Make Your Own: Jams, Chutneys and Pickles

By Mary Ford

There is nothing more delicious than spreading your own home-made jam onto a hot slice of buttered toast, and nothing more satisfying than presenting someone with a jar of something you have made with your fair hand. Whether you want to do away with supermarket preservatives or try your hand at making thoughtful and elegant gifts for friends and family, this is the book for you. Make Your Own: Jams, Chutneys and Pickles contains a wide range of easily navigable recipes, from rhubarb and apple jam to tomato and apple chutney, that will take you back to the good old days of traditional home-made fare.

• Language: English
• Publisher: Michael O'Mara
• Release date: Nov 1, 2013
• ISBN: 9781782431695

Book preview

First published in Great Britain in 2013 by

Michael O’Mara Books Limited

9 Lion Yard

Tremadoc Road

London SW4 7NQ

Copyright © Michael O’Mara Books Limited 2013

All rights reserved. You may not copy, store, distribute, transmit, reproduce or otherwise make available this publication (or any part of it) in any form, or by any means (electronic, digital, optical, mechanical, photocopying, recording or otherwise), without the prior written permission of the publisher. Any person who does any unauthorized act in relation to this publication may be liable to criminal prosecution and civil claims for damages.

A CIP catalogue record for this book is available from the British Library.

ISBN: 978-1-78243-108-4 in hardback print format

ISBN: 978-1-78243-169-5 in ebook format

Illustrations by Aubrey Smith

Cover design by Ana Bjezancevic

Typeset by K.DESIGN, Winscombe, Somerset

www.mombooks.com

CONTENTS

Conversion Tables

Introduction

Tips and Tools

Essential Equipment

Ingredients

How to Reach a Good Set

Freezing Fruits and Vegetables

Techniques

Preserving SOS

Marmalades

Three-Seasons Marmalade

Seville Orange Marmalade

Quince Marmalade

Redcurrant Marmalade

Rhubarb Marmalade

Pumpkin Marmalade

Seville Orange and Whisky Marmalade

Chinese Marmalade

Grapefruit Marmalade

Apricot Marmalade

Carrot Marmalade

Jams

Rhubarb and Apple Jam

Strawberry Jam

Blackcurrant Jam

Pineapple Jam

Seedless Blackberry and Apple Jam

Mixed Fruit Jam

Apricot Jam

Cherry Jam

Rhubarb and Rose Petal Jam

Gooseberry and Elderflower Jam

Greengage and Bénédictine Jam

Apricot and Amaretto Jam

High Dumpsie Dearie Jam

Blackberry, Apple and Rum Jam

Damson Jam

Plum Jam

Pear and Ginger Jam

No-Cook Jam

Curds and Fruit Cheeses

Lemon Curd

Apricot Curd

Orange Curd

Gooseberry Curd

Blackcurrant and Apple Cheese

Cranberry Cheese

Damson Cheese

Quince Cheese

Cherry Cheese

Jellies

Marmalade Jelly

Mixed Fruit Jelly

Mint Jelly

Lemon and Lime Marmalade Jelly

Clementine Marmalade Jelly

Gooseberry Jelly

Crab Apple Jelly

Rose Jelly

Sloe and Apple Jelly

Quince and Geranium Jelly

Bramble Jelly

Spiced Tomato Jelly

Spiced Redcurrant Jelly

Quick Mint Jelly

Chutneys

Dried Apricot Chutney

Tomato and Apple Chutney

Hot Orange Chutney

Banana Chutney

Marrow and Apple Chutney

Beetroot Chutney

Tomato Chutney

Gooseberry Chutney

Pumpkin Chutney

Date and Apple Chutney

Hot Indian Style Chutney

Exotic Fruit Chutney

Mango Chutney

Damson Chutney

Pepper Chutney

Plum Relish

Gooseberry Relish

Pickles

Mixed Pickles

Pickled Red Cabbage

Spiced Pickled Prunes

Spiced Oranges

Piccalilli

Pickled Onions

Chunky Vegetable Pickle

Pickled Nasturtium Seeds

Pickled Walnuts

Runner Bean Pickle

Pickle Sticks

Mustard Pickle

Pickled Pears

Index

CONVERSION TABLES

Conversions are approximate. Ensure you follow only one set of measurements, either metric or imperial, per recipe.

Weight

Measurements

Liquids

US Cups

Spoons

INTRODUCTION

Welcome to the wonderful world of preserves. There is nothing quite like slathering a dollop of beautiful homemade jam on a slice of toast, or eating a chunk of cheese with a generous helping of pickle made by your own fair hands. The supermarkets are of course teeming with cheap and tasty commercial preserves, but none of these compare to the beauty and exquisite taste of the homemade varieties. In this selection of recipes for delectable jams, jellies, pickles and chutneys you’ll be spoilt for choice.

As people have turned their backs on convenience food and looked towards more healthy and economical ways of eating, home cooking has never been more popular. And what better place to start than with your store cupboard? A well-stocked larder is essential for any lover of food, and the recipes contained in this book will allow you to arm yourself with the basics and beyond. Don’t forget that any leftover jars can be given as beautiful gifts.

The art of preserving necessitates using fruits and vegetables in season and at their most ripe. This offers you the chance to save money and get yourself a refreshing breath of air by going blackberry picking or foraging for berries. Otherwise you can raid your greengrocers for supplies of seasonal and, if you can, local produce. If you find you don’t have enough time to use fruits and vegetables when they are in season, click here for handy hints on freezing.

Make Your Own Jams, Chutneys and Pickles has been designed to appeal to both the experienced and novice cook. Whether you are in the market for a traditional Seville orange marmalade, or if you fancy trying something completely different, such as a gooseberry relish, this book offers a range of tasty treats.

Regardless of any previous experience you might have had of cooking preserves, always be mindful of your health and safety as the ingredients reach very high temperatures. The sugars in jam can get especially hot, so make sure you use a large enough pan and keep an eye out for any mixture spitting. Be especially careful when transferring the preserves from the pan into a measuring jug – make sure you wear oven gloves. Line up your jars ahead of transferring the liquid, and move any small children and animals out of harm’s way.

With something to suit every palate, this collection of delicious jams, chutneys and pickles guarantees a failsafe and thoroughly enjoyable sojourn into the world of preserves. Now it’s time to get cracking!

TIPS AND TOOLS

When preserving, preparation is essential. Whether it’s stockpiling jam jars or making sure you leave your chutney long enough before you can eat it, planning ahead is key. This chapter gathers together all of the essential information you will need before commencing.

Essential Equipment

All of the recipes in this book can be made using everyday kitchen equipment, although experienced jam-makers who make large quantities