomato and herb jelly spiced with chilli although it has come out a deep amber colour, rather than the green I was expecting. Tastes good though :D
(http://i104.photobucket.com/albums/m198/suec_02/IMG_2124_zpsm4cgafg7.jpg) (http://s104.photobucket.com/user/suec_02/media/IMG_2124_zpsm4cgafg7.jpg.html)
Next on the list is a red tomato and basil version.
I also made some chili oil and more pickled gerkins. I think we are up to about 4 large jars of these now and I picked another bowlful earlier on. Sunshineband did smile and say they were prolific as she handed me the seeds. She was quite right :lol:
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Ooo err very nice .
chrissie b
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Lovely looking jar & jelly.
I just won a first at the garden club annual show, for my courgette chutney. I think it was a recipe from on here😊
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Lovely looking jar & jelly.
I just won a first at the garden club annual show, for my courgette chutney. I think it was a recipe from on here😊
Congratulations Snowy... always good to know other people like your creations!
And New Shoot, the jelly plan sounds interesting. I am doing bramble jelly tomorrow ... nice dark purple one I hope!
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Kosher salt is completely pure. I bought mine on amazon with next day free delivery -- easy option. I think you can use sea salt instead
This is essentially true - 'Kosher salt' is a bit of a misnomer and is in fact 'Koshering salt' - i.e. salt that is used in the koshering process. The term 'kosher salt' appears in many of my older North American published cookery books, but has now found its way into mainstream UK publications too. Any pure rock salt, sea salt, or even PVD salt will work just fine. Indeed some brands of coarse salt for water softeners are listed as 'food grade' on the bag and this can be a very cheap source of salt.
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I just won a first at the garden club annual show, for my courgette chutney. I think it was a recipe from on here😊
Well done Snowdrops :D
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Kosher salt is completely pure. I bought mine on amazon with next day free delivery -- easy option. I think you can use sea salt instead
This is essentially true - 'Kosher salt' is a bit of a misnomer and is in fact 'Koshering salt' - i.e. salt that is used in the koshering process. The term 'kosher salt' appears in many of my older North American published cookery books, but has now found its way into mainstream UK publications too. Any pure rock salt, sea salt, or even PVD salt will work just fine. Indeed some brands of coarse salt for water softeners are listed as 'food grade' on the bag and this can be a very cheap source of salt.
Thanks Swingswang... all news to me and worth knowing!
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Well done on getting a first for your chutney, Snowy. You'll have to make some "1st" rosettes for the jars.
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Thanks all, I got a big red rosette 😊 & cards for my other 2nd & 3rds. I think the recipe was a Mrs Bee one, I hope I can find it again as I tasted it when I got it home & it's lovely, I'd forgotten about the jars in the cupboard. Plus I've got a glut of courgettes
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Thanks for the replies on kosher salt. Will look for the Mrs Bee recipe, will make a change from soup which i made last night.
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This year's preserves thus far...still have to add about 40 more jars of various things to this before the season is over.
This pic shows a variety of tomato based things and a few odds and ends that didn't have a large category. In this lot are tomato soup, salsa, slumgulleon~just a medley of garden veggies along with pasta...this is usually heated up, thickened with cornmeal and eaten over potatoes, rice, bread, etc., and a few jars of chili base sauce.
(http://www.backyardchickens.com/image/id/19973339/width/700/height/700/flags/LL)
This shelf is corn and a few jars of chicken from last year...those will be opened and placed into a chicken pot pie mix, which will be canned right back to the jar for easy use later.
(http://www.backyardchickens.com/image/id/19973341/width/700/height/700/flags/LL)
This shelf was bowing from the weight of quart jars last year, so I only put pint jars up there this year....just a medley of salsa, tomato soup, hot pepper jam, corn, green beans, etc.
(http://www.backyardchickens.com/image/id/19973344/width/700/height/700/flags/LL)
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My goodness Beeskissed,
A few qs......
how do you know how much to put by,
do you eat it all in 1 yr,
Do your jars not have to be full
& can you take a photo of your canning pan?
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My goodness Beeskissed,
A few qs......
how do you know how much to put by,
do you eat it all in 1 yr,
Do your hats not have to be full
& can you take a photo of your canning pan?
I put up what we grow until it's all put up. For the corn, we buy most of that from a local farm stand~though I grow some here it's not enough to cover our needs~ and I know about how much we can use in a winter/spring until next harvest time, so I just put up around 40 qts.
Not sure of what a hat is in regards to canning , but maybe you are talking about jar space? It's recommended to be full but doesn't always have to be so...I've never had any problems with jars not full to the recommended fullness, especially a tomato product. I've even done jars of deer and chicken that weren't entirely full before with no problems.
If we don't eat it all in one year, we just move it to the front and place the newer canned items in the back, using last year's first.
Steam canner (water bath equivalent) and pressure canner, respectively....
(http://cdn.backyardchickens.com/4/4f/900x900px-LL-4f2c0689_100_3441.jpeg)
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Thanks Bee, & hats was supposed to be cans, so you guessed correctly & thanks for the pics of your pans. Do you not find that everything you can is rather soft? Particularly the meats?
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I've always been a little afraid of using the canning, or bottling method of preservation in case I don't do it correctly and end up poisoning the family, but having seen everything you are producing, Beekissed, I am very tempted to give it a try. I need to something, because I can't get one more thing in my freezer, and I hate to see stuff go to waste.
I'm going to look online for some proper Kilner jars, etc., and have a go. Does all of the canned stuff need to be kept in the dark, and is there anything that you would not recommend trying to preserve with this method? Thanks.
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Thanks Bee, & hats was supposed to be cans, so you guessed correctly & thanks for the pics of your pans. Do you not find that everything you can is rather soft? Particularly the meats?
The corn is just like as if you've cut it off the cob it's so very crisp and tender. The tomatoes, of course, cook down to softness and the meats are soft and tender, as most would prefer, moist and with a sealed in flavor. That's the beauty of pressure canning..it can render an old rooster or hen as tender and soft as a young broiler. Green beans are not mushy, but just like you've cooked them in a pot on the stove.
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Lovely lot you have there Beekissed. Well done to you!
I agree that bottled /canned veg do not have to be mushy. Our green beans and carrots are usually lovely and crisp. Good you have the storage space for it all. I have persuaded Mr S to re-organise in the garage to free up more accessible shelf space for preserves so we can more easily see what we actually have.
Easy to forget!!
Here is my latest offering: Yellow Tomato & Basil Jam. New venture, tomato jam but is seems great! I also have Chocolate Cherry & Chilli Chutney which is very hot (unlabelled as only just finished the test batch!) but oh so lovely. Used up lots of the tomatoes I have a huge number of, before the reds arrive for sauces
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I've been knee deep in tomato sauce today and I used my new 0.5l Kilner Jars.
They really made a loud pop as they cooled - made me jump ::)
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Tomato and basil jelly, grape jelly and a large jar of dehydrated cherry tomatoes, cut into quarters and dried.
(http://i104.photobucket.com/albums/m198/suec_02/IMG_2132_zpsqjplc5v6.jpg) (http://s104.photobucket.com/user/suec_02/media/IMG_2132_zpsqjplc5v6.jpg.html)
The green and red tomato jellies are zesty and savoury/sweet. I added a little wine vinegar to each to perk the flavour up and it really worked. They will go well with cold meat or cheese. The grape one is richer and sweeter, so could be eaten on toast, or with roast dinners or added to gravies to enrich them.
My grape vine produces lots of flavourful but small, pippy dark purple grapes - probably because I don't faff enough and thin them :lol: They make a mighty fine jelly though :D
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VERY pretty!!!! :) Looks yummy too.
