How to Make Shrub.

- How to Make Apple Shrub:
How to Make Apple Shrub:
3 medium apples (choose a variety that is flavorful and sweet)
1 cup apple cider vinegar
2/3 cup granulated white sugar
Shred apples on a box grater.
Funnel the shreds into a wide-mouth quart jar.
Top with apple cider vinegar and sugar.
Use a narrow spoon to stir the apples, vinegar and sugar together.
Apply a watertight lid and give the jar a good shake.
Tuck the jar into the back of your refrigerator and let it sit for four or five days.
Taste the liquid and if you’re happy with the balance, strain out the apple bits, making sure to press firmly to remove all the liquid.
Don’t be afraid to use your (clean) hands for this step.
Place the strained shrub in a clean jar and keep refrigerated. It is ready to use now, but will mature in flavor over time.
Stir it into cocktails, sparkling water or use in homemade vinaigrettes and marinades.

Some combinations that sound particularly appealing:
strawberries + white sugar + red wine vinegar and a splash of balsamic vinegar
blueberries + thinly sliced ginger + cider vinegar
nectarine + peppercorn + brown sugar + white wine vinegar
peach + cardamom pods + honey + cider vinegar
pomegranate + peppercorn + white sugar + red wine vinegar
pear + star anise + brown sugar + white wine vinegar
red plum + cardamom + brown sugar + white wine vinegar (which is what I made here)
- How to Make Shrubs (aka Drinking Vinegars) Without a Recipe:
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Zucchini rice and cheese gratin.

- zucchini rice and cheese gratin – smitten kitchen:

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Persillade from your parsley.

By Carl Legge.
- How to make persillade from your parsley | Permaculture magazine:
Ingredients
100g leafy parsley, washed if necessary and leaves roughly picked off stalks. Don't worry too much about stalks, they will process very well.
10 cloves of garlic, peeled and roughly chopped
About 100-200ml olive oil (or vegetable, rape seed, groundnut)
45ml lemon juice (about ½ lemon) or white wine vinegar
1-2g sea salt, finely ground, or to taste
Method
Finely chop the parsley leaves in a food processor until they reduce in bulk a little.
Add the garlic chunks and process until the herbs and garlic are fine without being liquidised.
Gradually add olive oil while the processor runs until you have a just loose texture to the mixture.
You may have to scrape down the sides of the processor bowl periodically so that it gets mixed evenly.
Once you are happy with the consistency, add the lemon juice or vinegar and salt to taste.
If you are storing the preserve in a jar, top off with oil and pop in the fridge.
Otherwise, pack and freeze straight away.
Use and variations
You can add one or more other ingredients to make different dishes and styles of cooking with very little effort.
If you leave this ‘plain’
* Stir 2 or 3 dessert spoons through cooked pasta. When you drain the pasta leave some cooking water in the pan to help distribute the sauce.
* Mix with flash fried squid, grilled seafood and/or new potatoes.
* Spread on top of grilled or baked fish or potatoes before you roast them
* Use as a base on toasted sourdough, ciabatta or baguettes topped with cheese, olives or other nibbles.
Add lemon zest to make a paste similar to gremolata which is a traditional partner for osso bucco.
Add parmesan and you have a parsley pistou used in minestrone or other soups.
Add nuts for a parsley pesto. Add anchovies for a provençal effect.
Add breadcrumbs for a more-ish delight.
Crunchy coating: Mix with lemon zest, chopped anchovies, a hint of ground cumin and/or paprika and a handful of breadcrumbs.
Use to coat a rack or shoulder of lamb when roasting.
The crunch & punch of the persillade crumbs is a great counterpoint to the soft & sweet lamb.
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The Ultimate Guide to Fruit Flavor Combinations

- The Ultimate Guide to Fruit Flavor Combinations:

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Rhubarb, Blackcurrant and Orange Jam.

Ingredients
900g Blackcurrants, washed and stalks removed
675g Rhubarb, washed and sliced
Juice of 6 oranges, plus zest of 3
1.5kg Sugar
Method
Place the fruit and orange zest in a large preserving pan.
Add the orange juice, making up quantity with water to make 425ml.
Bring to the boil and gently simmer until fruit is quite soft – about 20min.
Remove from heat.
Add the sugar and stir until dissolved.
Return to the heat and bring to the boil. Boil rapidly until setting point is reached.
Remove any scum.
Poor into cooled, sterilised jars, seal and label.
Rhubarb, Blackcurrant and Orange Jam - Bay Tree Cottage Workshops:

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Marrow & ginger jam.

