Preserves - recipes

General Cooking tips

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Chantal
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I'm planning on making lots of preserves in 2006; I'm also planning on giving them as Christmas presents to all my friends and relatives (they've been polled and all think it's a great idea). What I'm after now is really good recipes. I will have at my disposal

Raspberries
Strawberries
Blueberries
Redcurrents
Blackcurrents
Courgettes
Onions
Beetroot
Chillies
Tomatoes
Beans (French, runner and Borlotti)

I've all the other usual allotment stuff but can't imagine preserving it!

Any ideas anyone? I've had a rummage through the old Forum but was burnt out by the time I got back as far as 31 May 05 so I've given up. I have picked up everything posted after that date though.

Thanks

Chantal
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Wellie
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Hi Chantal,

I made some FAB stuff to give as Christmas Presents, and the feedback was really quite stunning...
With the article on growing Basil last year, I grew the best Basil I have ever, so I made Pesto (without the pinenuts), which I froze until ready to 'jam-jar', then prettied it up decoratively and labelled. How like a Good Housekeeping Housewife do I sound already so soon? AND I found the fabbest recipe for fresh cranberry and Grand Marnier Relish.
NOW we're talking!
The Apple and Mint Jelly went down well with Lizzie, Johnboy and Loosey on their visit, so that'd be worth a go too?

I'm right with you on this one Chantal.
But it's got to be well thought out. No point endless green tomato chutney for peeps that can't stand the sight of the stuff.
Needs to be dead suited to the people you're giving to.
The Mango & Chilli Jelly I was SO keen to get the recipe of, I have very nearly perfected now, and is really rather good.
Why do I feel like Lottie out of Vicar of Dibley all of a sudden??!
Anyone for Marmite and Baileys Icecream Sandwiches?

Hope to hear more from you on your ideas, and hope I can contribute too.
Wellie
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Carole B.
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I usually make up a box of goodies to give my brother for christmas and he likes pickled shallots and I give him bunches of garlic,shallots and chillies to hang up.
I also find that fruit jellies of any sort go down well,this year I made plum and apple,blackberry and apple and blackcurrant,last year the crab apple jelly was good too.I've also made embroidered cloth bags with dried bay leaves and rosemary in but I have to be in a sewing mood for that!
Packing stuff up pretty can be tricky,cheap willow baskets lined with straw look nice and this year I put three jars into a solid wine bottle pressie box.
I always wonder if people will think I'm being a cheapskate by giving my own produce but they seem tickled pink by the whole idea.
To get a nice clear jelly I use a small dustbin-type bin with a lid that's meant for kitchen use,tie a flat piece of white sheet or pillowcase across the top by putting string under the lip(it will get quite heavy)gently pouring in the cooked down fruit,putting on the lid and walking away and leaving it alone overnight.Because it's impossible to be tempted to squeeze the cloth the resulting juice is beautifully clear.Then it's the normal jam process using a pound of sugar to every pint of juice with some added lemon juice if it's a poor setting type of fruit.
The possibilities are endless and you don't have to have set weights of fruit to do it.You can make 1 jar or 6 jars depending on how much juice you get.
Carole.
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Tigger
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I'm another sad soul - giving some away but keeping many for the year to come. We've made a whole lot of jams, marmalades and fruit cheeses, from seville orange marmalade to damson cheese. Green tomato chutney, picallili, green bean relish, pickles, sweetcorn relish, salsa, tomato sauce, all sorts plus a range of fruit gins and liquers.

Let me know if you want any recipes.

As far as I can tell (taste), they've all passed the test this year.
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Wellie
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Hiya !

I got given about a dozen of these just recently. Do any of you have a jam-type recipe that I could have a borrow of ?