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Heres my effort from yesterday its orange, grapefruit and lemon marmalade i got 9 assorted jars daughter pinched one even before it was cold ha ha .
chrissie b
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I'd of pinched one as well - looks yummy :lol:
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Its realy nice , lidl had their greapfruit on at 29p so got a few hubby loves greapfruit ive left the peel really big ,i had to use small jars as i had thrown out loads then was asked for some so only had small left .
chrissie b
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I've just come in from the garden with a mass of quinces from my little tree. It has done exceptionally well this year. Some are already bubbling away on the stove making juice for jelly and the house smells lovely :)
I'll do a spirit based drink with them, but have the great luxury of enough to try something new as well. A recipe for a pickle combining quince semi-dried in the dehydrator and lots of chili and spices has caught my eye, as has a chutney recipe. More research and some more jars needed I think :D
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Sounds interesting ive never cooked with quince and only had it the once when i was given a jar of jelly butit tasted musty wasent keen .
chrissie b
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Musty :ohmy: Then what you were given wasn't quite right Chrissie.
Quince jelly should be a beautiful pink colour and is one of the best to eat. Its always a bit of kitchen magic when a hard, yellow unpromising looking quince transforms into a jar of rosy coloured delicious jelly :D
I'll put some pictures on once it is made :)
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Quince jelly plus a couple of jars of spicy quince chutney.
(http://i104.photobucket.com/albums/m198/suec_02/IMG_2169_zpshmfpk7lt.jpg) (http://s104.photobucket.com/user/suec_02/media/IMG_2169_zpshmfpk7lt.jpg.html)
Its not a typical chutney where the ingredients are simmered until totally combined. This one is cooked fairly fast and is more a spicy, savoury quince conserve. It needs to mellow in the jar, but it tastes very promising :)
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Looks lovely. Tomorrow I'm making gooseberry & mint jelly & might have a bash to use the leftover gooseberries up in gooseberry,orange & pistachio jam. I really do feel it's a waste not to use the leftovers from the jelly bag. Does anybody else reuse them? I sometimes re simmer then with half the quantity of water & then put that through the jelly bag again & mix the 2 batches of juice.
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Gooseberry and mint sounds lovely, as does that jam :D What a great mix of flavours and I like the idea of pistachios in there for some crunch.
I've done an apple and mint jelly that had a splash of white wine vinegar added and that is good. Apples work well for jelly on a second boiling. I haven't tried it with gooseberries, but there is no reason it shouldn't work.
Another herb one I have made that I can really recommend is rosemary. I used apple as the base, but you could use other things. Its fantastic with chicken :)
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Hmm second try at this got an error message the first time🤔
Gooseberry & mint jelly first of, followed by gooseberry, orange & pistachio jam, all made out of 4lbs frozen last years fruit. Not a great colour on the jam, it was pink the first time I made it
(http://i1056.photobucket.com/albums/t371/snowdrops3/Mobile%20Uploads/2014-03/87E35115-DC91-49B1-8DD3-B07D7E34FA72_zpsgymtbbxz.jpg) (http://s1056.photobucket.com/user/snowdrops3/media/Mobile%20Uploads/2014-03/87E35115-DC91-49B1-8DD3-B07D7E34FA72_zpsgymtbbxz.jpg.html)
(http://i1056.photobucket.com/albums/t371/snowdrops3/Mobile%20Uploads/2014-03/F6DC49FC-561C-4CCC-9E89-B0E038366970_zps3qjvnvaz.jpg) (http://s1056.photobucket.com/user/snowdrops3/media/Mobile%20Uploads/2014-03/F6DC49FC-561C-4CCC-9E89-B0E038366970_zps3qjvnvaz.jpg.html)
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Here's today's effort, allotment chutney. I adapted a recipe given to me by Mrs Bee, has courgettes,runner beans, aubergine- home grown but tough skins, red & green toms, onions, beetroot,Apple,sultanas. Hope it keeps
(http://i1056.photobucket.com/albums/t371/snowdrops3/Mobile%20Uploads/2014-03/F8142B98-18FB-4AE4-90A2-E5F9C275AC94_zpsbkccnxbq.jpg) (http://s1056.photobucket.com/user/snowdrops3/media/Mobile%20Uploads/2014-03/F8142B98-18FB-4AE4-90A2-E5F9C275AC94_zpsbkccnxbq.jpg.html)
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Here's some more from a few weeks back, just checked & I've not posted them before
Strawberry jam from my own strawberries, first time I've had enough to jam
(http://i1056.photobucket.com/albums/t371/snowdrops3/Mobile%20Uploads/2014-03/1190B7D7-4B49-4B66-83FD-51F8235B0EDF_zps5fad1bqj.jpg) (http://s1056.photobucket.com/user/snowdrops3/media/Mobile%20Uploads/2014-03/1190B7D7-4B49-4B66-83FD-51F8235B0EDF_zps5fad1bqj.jpg.html)
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Cherry jam from our tree
(http://i1056.photobucket.com/albums/t371/snowdrops3/Mobile%20Uploads/2014-03/84BEFAEE-BE69-466D-9B54-A2BF27C5FF70_zpsatvbprkg.jpg) (http://s1056.photobucket.com/user/snowdrops3/media/Mobile%20Uploads/2014-03/84BEFAEE-BE69-466D-9B54-A2BF27C5FF70_zpsatvbprkg.jpg.html)
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Red current jelly from this years fruits, still got last years in the freezer
(http://i1056.photobucket.com/albums/t371/snowdrops3/Mobile%20Uploads/2014-03/BA33817D-48A3-43B2-A481-6A6F2AD90784_zpsnzmbxq6j.jpg) (http://s1056.photobucket.com/user/snowdrops3/media/Mobile%20Uploads/2014-03/BA33817D-48A3-43B2-A481-6A6F2AD90784_zpsnzmbxq6j.jpg.html)
Very glad I've put these pictures up. I thought I hadn't made very much but the pictures show otherwise.
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And the last ones so far
(http://i1056.photobucket.com/albums/t371/snowdrops3/Mobile%20Uploads/2014-03/12B096A0-0FA4-4F07-A1B8-8263B931C2E5_zpslccs9nzz.jpg) (http://s1056.photobucket.com/user/snowdrops3/media/Mobile%20Uploads/2014-03/12B096A0-0FA4-4F07-A1B8-8263B931C2E5_zpslccs9nzz.jpg.html)
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Wow you have been busy Snowdrops. What a lovely lot of preserves to have on hand 8) I am very jealous of the cherry jam :)
I made my quince pickle today. Last night the quince slices were mixed with chili, salt and tumeric. They were very tasty when I sampled one.
Today they were drained, semi-dried in the dehydrator and packed in jars with more chili, salt and lots of roasted, ground spices. Hot oil was poured over and now they have to sit on a sunny windowsill for a couple of weeks.
Not everyone's cup of tea I know, but it is a similar process to an indian lime pickle and I love that :D
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Thanks Newshoot, vie still got some in the freezer from this year & last year, it's a morello cherry so needs cooking. Quinces, now that makes me jealous 😊.
Hmm don't seem to have a photo of the 15 jars of beetroot & apple chutney I made a few weeks back & it's all stashed away maturing now🙄
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An impressive array of jams i see we have the same jars ha ha.
chrissie b
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An impressive array of jams i see we have the same jars ha ha.
chrissie b
Ha ha. I can see how it would be good to buy some of the same type etc, but to be honest it never occurred to me until I saw people on here buying them. I'm too mean to throw perfectly good recycled jars away. Hmm but they would look nicer in the cupboard if they all matched, one sort for jams & one for chutneys, would make finding fitting lids a lot easier.
Pickled 4 jars of beetroot tonight. Made 6 pints of spiced vinegar & didn't use even half of it.
