Jams and pickles
picalilli
Saturday 05 September 2009
I've been searching for a substitue for Branston pickle. I also love picalilli and this recipe is the best that I've found so far.
ingredients
2700 gm vegetables, cut into small pieces. I used a mixture of carrots, onion, courgette, pepper, cauliflower.
350 gm salt
3400 ml water
250 gm sugar
1 tablespoon mustard powder
½ teaspoon ground ginger powder
2 garlic cloves, peeled and crushed
1400 ml distilled vinegar
50 gm flour
2 tablespoons turmeric powder
method
dice the vegetables into your prefered size (mine's about ¼" cube) and soak in the salt and water for about 24 hours
blend the sugar, mustard, ginger powder and garlic with most of the vinegar and add the drained vegetables.
bring to the boil and simmer until the vegetables are just tender
blend the flour, turmeric and remaining vinegar and add to the mixture
bring to the boil and cook for another two minutes (the mixture should be thick)
bottle in clean, sterile jars
label when cold
keeps for about 12 months apparently
really easy pickled onions
Sunday 08 February 2009 Filed in:
onion
This is the easiest way ever. Buy a jar or two of Sarson’s distilled and spiced pickling vinegar and put them into your store cupboard. Then, every time you think about pickling some onions, buy some, peel them and soak them for 24 hours in heavily salted water. I soak them in the jars that I will store them in. After 24 hours, drain off the salt water and re-fill with the pickling vinegar. They’re ready after a couple of weeks.
blue garlic
Sunday 25 January 2009 Filed in:
garlic
I pickled these in the normal way and to my utter surprise they have turned blue. A brief google later:
Tip - Why Garlic in Vinegar Turns Blue or Green
Sometimes garlic in vinegar turns blue/green. Changing the pH with vinegar brings about changes in the pigments in the cut garlic. Although undesirable, the changes in colour do not make the garlic unsafe to eat. It is reported that garlic which has been stored for four weeks above 23°C prior to processing does not change colour.
Apple and Chilli Jelly
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.
amazing pickled and marinated veg
This is from Jamie's "Jamie at Home" book, on page 317. I've tried several things and they all work well. These include beetroot, courgette and red pepper.