Thanks.
Wellie
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Jenny Green
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I could be wrong but I've a feeling that kiwi fruits won't 'set' so you can't make jam out of them - and you shouldn't put them in jellies either!
Mark
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Hi all !
In the summer I tried to make some Elderberry jam .
I could not get it to set so I then added some certo liquid pectin , this would still not set so I re- boiled it and added apples , still would not set so I then added lemon juice and more Certo pectin . It would still not set! Any one got any suggestions or should I not bother next year?

regards
Mark
Sr Clare Julian

Mark; commiseration..probably you overboiled it past " setting point" ; I use Jam Sugar and boil for the minimum time. Unset jam though makes delicious sauce for ice - cream or rice pudding or porridge.
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Chez
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Wellie - The following is a NZ recipe, where kiwifruit jam is regularly made, so there should not be a problem with setting (the addition of lemons helps of course). I have not used kiwifruit this way though, so would be very interested in hearing how you get on should you give it a go.

2 oranges
2 lemons
1.4kg kiwifruit
6 cups sugar (1 cup = 225g/8oz)

Using a vegetable peeler, skin oranges and lemons without cutting off any pith. Cut the peel very finely or tie it in a piece of muslin. Squeeze juice from oranges and lemons and pour into saucepan. Peel and chop kiwifruit. Add to pan with the peel or muslin bag. Cook gently until kiwifruit is tender. Add sugar and cook over low heat, stirring continuously until dissolved. Boil until setting point is reached. Pour into warm jars and seal with jam covers.

BTW, I have no idea of the origins of this recipe. :wink:

Mark - although I am unable to assist further than Sr Clare re the setting of your elderberry jam, I turn failed jams/jellies into cooking sauces or marinades. Just add soy sauce and/or vinegar to taste, re-heat and pour into jars until needed. I have found it very successful for coating meat during grilling/barbequing/frying or marinating meat for a few hours prior to cooking. Sprinkling chopped herbs (such as thyme or rosemary) on the meat also, is a further variation. You could bottle it in its current un-set state and use it to give gravy a bit of a twist.

I successfully made Elderberry & Apple jelly this year, so if you were interested in trying this (I have not tried jam) I am happy to send you the recipe.
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Chez
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Hello Chantal - This year I made the following for Christmas presents and they went down exceedingly well. Unsolicited feedback has been enthusiastic - after they had tried them too!

Tomato Relish (quite different to chutney)
Onion Marmalade
Redcurrant Jelly
Spiced Runner Bean Pickles (www.deliaonline.com)

If you are interested in any of the top three, I will be happy to post them for you.
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John
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Hello Mark
Trying to get a jam made with low pectin fruit to set properly can be a real pain. Its a matter of getting the sugar/pectin/acidity balance right. I think part of your problem might have been that you added the pectin and lemon after your first attempt at setting. These are best added at the beginning.
As Chez has suggested, a good way round the problem would be to try elderberry-apple jam - follow your recipe but use twice the weight of berry to that of apple. I have found a jam thermometer really useful for determining the setting point of jams. Just get everything up to a rolling boil and keep going until the temperature reaches 105°C.

If you're interested in the more detail this setting business is covered quite well on

http://www.abc.net.au/tasmania/stories/s1349335.htm

John

PS If you download 'The Pectin Story' in Word format from the middle of this web page then there is a lot more extra useful information.

PPS I wouldn't bother to use these fancy jam sugars. They're expensive and you will get just as good results from using ordinary granulated sugar.
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Wellie
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Thanks Chez,

My problem is that I read TONS of recipes, and go "OH.... GORGEOUS !" and then don't cut the recipe out. I simply 'know' I read a recipe for a Kiwi Preserve within the last 6 weeks and now cannot locate the little darling.
If I fail to find the 'original' source, I'll brave t'internet for another angle on it, and compromise whilst they're still fresh.
Thank you also Jenny.
Wellie
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Mark
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Thanks all for your suggestions , I will try again next year whith the help of a Jam thermometer I think !
regards
Mark
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Chantal
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Thanks everybody, next Christmas is looking good alread.

Tigger, yes please to the recipe for Seville orange marmalade and sweetcorn relish.

Wellie, mango and chilli jelly plus apple and mint recipes please.

Chez, yes please to all three.

Sr Clare, welcome back from seclusion!

Chantal :D
Chantal

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Chez
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Hello Chantal - I will fish the requested recipes out and post them in the next day or two. Will put them individually in 'Recipes' so they are easy to relocate in the event anyone else wants them too.
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