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Just sorted out the cupboard to get this weeks preserves stashed
Here they all are
(http://i1056.photobucket.com/albums/t371/snowdrops3/Mobile%20Uploads/2014-03/95F24394-F294-4552-BF7B-B424F16DE2D3_zpsps6jf9t0.jpg) (http://s1056.photobucket.com/user/snowdrops3/media/Mobile%20Uploads/2014-03/95F24394-F294-4552-BF7B-B424F16DE2D3_zpsps6jf9t0.jpg.html)
(http://i1056.photobucket.com/albums/t371/snowdrops3/Mobile%20Uploads/2014-03/69A8DCBD-1983-4B7A-94AC-C2778DE9F4CE_zpstjhj3t1y.jpg) (http://s1056.photobucket.com/user/snowdrops3/media/Mobile%20Uploads/2014-03/69A8DCBD-1983-4B7A-94AC-C2778DE9F4CE_zpstjhj3t1y.jpg.html)
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So far this week I've made some courgette & Ginger chutney,thanks Mrs Bee😊, that's the courgettes finished with I hope, with the last ones used up in some piccalilli in place of the cucumbers, along with some runner beans & then the last but 1 lot of runner beans used up in some runner bean chutney. Still got lots of beetroots in the ground so some more to be pickled, think we've got enough chutneyd. Would like to pickle some onions & or shallots & that will be it then I think
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I'm about done as well. There is quince pickle maturing on the kitchen windowsill and quince gin soaking in the dining room, but I'm about out of ingredients now.
If I see fruit or veg going really cheap, the dehydrator may still be on the go. I got some bonus cep mushrooms a couple of weeks ago that OH spotted while out working, so they were sliced, dried and stashed pretty fast :)
OH has started on his vast stocks beetroot chutney with great enthusiasm. I thought I had made more than enough, but now I'm not so sure :lol:
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You'll have to ration him😊
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You'll have to ration him😊
He's wise to that one :lol: He knows where the jar stash is and tends to raid it when I am working in the evening ::)
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The quince achaar (Indian pickle) has had its maturing time on a sunny windowsill and is now ready to store :)
(http://i104.photobucket.com/albums/m198/suec_02/IMG_2192_zpsebeen1pm.jpg) (http://s104.photobucket.com/user/suec_02/media/IMG_2192_zpsebeen1pm.jpg.html)
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That looks lovely, is it hot & spicy?
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is it hot & spicy?
Yes and I halved the amount of chilli powder in it :lol: I also wimped out of using mustard oil and used vegetable oil instead.
Its hot, spicy, tangy and very moreish :D
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Here are my jars of green figs in rose syrup. I wrestled with these due to the amount of latex that needed to come out of them first, but I think they will be worth it once they have sat in the syrup for a week or two more
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Here's the mincemeat maturing for use in December
(http://i1056.photobucket.com/albums/t371/snowdrops3/Mobile%20Uploads/2014-03/B215A3B3-1E73-43B5-92E4-272E1EC9D9EF_zpsymuzor7h.jpg) (http://s1056.photobucket.com/user/snowdrops3/media/Mobile%20Uploads/2014-03/B215A3B3-1E73-43B5-92E4-272E1EC9D9EF_zpsymuzor7h.jpg.html)
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2 more lovely sets of jars :)
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Snowdrops that mincemeat looks delicious!
Quince jelly today ... dripped out overnight ... and then that should be me done for now. I'll deal with the carrot achaar after we get back from holiday as they should be fin in the ground for now.
Oh, also got parsley and walnut pesto on the list now after our bonus crop of flat leaf parsley lol
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Hmm quince jelly, not seen any about for sale or been offered any freebies this year😞
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Hmm quince jelly, not seen any about for sale or been offered any freebies this year😞
I had about 8 from a friend at the plot. The last four went in the jelly with a few small apples in the box. Only got three little jars though so it is not on the list for hampers for people this year 😉
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First batch of the season....more to go. Chicken, stock and schmaltz. Nothing like a retired, fat layer hen to produce good schmaltz!
(http://www.backyardchickens.com/image/id/20340668/width/700/height/700/flags/LL)
(http://www.backyardchickens.com/image/id/20340331/width/700/height/700/flags/LL)
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Not as lovely as jams and such, but still a certain beauty to this chicken stock....
(http://www.backyardchickens.com/image/id/20365654/width/700/height/700/flags/LL)
(http://www.backyardchickens.com/image/id/20365652/width/700/height/700/flags/LL)
Canned chicken...old hens on the left, young cockerels on the right.
(http://www.backyardchickens.com/image/id/20365642/width/700/height/700/flags/LL)
Rendered fat on top of the stock, chilled in the fridge over night so as to make removal easier...
(http://www.backyardchickens.com/image/id/20365647/width/700/height/700/flags/LL)
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Well I thought I had done, but got another spark of inspiration today :lol:
Quince gin strained and decanted into pretty bottles for gifts. Then it seemed such a shame to bin those quince chunks, I ended up making quince cheese. I am amazed so much fruit and sugar ended up as just 3 small jars and a moulded shape, but it is so rich and delicious, I don't care :D
(http://i104.photobucket.com/albums/m198/suec_02/IMG_2215_zpszhmmyz4b.jpg) (http://s104.photobucket.com/user/suec_02/media/IMG_2215_zpszhmmyz4b.jpg.html)
The cheese looks quite dark in the jars, but when the light is behind it, its a lovely colour. This bowl has now been topped off with greaseproof paper and is maturing in the fridge. My recipe says it needs 4-6 weeks so just in time for the cheese and cold meat after winterval ;) The jars were all going to be gifts, along with the gin, but I may need to keep at least one for myself :unsure:
(http://i104.photobucket.com/albums/m198/suec_02/IMG_2216_zpstf8ihrxq.jpg) (http://s104.photobucket.com/user/suec_02/media/IMG_2216_zpstf8ihrxq.jpg.html)
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That is a nice colour very festive.
chrissie b
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Just found a recipe for gooseberry and gin only makes a small ammount so going to try it .
chrissie b
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Three fruit marmalade
(http://i1056.photobucket.com/albums/t371/snowdrops3/Mobile%20Uploads/2014-03/63E05D6B-3D16-4A4E-BC07-1A85F1B914BE_zps82iqusan.jpg) (http://s1056.photobucket.com/user/snowdrops3/media/Mobile%20Uploads/2014-03/63E05D6B-3D16-4A4E-BC07-1A85F1B914BE_zps82iqusan.jpg.html)
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Seville marmalade
(http://i1056.photobucket.com/albums/t371/snowdrops3/Mobile%20Uploads/2014-03/7D27418F-B1B2-4825-8231-CAD9C8E64937_zpsbyz3sqdh.jpg) (http://s1056.photobucket.com/user/snowdrops3/media/Mobile%20Uploads/2014-03/7D27418F-B1B2-4825-8231-CAD9C8E64937_zpsbyz3sqdh.jpg.html)
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First batch of black currant & redcurrant jam
(http://i1056.photobucket.com/albums/t371/snowdrops3/Mobile%20Uploads/2014-03/3D063B1F-3D9E-46BC-AFF6-897C13D2737E_zpspafwo21f.jpg) (http://s1056.photobucket.com/user/snowdrops3/media/Mobile%20Uploads/2014-03/3D063B1F-3D9E-46BC-AFF6-897C13D2737E_zpspafwo21f.jpg.html)
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Red currant jelly with port
(http://i1056.photobucket.com/albums/t371/snowdrops3/Mobile%20Uploads/2014-03/36A2217E-82ED-4E47-A144-3395B00C399B_zps1eegm7ew.jpg) (http://s1056.photobucket.com/user/snowdrops3/media/Mobile%20Uploads/2014-03/36A2217E-82ED-4E47-A144-3395B00C399B_zps1eegm7ew.jpg.html)
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That all looks wonderful, especially the Seville marmalade. What a lovely colour. Did you make that from fresh Seville oranges or from the tinned ones? I must admit that I never think to make marmalade, and yours looks so impressive.
