In Ireland it's the time of year when we start to think about ways of storing natures harvest for times when fruit and fresh herbs are not as plentiful.
Here are some wonderful recipes adapted from a book called Vogue Natural Health & Beauty by Bronwen Meredith.
15 g. mustard seed
15 apples
600 ml. cider vinegar
250 g. brown sugar
60 g. raisins
1 garlic clove
60 g. onions
1 tablespoon dried chillies
45 g. powdered ginger
30 g. salt
Wash the mustard seed in some extra vinegar and put in the sun or cool oven to dry. Peel, core and slice the apples and Boil them with the vinegar and sugar until soft. Chop the raisins. Cut the garlic and onions into small pieces and grind them in a mortar, adding the ginger and mustard seeds. Add all the ingredients to the cooked apples, mix well and bottle when cold.
Candied Angelica
2 cups angelica roots and stalks
2 cups boiling water
1/4 cup sea salt
1 very green cabbage
1 cup water mixed with 1 cup cider vinegar
2 cups sugar
2 cups water
Put the washed angelica in a saucepan and cover with boiling water and sea-salt; steep for 12 hours. Drain, peel and rinse in cold water. Put a layer of cabbage leaves in a clean pan, then another layer of angelica, then another of leaves, and so on, finishing with a layer of leaves on the top. Cover with the water-and-vinegar mixture. Boil slowly until the angelica becomes green; strain. Make a syrup from the sugar and 2 cups of water; add the angelica and cook for 20 minutes; pour off and reserve the syrup. Put the angelica on a wire rack to cool for 2 days. Then once more boil together the syrup and angelica until the stalks and roots are candied. Dry on a rack until completely dry.
Carrot Jam
2 kg. carrots
1 kg. sugar
4 lemons
180 g. butter
Wash and grate the carrots, boil until reduced to a pulp, using as little water as possible. To every 1/2 kg pulp add 250 g. sugar. the juice and grated peel of 2 lemons and 90 g. butter. Boil for one hour.
Spiced Whole Grapes
1 kg. seedless white grapes
1/2 kg. raw sugar
1.5 l. cider vinegar
2 teaspoons mustard seed
1 teaspoon ground ginger
1 teaspoon allspice
2 bay leaves
30 g. powdered fruit pectin
Wash the grapes; put the sugar and vinegar in a pan with all the herbs and spices, bring to the boil and simmer gently for 15 minutes, stirring from time to time. Remove the bay leaves. Add the grapes and pectin, bring to the boil again and simmer for 5 minutes, skimming away any scum. Remove from the heat, allow to stand for 15 minutes, stirring to avoid a skin setting on the top and bottle. Use within 4 weeks.
Indian Mint Chutney
1 cooking apple
1 small onion
4 tablespoons brown sugar
125 g. fresh mint leaves
salt and cayenne pepper
Chop the apple into small pieces, put into the blender with all the other ingredients and blend until a thick paste is formed. Chill in the refrigerator in covered jars. It is good with lamb and grilled fish.
Elderberry Ketchup
1 kg. elderberries
600 ml. cider vinegar
30 g. shallots or white onions
45 g. whole ginger
1 bay leaf
15 g. peppercorns
Wash the berries and put in an unglazed or Pyrex casserole; boil the vinegar, pour over the berries and cook for 8 hours in a very cool oven. Strain, put into a pan with the onions or shallots, minced or cut very finely, peeled ginger, bay leaf and peppercorns. Boil for 10 minutes and allow to cool; remove the bay leaf; bottle.
Parsley Jelly
50 sprigs parsley
peel of 1 lemon
juice of 2 lemons
2 cups sugar
Wash the parsley and place in a saucepan with just enough water just to cover, add the lemon peel and boil for about 1 hour. Strain; add the lemon juice to the liquid. Allowing a cup of sugar to a cup of the liquid, boil until it begins to set. Bottle and keep in a cool place. To be served with chicken or fish dishes.
Marjoram jelly can be made in the same way and served with any main course dish, or as a spread for toast and bread.
Elderberry Chutney
1 kg. elderberries
1 large onion
2 tablespoons chopped onion
2 tablespoons brown sugar
1 teaspoon salt
2 teaspoons ground ginger
1/2 teaspoon mixed spices and cayenne
1 teaspoon ground mustard seed
600 ml. cider vinegar
Wash the berries well, put in a heavy pan and crush a little with a wooden spoon; add the chopped onion and all other ingredients. Slowly bring to the boil and simmer until it begins to thicken, stirring constantly all the time. Allow to cool before bottling.
Orange Marmalade with Coriander
4 oranges
2 lemons
6 cups water
1 tablespoon crushed coriander
2 kg. sugar
Keep the skin on the fruit, wash well and cut into slices; soak overnight in the water. Put the coriander seeds in a muslin bag, securely tied, and place in the pan with the fruit and water, bring to the boil and simmer until the peel is soft; add the sugar and boil until the liquid sets. The coriander gives the marmalade a very special spicy taste.
Rose Petal Honey
250 g. whole roses (red or pink)
900 ml. boiling water
1.25 kg. liquid honey
juice and pips of 2 lemons
Select the scented opened petals of red and pink roses and cut off the white bases. Rinse well in cool water in a sieve; put in a bowl and pour over the boiling water; cover and leave standing for 6 hours. Strain - the liquid should be perfumed and pink. Pour the honey into a preserving pan, add the rose water, the lemon juice and the pips in a muslin bag. Bring to the boil, simmer for 30 minutes or until it sets; cool a little before pouring into jars.
Rose Hip Jelly
1 kg. rose hips
approximately 1 kg. sugar
2 or 3 lemons
The rose hips should be gathered before they go too soft; cut in half, put into a saucepan with enough water to cover; simmer gently until the hips are soft - usually under an hour. Strain and return to the pan allowing 1/2 kg. sugar and the juice of 1 lemon to every 600 ml. of the liquid. Simmer until the jelly sets. This jelly is good with poultry, game or fish dishes, and can also be used on bread.
Mint and Apple Jelly
3 kg. apples
1 lemon
1.5 kg. sugar
30 sprigs of mint
Prepare and slice the apples and place in a heavy pan with the juice and grated peel of the lemon; cover well with water and boil to a pulp. Put in a muslin bag and allow to drip for several hours (overnight is practical). Return the strained liquid to the pan, allowing 1/2 kg. of sugar to every 600 ml. of the juice; add the mint leaves and boil for 45 minutes; strain to remove all particles of mint and return to the heat for a few minutes until set. This should be a delicate shade of green.
Spiced Apples
2 kg. apples
1 l. cider vinegar
2 kg. sugar
30 g. cinnamon sticks
15 g. cloves
Peel and slice the apples; in a pan boil together the vinegar, sugar and spices; simmer for 15 minutes, add the apples and cook until tender; take out the apples and put into jars; return the syrup to the heat and boil down until fairly thick; remove the spices; pour the syrup over the bottled apples.
Apple, Pear and Plum Jam
4 kg. apples
4 kg. pears
4 kg. plums
juice of 1 lemon
3 l. cider
powdered cloves
Leave on the skins of all the fruits, cut into quarters and put into a heavy pan; add enough water to cover the base of the pan but not the fruit; bring to the boil and simmer until soft. Strain; return the juice to the pan, add the lemon juice, cider and cloves; boil quickly until thick enough to set.
