Ingredients
1 large onions
8 teaspoons sugar
olive oil
Method
Finely chop the onion
Add the oil to a pan and fry the onion
As it starts to brown, add the sugar and turn the heat down
Leave it on very low for about an hour.
Put them in a jar and store in the fridge. I’ve no idea how long they last - we use them up pretty rapidly.

Tags: preserves

I saw this on a television program (“Come Dine With Me”) and thought I’d try it. Turned out fabulously. It’s even very good without the chilies.
Ingredients
700g apples, cored and chopped
2 red chilies, finely chopped
0.9l water
1 red chilli, finely chopped, with the the seeds removed
500g preserving sugar
Juice of half a lemon
Method
Put the apples, 2 chopped chillis and water into a pan and bring to the boil.
Simmer until the apples are very soft.
Put into a jelly bag and let the juice drain into a measuring jug overnight (you should end up with a nice and bright, clear liquid)
Put the apple juice, sugar, finely chopped red chilli and lemon into a large pan and bring to the boil.
Skim any scum that builds up on the edges.
The tricky bit is figuring out that the jelly has reached the setting point, but you need to keep putting a drop onto a plate, letting it set and pushing it. If you get wrinkles, you’re there. This takes me about an hour normally.
Add the chopped, seeded chilli and cook for a little while longer.
Put to one side for 10 minutes.
Stir to evenly distribute the chilli nicely and add to jars. This amount fills two medium sized jars.

Tags: preserves, Jams and pickles

This is one of my birthday presents and I’ve already made Grandma’s Chicken Fried Rice (page 18). It looks well presented and easy to follow. It’s also one of those cookery books that makes you want to cook its recipes.

Tags: blog, books