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Thank you, the colour is lovely. Yes from fresh Seville oranges, there's 2 batches there cooked as one
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What a lovely lot of jars :D
Was the rest of the fruit all from the freezer? The marmalade does look very appealing, but the redcurrant jelly with port grabbed my attention - yum :)
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Yes red currants,black currants all from the freezer, some was 2016 fruit & lots 2015, that I just didn't get to use one way or another. I've still got cherries, raspberries & blackberries in the freezer, but they go very nicely in pies. I really want to learn how to bottle some as that will save space in the freezer. Today I finished the whitecurrant jelly, I added Rosemary to that, so I'll see whether that's a winner, if not I think I'll mix them in with either the redcurrants or the cherries another time
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Today's white currant with Rosemary jelly, not sure what this will be like, I used the same recipe as for the red currant jelly but added a few sprigs of Rosemary in when I cooked the currants then added finely chopped rosemary for the last 10 minutes or so of cooking once the sugar was in
(http://i1056.photobucket.com/albums/t371/snowdrops3/Mobile%20Uploads/2014-03/A944C997-B103-42D6-9734-98050BA75770_zpsrtq1vyts.jpg) (http://s1056.photobucket.com/user/snowdrops3/media/Mobile%20Uploads/2014-03/A944C997-B103-42D6-9734-98050BA75770_zpsrtq1vyts.jpg.html)
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Last one for a while I think, 2nd batch of black & red currant jam, which was nearly 6lbs of fruit
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They all look great i do the 3 fruit marmalade but i use the tinned concentrate had no complaintes we like ours very chunky using the whole fruit .
my son brought me some lovley little jars one was from that easy garlic , ive steeped it and it still smells .
tomorrow in doing some mango chutney as lidl have cheap mangos in .
chrissie b
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Yes I've used the tinned some years, my dad used to use it but I do feel the fresh fruit has an edge to it😊. In fact a friend came round on Saturday & I gave her a jar, I got a text from her yesterday saying it was the best marmalade she had ever tasted, so I was rather pleased with my self 😊
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I do agree that the fresh oranges have the edge over the tinned.
I buy loads at this time of year, prepare and freeze them.
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Yesterday I made 4 jars of strawberry jam from excess plot strawberries
Today 5 jars of mango chutney from last weeks cheap mangos at Lidl
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Yesterday I made 4 jars of strawberry jam from excess plot strawberries
Today 5 jars of mango chutney from last weeks cheap mangos at Lidl
Great when you are in the right place at the right time to snap up something delicious and cheap!!!
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Since we are in our new place and don't have the ground prepared for fruit cages yet, I have had to patronise the local independent grocers. They can procure the finest but "pretty pennies" are involved, especially for the raspberries!
Obviously the Seville and Damson came with us from our old place but everything else is new... and stacks four jars deep!
(http://www.dcoffey.co.uk/images/cooking/JamCupboard.jpg)
For the eagle-eyed, yes there are three types of Raspberries involved here. The single remaining jar of last year's Glen Ample is on the right, the left ones are unknown but the middle bunch are Kwanza and were the ones that almost induced heart failure when I got the invoice with the fruit delivery. Two quid per 125g punnet! They have a delicate citrus flavour and a strong taste without being too sharp. A puree of them barely sweetened with dark muscovado goes over some Philadelphia-style vanilla ice cream really well...
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That's quite a cupboard full 8)
My preserving pan has not been out yet this year, but the late summer and autumn harvest season is beckoning :)
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Yesterday I pickled 2 jars of gherkins, used Springlands bread & butter recipe for the vinegar. There were a few tiny ones so did those whole & hopefully will add to them to get a jar full
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Used New Shoot's recipe and made a version of Cucumber Fridge pickles... several batches eaten already 😂
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2 jars of roasted peppers made today.
Mixed peppers from the greenhouse, garlic from the plot and MoS's recipe from on here :D
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They look lovely
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Tomato, Basil & Chilli Sauce with Sungold toms
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Yummy, do you water bath those jars?
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No need to water bath.
It's put into hot, sterile jars and closed with sterile lids.
System was approved by Food Standards Agency and products have a 12 month "Best Before" limit.
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Green tomato chutney, to deal with fruit picked from plants showing blight:
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More peppers done and some roasted aubergine slices. Also made a load of tomato sauce for the freezer. The freezer has to be re-organised, but I've managed to clear a shelf, which is great news as there is more produce on the way 8)
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Just mentioned in 'What's for tea' another tomato preserving day. So far I've managed to find room for it all in flatpacked bags in the freezer :)
I think the next lot will be in jars though.
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I may do some jars of tomato sauce, but I want to dry more slices as well. My freezer space is earmarked for fresh borlotti, cubes of blanched wilted greens and hopefully some braised red cabbage - the plants need to get a move on though ::)
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I am planning to try tomato paste, by reducing blitz tomatoes as far as I dare without them burning, then dehydrating the resulting thick sauce to a paste in the dehydrator. I need to cut some silicon sheets into circular pieces to fit my dehydrator shelves first
A friend from US suggested this and he freezes the paste as ice cubes then
Sounds do-able I think :unsure:
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Do-able yes, but it seems a lot of processing and I would grudge the freezer space. You could jar and water bath the sauce just as easily.
You can put dried tomato slices through the food processor to get a rough powder for sauces.
You can also dry pureed tomatoes into a sheet, but you need a thickener such as apple sauce, cornflour or pectin. Try searching tomato leather.
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Yes I think the water bathing of the sauce might be a better idea. I am assuming I am going to get sufficient tomatoes for this to be even made of course !
I could try slices of tomato again too......
Thank you
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9 mixed jars of runner bean chutney,yummy can't wait the 2 months for it to mature
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Chinese style plum sauce made with bullaces from the hedgerow near where my daughter lives, plus bullace and apple jelly (dripped overnight so will boil up later today) two batches of yellow bullace vodka, one plain and one with brown sugar and cinnamon.
(The pic is the jars of sauce, plus a half full one where there was not quite enough for four jars)
PS Not quite enough tomatoes for making unseasoned passata, but getting there!
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Reduced 4kg of tomatoes to a thick but spoon-able paste today, filling nearly four 580ml jars. Lids "popped" so I am hoping it will keep well.
Blitzed the tomatoes skins and all as fine as I could, then cooked them down for around 45 minutes.
Also made several jars of mixed tomato chutney, that has whole 11s & 1000s in it
And somewhat randomly 3lb of Mandarin & Gin Marmalade with fruit bought in our local Asian greengrocer :lol: :lol:
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Busy people on here 8) I'm trying ( :wacko:) not to make too much this year as we still have chutney and marmalade left from last year, but cracked yesterday and now have a bowl of nasturtium seeds soaking in brine to make pretend capers. OH, who views some of my experiments with trepidation, thinks I have completely lost the plot :lol:
I'm blaming Sunny as she has mentioned them few times :nowink: :lol:
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As it is miserable outside, I've done another batch of passata this morning, will start on the glut of peppers this afternoon :D
I did buy apples to make chutney, but put them in a pie instead :blush: Best intentions and all that :lol:
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Plum jam yesterday with plums scrimped from our daughters neighbours tree( his dad said to help ourselves😄)
Any idea why the picture is upside down, I did one not long since & it was ok, plus when I tried to redo it, it duplicated itself?
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I have such a glut of tomatoes this year that I made red tomato chutney for the very first time today. I know you're supposed to keep it for a while, but I tried a little with some cheese, and was very surprised to find that I actually liked it. I didn't think I would, and really made it to give away to family and friends that like chutneys. Needless to say, I'm going to keep some for myself too.
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Glad you liked it Jaydig. Good to share but good to be able to enjoy the fruits of your labours too :D
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Any idea why the picture is upside down, I did one not long since & it was ok, plus when I tried to redo it, it duplicated itself?
If you are uploading from an iPhone, it quite often turns pictures round. Not sure how you get round that. From a pc or laptop, go to your pictures folder and click on the picture. It opens it up in a window that gives you various tools to resize, turn it round and so on. I copied your picture to mine and turned it round, then re-attached it to your post. Sometimes they just load into your pictures folder on their sides or upside down and you have to correct them.
If you end up with duplicate pictures or ones you didn't intend to attach, click on the modify button on your post and it will open it back up. Underneath the text box, there is a bit which says Attachments and other options. Click on that and it will list all your attachments. Just click the little tick box next to the one you want to get rid of. The box will clear and the picture will be gone :)
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Any idea why the picture is upside down, I did one not long since & it was ok, plus when I tried to redo it, it duplicated itself?
If you are uploading from an iPhone, it quite often turns pictures round. Not sure how you get round that. From a pc or laptop, go to your pictures folder and click on the picture. It opens it up in a window that gives you various tools to resize, turn it round and so on. I copied your picture to mine and turned it round, then re-attached it to your post. Sometimes they just load into your pictures folder on their sides or upside down and you have to correct them.
