Spent a nice Sunday afternoon down plot 119 in the sunshine, didnt see much of the sun though as bent over weeding for most of the time..... Felt nice on my back though! Tomatoes have gone crazy, almost as tall as me in the greenhouse now (the ones in the decent growbags at least...) And picked our first 4 courgettes today, the first of many I think, will have to find a courgette chutney recipe I think!
Sunday, 1 July 2012
Some Fruits of our Labours
We have been enjoying our first broad beans and peas, strawberries and raspberries, new potatoes, radishes and lettuces so far. And today Simon bottled up our first pickled shallots, only picked a handful of plants and it was enough for a large jar, lots more to pull up yet, we will be well set up for Christmas! He put pickling spices in with them and some home grown chillis too, should have a bit of a kick. Bought myself a Kilner jam pan and jam making accessories yesterday in preparation for my new hobby, started off making a couple of jars of passion fruit curd (obviously not grown them on the allotment!) and then 2 jars of marrow and ginger jam (again, not from the allotment..... yet! Got about 8 marrows starting so hopefully next time they will be home grown). Looking forward to making mixed berry jam tomorrow, with strawberries, raspberries and wild strawberries which we have growing in the garden.
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It's so exciting isn't it!? I too have jam-making equipment standing ready for my crop- I raided my sister in law's freezer for last years blackcurrants but I'm dying to have a go with something of our own. Our onions are still far too weedy to pull up, but everything happens later in N Ireland...
ReplyDeleteI have a marrow and whiskey chutney recipe which works just as well with courgettes as marrows if you would like it
ReplyDeleteThat would be great, thank you. Really pleased with the marrow jam, tastes like I remember it from my childhood when my mum used to make it.
ReplyDeleteI really must start my own blog here. Anyway here goes. Its from a book my mum gave me called home preserves and it says "St Michael cooker library" which I think was M&S. Probably a 70s book. Loads of good recipes in it on preserving all sorts. You might find it or something similar at car boot sales. Anyway here goes:
ReplyDeleteIrish marrow chutney
1.5kg marrow peeled, quartered lemgthways, seeded and diced ( could just dice courgette)
1.5kg cooking apples peeled, cored & chopped
225g onions peeled and chopped
1 large clove garlic peeled and crushed
100g sultanas
100g raisons
100g dried apricots
100g preserved ginger
50g blanched almonds
4x15ml mustard seeds
1x15ml chillies chopped or ground chilli powder
1x15ml salt
1x15ml ground cinnamon
1x5ml ground cloves
900ml malt vinegar
1.75kg sugar
5x15ml spoons whiskey
cooking time 2 hrs
Best kept to mature for several months before opening. Place all ingredients into a large pan, bring to the boil then simmer for 1 and a half hours to 2 hours stirring occassionally until the consitency is thick and jam like. While still hot spoon into air-tight vinegar proof jars. makes about 3kg.
Note I have made as above but also substituted vinegar and spices for pickling vinegar. I have used normal eating apples and different quantities of dried fruit and it still works. I have also left out the whiskey until just before the end. Also I have managed to pour boiling chutney over my hand which was very painful for about a month afterwards by stupidly holding the jar whilst filling. That one is best avoided! Good luck and hope you like it.
Many thanks for that! Ouch about pouring it over your hand... I invested in some jam pot tongs to avoid that!
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