If you end up with duplicate pictures or ones you didn't intend to attach, click on the modify button on your post and it will open it back up. Underneath the text box, there is a bit which says Attachments and other options. Click on that and it will list all your attachments. Just click the little tick box next to the one you want to get rid of. The box will clear and the picture will be gone :)
Thanks NS, I don think it's quite like that on an iPad though. The picture I selected was the right way up on my camera roll. As for the duplicate when I clicked on attachment when I tried to edit it, nothing showed up or again just now when following your attachments. It must be something with this site because it's not the same on another that I attach photos to. Maybe a switch needs turning on to do with iPads?😄
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Been dealing with some of the annual tomato mountain today:
- 2.5kg of largish toms are now reduced to paste, and filled 3 x 580ml jars
- 2.5 kg cherry tomatoes are oven-dried with garlic and oregano in olive oil (see pic)
- 2kg cherry tomatoes are chutney-ed
Made a goodly dent in the pile :D
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And today there is Apple, Sage & Garlic Jelly now in jars on my worktop. Not made this before but is does taste good, especially once it is cold as the sage flavour seems stronger then
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And today there is Apple, Sage & Garlic Jelly now in jars on my worktop. Not made this before but is does taste good, especially once it is cold as the sage flavour seems stronger then
Hmm that sounds nice, was it cooking apples? I've got loads of eaters that need using up & some crab apples on the way
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Been dealing with some of the annual tomato mountain today:
- 2.5kg of largish toms are now reduced to paste, and filled 3 x 580ml jars
- 2.5 kg cherry tomatoes are oven-dried with garlic and oregano in olive oil (see pic)
- 2kg cherry tomatoes are chutney-ed
Made a goodly dent in the pile :D
They look good, are they water bathed?
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And today there is Apple, Sage & Garlic Jelly now in jars on my worktop. Not made this before but is does taste good, especially once it is cold as the sage flavour seems stronger then
Hmm that sounds nice, was it cooking apples? I've got loads of eaters that need using up & some crab apples on the way
No I used eating apples as we have Bramleys and they make a cloudy jelly. This is crystal clear with finely chopped sage through it and looks quite pretty. Any eating apples that stay in slices when cooked would do the same, and you can adjust the sugar accordingly. I added 400g for 600ml of juice, plus 100ml of white wine vinegar
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Following a very busy weekend at The Sawley Marina Autumn Market, it's now frantic brewing to get Hot Mango Chutney and Tomato & Chilli Sauce back in stock ready for the pre-Christmas surge.
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Been dealing with some of the annual tomato mountain today:
- 2.5kg of largish toms are now reduced to paste, and filled 3 x 580ml jars
- 2.5 kg cherry tomatoes are oven-dried with garlic and oregano in olive oil (see pic)
- 2kg cherry tomatoes are chutney-ed
Made a goodly dent in the pile :D
They look good, are they water bathed?
No. The ones in oil are kept in the fridge but the others all had pop-in lids that popped in very quickly. Sterile jars and lids all round of course. The tomato contents means they are acidic enough not to need a hot bath
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And today there is Apple, Sage & Garlic Jelly now in jars on my worktop. Not made this before but is does taste good, especially once it is cold as the sage flavour seems stronger then
Hmm that sounds nice, was it cooking apples? I've got loads of eaters that need using up & some crab apples on the way
No I used eating apples as we have Bramleys and they make a cloudy jelly. This is crystal clear with finely chopped sage through it and looks quite pretty. Any eating apples that stay in slices when cooked would do the same, and you can adjust the sugar accordingly. I added 400g for 600ml of juice, plus 100ml of white wine vinegar
Where did you add the garlic & how much please. I was gifted a huge bagful of crab apples yesterday so 6lbs are now in the jelly bag, I like the idea of the sage, do you crush the garlic & add it in as you boil with the sugar?
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Managed a 1st and 2nd at the local show
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Well done
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Congratulations Pescador :)
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I've spent most of the day in the kitchen, made 3 pints of crab apple juice in to mint jelly. 9 more lbs of apples prepared & cooked up, now dripping through the jelly bag. Still got 1.5 pints of crab apple juice, I might combine the 2, plans to make chilli jelly. How many chilli's per pint of juice? Also some of Sunnys sage & garlic jelly as well I think.Yesterday I made my mincemeat with another 1:1/2lbs of apples, this year I've used eating apples instead of cooking apples since I have been given so many, still abagful to use.
With the last of the crab apples I've filled 2 x 1.5 litre jars, 1 has been filled with gin & the other brandy & some sugar.
I still need to filter the elderflower gin I made earlier, does it normally go brown? It's the first year I've made it.
I've been offered some grapes, so hopefully will go & get them later in the week for grape jelly
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And today there is Apple, Sage & Garlic Jelly now in jars on my worktop. Not made this before but is does taste good, especially once it is cold as the sage flavour seems stronger then
Hmm that sounds nice, was it cooking apples? I've got loads of eaters that need using up & some crab apples on the way
No I used eating apples as we have Bramleys and they make a cloudy jelly. This is crystal clear with finely chopped sage through it and looks quite pretty. Any eating apples that stay in slices when cooked would do the same, and you can adjust the sugar accordingly. I added 400g for 600ml of juice, plus 100ml of white wine vinegar
Where did you add the garlic & how much please. I was gifted a huge bagful of crab apples yesterday so 6lbs are now in the jelly bag, I like the idea of the sage, do you crush the garlic & add it in as you boil with the sugar?
I cut a head in half and broke it up a bit before adding it to the apples when they were cooking. It all got strained out. I also put a decent handful of sage in at this time too, plus some finely chopped leaves stirred in as the jelly was setting.
Forgive the dodgy writing and wonky labels... not a good day for hands ::)
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Thanks Sunny, might have to amend that then as I've already cooked the apples & dripped them.
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So today was a jelly sort of day, 9lbs of apples stewed yesterday plus the leftover crab apple juice yielded 7pts of juice. So 3pints was made into chilli jelly as I only had 5 chilli's thanks daughter. The other 4 pints was made into Sunnys sage & garlic jelly.
Click on the picture & it turns the right way up, but is then too big for the page!! This is the sage & garlic
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Here's the chilli one
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Yesterdays brew of Green Tomato Chutney took me past 1000 jars so far this year. Didn't want to be doing it so early but blight is taking hold, so they had to come out.
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Yesterdays brew of Green Tomato Chutney took me past 1000 jars so far this year. Didn't want to be doing it so early but blight is taking hold, so they had to come out.
My goodness I thought I was doing well, I've hardly any jars left. What on earth do you do with them all?
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They are sold through my hobby/business, Paul's Preserves and Pickles. Keeps me out of mischief (nearly!)
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They are sold through my hobby/business, Paul's Preserves and Pickles. Keeps me out of mischief (nearly!)
Ahh that makes sense, I've been thinking about selling my surplus to make space for my new season jars, I think it's becoming a bit of an obsession.
Where do you buy your jars from?
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They are sold through my hobby/business, Paul's Preserves and Pickles. Keeps me out of mischief (nearly!)
I thought I put up a lot of preserves etc but for you it must be a full time job!! Have you had to have a kitchen assessment etc?
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Sunshineband, Yes. I had to have a full assessment of kitchen suitability and standard. Also of procedures, traceability, Best Before dates, production techniques and record keeping.
Snowdrops, my jars come from The Bottle Company (South) in Bristol, and their service is 2nd to none!
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Thanks Peskie will look them up 😊
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Sunshineband, Yes. I had to have a full assessment of kitchen suitability and standard. Also of procedures, traceability, Best Before dates, production techniques and record keeping.
Snowdrops, my jars come from The Bottle Company (South) in Bristol, and their service is 2nd to none!
I thought you must have!
Feeling a bit like something and nothing today as I have not made a single thing :lol: :lol: :lol:
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[/quote]
Feeling a bit like something and nothing today as I have not made a single thing :lol: :lol: :lol:
[/quote]
Haha just said the same sort of thing to hubby, don't know if I feel so tired because I've not done anything today or because of all I've made in the last few days 😊🤔
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Crab apple jelly takes me back aunty dorises small kitchen with upturned stools with muslin slung between them getting the juice from her apples the whole bouse smelt of apples it was never ending process i was 9ish so.that was 50 years ago and aunty doris who seemed old then is now the grand old age of 103 so there maybe something in that crab apple jelly.
chrissie b
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Due to a load of apples descovered at the bottom of my freezer apple and strawberry jam.
chrissie b
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Forays into fermentation here :ohmy:
This is hopefully going to be sweet pepper salsa, or so the recipe book says. About 1/3 of the weight of peppers is actually supposed to be jalapeño chilies. I have some hotter and some milder than this, so assembled a mix, red peppers and a red onion. It can be eaten as is, used a base for salsa with tomatoes added and I'm thinking will be a useful ingredient to have on hand for all sorts of things.
This is processed to mince, then grated garlic and salt is added, it is fermented for 14 days, then jarred up and stored in the fridge. There is a piece of food wrap on top of the contents in the jar to keep them under the brine.
There were a couple of spoonfuls of pulp left. It didn't seem worth starting another jar and I have 1/2 tin of coconut milk in the fridge to use us, so I'm thinking this could be the base of a curry.
Its all very satisfying as everything bar a couple of spoons of sea salt came from the greenhouse or the plot :D
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That sounds interesting, funny I was going to post & ask how everyone goes about keeping pickles submerged under the liquid. When you buy gherkins you sometimes get a plunger thingy, obviously I've saved a few but the other day needed to keep my crab apples under the gin & brandy so I cut a circle of plastic out of a yogurt tub lid, cut some slots in it from outside the outside edge towards the middle bar a cm or so, shaved off another strip next to each cut to create a gap, pierced some holes in it then placed it in the jars, so far so good. I've had to readjust it a couple of times when I shook the jars.
What dies everyone else do? I didn't do this with my elderflowers in my gin earlier in the year & it's gone all brown, not very attractive, will it still be drinkable or can I filter it out do you think & if so how!
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"I didn't do this with my elderflowers in my gin earlier in the year & it's gone all brown, not very attractive, will it still be drinkable or can I filter it out do you think & if so how!"
You could 'fine' it, Snows.
Wilkos sell the finings, or you can easily get it online.
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Re keeping things submerged, the book I have suggests various methods, including food grade plastic cut to size and plastic wrap. Another very simple solution for a wide jar is a tightly sealed plastic bag filled with water. That might help with the crab apples :)
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Thanks both, very good ideas. Mr G I think I have some finings from a wine kit I was bought, or can't you use egg shells?
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I made 4 jam-size jars and 1 mint sauce-size jar of Granny's Rhubarb and Apple Chutney.
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Spicy cucumber relish, Apple & Lavender jelly and dehydrated tomatoes and apples have cleared the decks before I go away for a week. We can actually see the kitchen floor :lol:
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The start of fermented chili paste today. There is 1lb of chilies in that jar with salt and a plastic bag of water to keep everything under the brine. Its so simple - 1/2 tsp pure salt per 1/2lb of chilies that you have pulsed in the food processor. Mind you it was a bit eye watering spooning it into a jar - this one could double as rocket fuel :lol:
Also what is left of my sauerkraut. 1/2 a cabbage in this jar, again just with salt. I made a basic kraut that was only fermented 4 days, before venturing off into anything more elaborate.
The kraut is now stored in the fridge, while the chilies need to ferment for 21 days at least out at room temperature.
Forays into fermentation here :ohmy:
This is hopefully going to be sweet pepper salsa, or so the recipe book says.
This is also now in the fridge and it is good stuff. Its got a fair bit of heat to it, but tastes great and I think I will be making it again :D
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Spicy cucumber relish, Apple & Lavender jelly and dehydrated tomatoes and apples have cleared the decks before I go away for a week. We can actually see the kitchen floor :lol:
Looks good.
Not ever tried an apple jelly, is it much like conventional fruit jelly?l
I always make a mustard piccalilli with some of my cucumber and french beans and some borrowed cauli and my dads pickling onions.
Any chance of the recipe for that cucumber relish?
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Busy day today making Pickled Onions, Golden Flame Chutney (yellow courgettes) and Caramelised Red Onion Chutney
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Angel Hair Jam. Recipe and full story in this thread, but it is a sweet conserve made with a relative of vegetable spaghetti squash called Sharks Fin Melon.
Shark's Fin Melon in Cooking, Storing and Preserving - Page 1 of 1 (http://chat.allotment-garden.org/index.php?topic=127237.new#new)
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Made some Beer Chutney and Mango Chutney, as stocks were getting low!
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Yesterday 11 jars of beetroot & apple chutney, 2 jars of pickled baby beetroot.
Last week 6 jars of beetroot & orange chutney.
That’s all of the beetroot used up 😊.
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Here’s the beginning stage of a new try out for me
Preserved Blood oranges, serve with cream or soft cheeses. Hoping they look as nice as they do in the picture in the book. Been meaning to try them for a few years & always missed the season, but saw them last week in Lidl & got a bag of 4, then tgecrecipe calls for 6 so got another bag this week, then I saw in their flyer they’ve got them next Thursday 500g for79p!
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And here’s it cooking & finished. I ended up with nearly a jar of syrup leftover, I think because I cooked it with a lid on, time will tell if it lasts.
Sorry they’re upside down again, it’s just this forum it happens on. When I go to add files the thumb nail print is the right way up once it’s added before I click submit so maybe John needs to turn a switch 360 degrees lol
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180 degrees would be better Snowdrops!! ;)
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The jars have been accumulating on the dining room table this week, so this is them prior to a labelling and putting away session.
From the left - chilli flakes from Pot Black chillies dried last summer, peach chutney, pickled shallots, pickled beetroots, tomato chutney and a couple of works in progress, namely kraut and kimchi. There are only small batches of these as I make kraut as and when I feel like eating some, plus the kimchi is a first try.
I also roasted a whole tray of plot garlic heads, squeezed out the pulp and froze it into ice cubes. The cubes are great to have as an ingredient in the freezer. They work wonders on everything from quick pasta sauces to soups and do deeply mysterious and wonderful things to a cheese sauce :D
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Very nice Newshoot, I like the idea of the frozen garlic, wish I’d done some of that as soon as I harvested my mystery garlic, would have saved it rotting in storage
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180 degrees would be better Snowdrops!! ;)
Haha yes even better
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Yesterday's preserving foray ended with the production of 3 jars of piccalilli that I am very pleased with. I had to buy a cauli, but it does include homegrown green cherry tomatoes, green beans, courgette and cucumber.
The sauce was delicious. I couldn't stop licking the spoon - after I had finished filling the jars I hasten to say :lol:
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Yesterday's preserving foray ended with the production of 3 jars of piccalilli that I am very pleased with. I had to buy a cauli, but it does include homegrown green cherry tomatoes, green beans, courgette and cucumber.
The sauce was delicious. I couldn't stop licking the spoon - after I had finished filling the jars I hasten to say :lol:
My brother was saying that he loves piccalilli, but I don't have a clue how to make it. Any chance of sharing your recipe - it looks very tasty?
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Any chance of sharing your recipe - it looks very tasty?
It was Pam the Jam's recipe which is on the River Cottage website Jaydig. It's very easy as well :)
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Thanks for the info, New Shoot - I think my brother is going to get a treat :D
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Been very busy in the kitchen, with Spiced Pickled Pears, Lavender & Apple Jelly, Basil Pesto and lots of tomato things
Here are 5 jars of Tomato & Chilli Sauce, 4 of Orange Tomato Preserve (no oranges in it, used the Orange Banana and Golden Sunrise tomatoes) and 3 of Chuncky Tomato Ketchup
I'll say this quietly, but there are no tomatoes in bowls on the kitchen floor right now
Starting on the apples today....
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I'll say this quietly, but there are no tomatoes in bowls on the kitchen floor right now
I have some spare if you like :nowink: :lol: Off to plot in a bit so I fear another bag full is looming :ohmy:
Lovely show of jars to show for your latest work though :D
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A lovely brew of Plum source (AKA brown sauce with attitude!) safely in jars.
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Haha Sunny, I’m still inundated with them, used 4lbs to make a tomato chutney today. I’m really surprised how well they’re ripening in the conservatory,I didn’t expect them to, this soon. I thought we’d be overwhelmed with green tomato chutney.
Mind you I picked another 16lbs from the plot today, & 11lbs from the garden plants yesterday.
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Thank you for the offers of tomato "top-ups" I have some more now!! I also have 2 very large bowlsful of sweet red peppers, so will be making something out of them this afternoon. I shall let you know ….
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Jars on the dining room table this week prior to labelling and putting away.
Green tomato chutney, quince jelly and pickled red cabbage.
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I've just screwed the tops on 5 jars of Quince and Apple jam, it was going to be jelly but the straining bag broke, so I just put it all through the mouli to remove all the bits ::)
I thought it was the easiest way out of a sticky situation :lol:
All because - this afternoon, once the wind got up, there were lots of windfall apples under the communal trees, so picked up quite a few, and a neighbour said I could pick as many quince as I wanted because she'd used all she wanted. The quince trees really did have a very good harvest this year :)
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For some reason, I've developed a yearning for some sauerkraut... We can't buy it locally, so may have to wait until we go to 'the big town'...!
But hey, why not try to do some here? My cooking skills start with a lot of perfect preparation, and yesterday it was all ready for lunch, but I got the timing wrong on the pasta, burnt the bacon, forgot the parmesan and the upshot was just about OK, but making that cabbagy delicacy might make amends...
I'll discuss the issue with Mrs Growster later! Seeing all those jars and bottles just fires the soul - well done you ladies - but I won't hold my breath on any replication just yet...
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More quince stuff - I have now stashed the whole crop and made pie :D
As well as the jelly, I have quince brandy steeping, quince and lemon conserve, spicy pickled quince slices and this quince chutney.
Quince out now :lol: The pickled quince has left a lot of leftover spiced and sweetened vinegar, so picked up a bag of unwaxed lemons on the way to work to make a lemon pickle later.
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New Shoot, and of course, anyone else here making preserves, you've made our five small jars of tomato chutney seem rather (very) insignificant by comparison!
Mrs Growster marvels at your work, then asks, if you can possibly use it all before next year...;0)
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Mrs Growster marvels at your work, then asks, if you can possibly use it all before next year...;0)
:lol: Maybe but I'm happy to have extra. Last year the quince tree only had a few fruits and then dropped the lot early, so the harvest was a big fat zero. I have just opened the last jar of quince chutney from 2016 and very fine it is too :D
There are spicy preserves to have with curries, traditional ones for sandwiches and the like, which perks up my late night dinners no end when I get home from late shifts at job no.2. I also have OH to feed, who I suspect polishes off way more than me, you and Mrs G combined.
I cook with them, adding chutney to the bottom of quiche cases, into tagines and other spicy stews, plus jellies into gravy and jams and conserves into puddings. Then there are the seasonal gifts for a couple of months time .... it all goes :)
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I’ll start 2019 shall I?
I bought oranges, lemons & Sevilles on Friday for this years marmalade making jamboree (I didn’t make any last year as I was still recovering from being ill at Christmas.
So on Saturday I made a start to prepare the fruits & put to soak overnight before making 2 x 2 batches of 3 fruit marmalade on Sunday & preparing the rest of the Seville’s to soak overnight to be made into 2 batches of Seville marmalade on Monday
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And here’s this weeks raspberry jam
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And today’s black,white & redcurrant jam. Finally getting down the fruit mountain in the freezer. Now just a jam mountain in the garage preserve cupboard 😂
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Did you get a supply of jars sorted out?
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Been busy i made 2 jars of Tomato and Chilli Chutney this morning it's certainly got a kick :D
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Been busy i made 2 jars of Tomato and Chilli Chutney this morning it's certainly got a kick :D
Marvellous!
A Daughter gave me a hamper from MandS last week, (birthday pres), and there was a jar of this - as yet unopened, and also a small jar of Apple and Fig, which is to die for!
Fig and Apple is not available in normal quants, so we're taking the recipe from the back, and going to make our own! (Mrs Growster is a dab hand at chilli production, having germinated about fifty plants from a tired, forgotten old red pepper left hanging by a thread to dry, ages ago)!
This idea nearly worked, a year or so back, when we tried to replicate that gorgeous one, 'Pan Yan', which for some reason isn't around any more, but this new fig stuff is nearly the same - possibly because of the ginger and cardamom. We may just chuck in some Nigella for contrast...
Your recipe sounds brilliant, have you published it, or is it a state secret?
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I made a couple of jars of green bean pickles, plus some Sichuan pepper and salt mix.
First jars filled this year - we’re off :D
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A neighbour gave me a huge bag of green tomatoes as they were clearing their greenhouse and had loads to ripen. I have a ton from the plot already hogging the windowsills, so chutney time :lol:
This is green tomato chutney with no apple, just tomato, onion and spices, so is a bit different. I have made it before and we both really liked it last time, much preferring it over the normal recipes :)
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This week so far is a couple of jars of Hungarian Salad Pickles, which are one to keep in the fridge once opened and eat up fast, as they are in a brine and vinegar mix. The other jars are a cucumber pickle from an American recipe. They have a few more spices in them than the bread and butter type we make here.
I have apple chunks in the dehydrator now and will be heading up to the plot for red cabbage in the next day or so. Some are getting braised and put in the freezer and some are for pickles :)
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I've just made 8 jars of Apple & Rhubarb chutney, I put some in new jars for December 'holiday' hampers :)
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Six jars of pickled onions in the cupboard 'hidden' to try this year to keep at least one back for cold cuts later in the year.
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The most photogenic of preserves and one of my favourites - quince jelly :) Harvested my tree and have my stash done. plus have quince brandy steeping away.
How a hard yellow bitter fruit like a quince transforms into this delicious preserve is some sort of magic 8)
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How a hard yellow bitter fruit like a quince transforms into this delicious preserve is some sort of magic 8)
The weather must have suited them this year, as the jelly is a lovely deep colour :)
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Wet weekend so been occupying myself with this lot. There is a pink and purple theme today.
Pickled onions with Isobel Rose onions and some red cabbage. The onions were planted out from modules of multi-sown seeds and grown in clumps. These are the titchy ones of each bunch :)
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Ooh nice, I've just ordered some Isobel Rose about 10mins ago :lol: :lol:
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Look lovely. I’ve hardly done any preserves this year, not sure why, no gluts to speak of so maybe that’s why ???
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My shallots (purchased) are hidden at the back of the cupboard ready for later in the year. Very little chutney or jam eaten in this house so don't bother making any. When my daughters were small they used to love making 'bird nests'. :nowink: Red cabbage as the nest with a couple of pickled onions in the middle as eggs. If you asked them what they wanted in their sandwich it was always ' just pickle' as in Branston. They still have to have a jar of my onions and cabbage for 'that' day in December. Don't know this year how I am going to get it to them.
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HP sauce used to be a sandwich of choice many years ago Wighty, so a pickle sandwich is a great alternative!
Mrs Growster sowed some three-year old chilli seeds back in the spring, and most of them came up! We kept a few, and gave several plants away as well, but we still had so many chillis, that I was 'forced' to make some chilli jam!
The chilli and apple (again, from a chum), recipe said between 10 - 15 chillis, but I doubled that, so have to think twice before getting any on my fingers...
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HP sauce used to be a sandwich of choice many years ago Wighty, so a pickle sandwich is a great alternative!
Mrs Growster sowed some three-year old chilli seeds back in the spring, and most of them came up! We kept a few, and gave several plants away as well, but we still had so many chillis, that I was 'forced' to make some chilli jam!
The chilli and apple (again, from a chum), recipe said between 10 - 15 chillis, but I doubled that, so have to think twice before getting any on my fingers...
Cor, I’d be thinking twice about opening the jar lol :lol: :lol:
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Snows, I'm afraid to even go anywhere near the jars...
They seem to loom out from the pantry like something out of Bergerac (without the car), and the tentacles just loom large!
If I don't survive this winter, just ask the Atomic Nasty Company of Hawkhurst, and they'll tell you what happened...:{~
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Just reducing more Apple & Rhubarb chutney but I used some of the quinces as well as some windfall apples. It does seem to have a richer flavour, so will deffo do this again :)
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In an effort to free up a freezer drawer for Christmas goodies I made the tubs of blackberries, plus a small quantity of redcurrants into a seedless jam. The first try didn't set very well, so I had to tip it out and boil it for a bit longer - which seems to have worked.
It's a bit sharp for toast, right now, but it will work in sponge cakes and puddings, if it doesn't mellow after a few months storage :)
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Look lovely. I’ve hardly done any preserves this year, not sure why, no gluts to speak of so maybe that’s why ???
I lied lol, well not strictly, just that I’d forgotten what I had made, last week I pickled 3 jars of shallots & 3 of red cabbage, both homegrown & also turned the last of the beetroot into beetroot & apple chutney. Today I labelled it & put it away in my ‘new’ pantry. We turned an unused & unloved downstairs toilet into the new pantry earlier in lockdown take 1. So today I had a bit of a rejig & tried to move all of this years preserving onto one shelf but there was too much :lol: & here’s the evidence .
Oh & I've also done cassis, gooseberry vinegar,cherry gin & I think raspberry gin. Must get round to straining them all, the fruits been in for months :ohmy:
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P.s I have anti gravity shelves :ohmy: :lol:
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I’m just trying different ways of posting the pictures as sometimes they don’t turn upside down
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:mad: that doesn’t work either
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P.s I have anti gravity shelves :ohmy: :lol:
I did wonder :lol: :lol:
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Angel Hair Jam all made :D
This is what 3 large Sharks Fin melons turned into. Not a massive amount, but well worth making in my opinion. The name comes from the thread like nature of the melons, which you can see in the finished jam. Just melon, sugar, citrus juice and peel, but absolutely delicious :)
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That looks lovely :)
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I never got to make any the year I grew them & I’ve never grown them again, maybe next year. :nowink:
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Over the past few years, we've concocted several chutneys, etc., and occasionally, if we say that they're not up to scratch, we just mix them up to create another batch!
So far, the leading lights have been anything with chilli, and as we have quite a few Thai Dragons ripening, we might just achieve something which might blow your head off!
I hope so!
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Just as a rider to the last post, after a taster of just a tiny piece half the size of a little finger nail, even a green Thai Dragon has enough heat to power most of Kent and a bit of Sussex as well...
Apparently it's between 50,000-100,000 on the Scoville, but that may be when it's turned red!
Just had to pour a cooling beer to stop the heat!
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I had a busy afternoon :lol:
On the left is gooseberry jelly with roasted garlic and sage and on the right is gooseberry jam. I don’t make much jam, but gooseberry is just so delicious I can’t resist it :D
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I still have several jars of last year's various chutneys, and the addition of the chillis has made a huge difference!
I'm wondering if perhaps it could all go in the blender - with more chillis, and make some sort of HP sauce, but I'm not sure if the blender would just melt or summat...
It's a quandary which will take up most of the next few days, so may take some time to resolve!
Love the idea of gooseberry jelly with garlic, News! By mistake, I made our usual elderberry wine the other day, and chucked in some of last year's blackcurrants, and without thinking, a small frozen packet of tomatoes! It's pretty good actually, but not a mixture I'd have contemplated before...
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We are currently eating some chutney made in 2020 Mr G and very good it is too.
If you keep the jars sealed until you need the contents, they should be fine. Once you open them, they need re-boiling to sterilise them if you want to keep them.
You could warm small quantities up and blend, then keep the resultant sauce in the fridge :unsure: It could also be a glaze for meat or fish, added in the last few minutes of cooking.
I’m still contemplating tomato wine but it is a bit too early for my brain to grasp that one :lol:
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The first of what I hope will be a productive pickling season. There are lots of promising contenders coming along on the plot, but this is cauliflower which was a freebie from work.
Pickled in white vinegar with sugar, plus chillies, black peppercorns, bay leaves and a few spices like fenugreek and tumeric.
I’m hoping for a spicy and hot pickle, tempered with a bit of sweetness, but I’ll have to wait a couple of weeks to test that theory :)
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Had a cheese and pickled onion sandwich roll for lunch, last of last years onions. Was really soft, how do shop pickled onions stay crunchy for so long. ::) (sorry my question mark button no longer works).
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Was really soft, how do shop pickled onions stay crunchy for so long. ::)
The recipe I use is dry brining (salt just sprinkled over peeled onions) and the vinegar is cold when it goes into the jar. It keeps them crunchier.
I usually pickle shallots rather than onions and grow them for that purpose, but my round ones this year did not like the weather and produced very little. Oddly the banana shaped ones did OK, although smaller than usual, so I might have a go with them. They won’t look as nice in the jar, but will hopefully taste OK and pickled shallots are always crunchier than onions. They are in the shed at the moment and I’ll leave it until the autumn before pickling, so we have them for the Yuletide feast ;)
I am not sure how shop ones are produced. You would think they would be heat treating jars and their contents for long shelf life and that would make them softer ??? Perhaps it is a very fast, very high temperature process, like the way they sterilise those microwave rice pouches, that we can’t replicate at home :unsure:
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Daughter uses a great way to pickle shop-bought onions!
Just thinly slice a couple of red onions, and drop them in a jar of decent cider vinegar!
It's as simple as that and after a couple of days, the result is just fabulous!
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Actually, reading back throught these posts, and reminded by all you chums, I took every old jar of home-made chutney in the pantry, (about seven), and added a handful of mixed Thai Dragon, Scotch Bonnet etc., chillis, and zapped the lot in the blender...
So now we have two and a half pints of chilli jam, (damsons, apricots, onions, sultanas, dates etc), and the two huge jars are festering on the top shelf!
I gave a jar to the lovely young lady who cuts my hair, as she is addicted to chillis, so I'm wondering whether I might get a 'Number One' next time, whether I want it or not...
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Figs in brandy, or at least half brandy half syrup that you gently poach the figs in.
All I have to do now is leave them alone for a month hmmmmmm ::)
It is a difficult task, as I have never actually had a good enough crop before to even consider preserves :lol:
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They look & sound good, I’ve picked 1&it was bad :ohmy:
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Preserved pears today :)
Spicy pear and dried apricot chutney with ginger, chilli and lime. Pickled pears in a sugar and vinegar mix with garlic, chilli, peppercorns and dried rosemary. OH arrived home, said the house smelt lovely and went looking for goodies. He wasn’t best pleased when I said they had to mature, the chutney needed 2 months and the pickles were being saved for the end of the year for eating with cold meats and cheese so hands off :lol:
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I remember being at school and the whole building smelling when it was chutney making time in the Domestic Science block. Made all our mouths water and want pickles with lunch.
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Elder daughter has started a very simple preserve system, with the simple slicing of a couple of red onions plonked in a jar of cider vinegar for a day or so!
They really do taste fabulous, and will have lost the sharpness of a raw onion but don't last long as they get too soft! So, for a week or so, there's a great additive to a sandwich or a salad for very little outlay!
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Ooh goodness, not much made before Yule on here!
Today I made the first batch of marmalade for this NewYear 2024, actually 2 batches & 2 more to do tomorrow from frozen fruits, but I got mixed up when I slow cooked the fruits yesterday so ended up with 4lbs cooked. Not sure what we’ll do with it all but the fruits have been in the freezer for a long while. Flavoured 4 big & 2 little with whisky.
Then there’s gooseberry & mint jelly I made last week I think it was .
Then a photo of some of the pantry after a move round.
I had made lots of chutneys in the autumn but don’t seem to have taken any photos, and lots were given as gifts at Christmas