(Makes about 3 x 200g jars)
Remember:
- Setting point is 104.5°C.
- A marrow is a cucurbit, which means it’s from the same family as the melon, cucumber, squash and courgette.
- Size matters - a huge marrow is best reserved for a horticultural competition.
Hunt out the smallest marrow you can find- it should be no bigger than your forearm.
Large marrows will taste bitter and have a watery consistency.
- Marrow is a blank canvas so works well with strong flavours- pile on citrus, chilli, garlic, bacon, spices and robust herbs like rosemary and thyme.

Prepare it:
Weigh the marrow/courgette first and adjust the recipe proportionately:
1 lemon and 30g unpeeled ginger to 40-45g vegetable.
The weight of sugar should be the same as unpeeled marrow/courgette.
The quantities below are those specified in the original recipe.

700g marrow or courgette (peeled, deseeded and in small dice)
700g white sugar
1.5 lemons
45g fresh root ginger (peeled and grated)

- Peel the marrow, remove the seeds and cut into small dice.
Place in a large saucepan.

- Remove the lemon zest using a zester, if available, or the large holes of a grater (being careful not to remove any white pith) and set aside.
Cut the lemon in half and squeeze into a jug.
Place the empty lemon shells and pips into a small muslin bag (or foot section of a clean pair of tights).

- Add a small amount of the lemon juice to the pan, cover with a lid and gently cook the marrow until transparent.
If necessary add some more lemon juice to stop the marrow sticking.
Spoon the marrow and any collected liquids into a blender and liquidise until smooth.
Alternatively the mixture can be mashed for a slightly coarser texture or, providing the dice are very small, left as it is.

- Peel the ginger, grate using the large holes of the grater and add to the lemon zest.
Add the ginger peelings and any very fibrous pieces to the small bag with the leftover lemon pieces.

- Return the marrow mixture to the same pan, add the remaining lemon juice, the lemon and ginger.
Stir in and dissolve the sugar.
Knot the bag of bits and add it to the pan.

- Bring the mixture to the boil and then turn down to a rolling simmer.
Stir regularly, pressing down on the bag of bits occasionally and reduce until the mixture has reached setting point.
Test for a set by putting a half teaspoon of jam on a saucer from the freezer.
If, once it has cooled a little, it wrinkles when pushed with a finger, it should be ready to pot.
If not ready then leave for 5 minutes and try again. (This took about 25 minutes for two-thirds of the full amount above.)

- Put the jars in an oven set to 100C for 10 minutes.

- Remove the small bag of bits, scraping the jam from the outside and squeezing it with tongs and place it on a saucer.
Any extra juices that collect on the saucer should be stirred back into the jam before you start potting.

- Pot into the prepared jars.
Cool and label.

Based on:
- Marrow & ginger jam recipe | BBC Good Food:
- Surprise Lemon & Ginger Jam | Meanderings through my cookbook:

- A Green and Rosie Life: Marrow and Ginger Jam: "Recipe of the Week"
Ingredients
450g/1lb marrow (weighed after peeling) - peeled and cut into small cubes
450g/1lb sugar
1tsp ground ginger or 45-60g crystallized ginger, chopped finely
Juice 1 large lemon
Method
1. Sprinkle the sugar over the marrow, cover and let it stand overnight in a cool place.
2. The next day put the sugar and marrow in a preserving or large pan and warm gently until the sugar has dissolved.
3. Add the ginger and lemon juice then boil steadily until the cubes look transparent and the syrup has set.*
4. Pour into hot, sterilised jam jars and cover at once.

* to check if the syrup has set place some thinly on a cold plate.
Allow it to cool and then push it gently with your finger.
if a skin has formed on the syrup that crinkles up slightly when you push it then setting point has been reached.
If not continue to boil until you do reach setting point.

Occasionally my syrup won't set.
Don't worry if this happens to you.
If this is the case simply call it marrow and ginger sauce and eat it with ice cream, pancakes etc.

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Marrow and Ginger Jam.

Ingredients for making 4-5 x 340g jars

1.5Kg Marrows, peeled and chopped into 1cm cubes
1.5Kg Jam sugar with added pectin
200g crystalized ginger – chopped
2 unwaxed lemons
Making your marrow and ginger jam

Put the marrow and the sugar into a non-metallic bowl in layers – so layer of marrow followed by a layer of sugar, and leave, covered, for a couple of hours or overnight if possible.
Put the mixture into the preserving pan along with the ginger, and the grated rind and juice of 2 lemons
Bring to simmer gently and keep stirring until the sugar has dissolved.
Bring to the boil and boil rapidly until setting point has been reached (usually about 4 minutes), remove from the heat immediately after the setting point has been reached.
Allow to cool for 5 mins and stir gently before potting into sterilised jars.
- Allotment Gardener - Marrow and Ginger Jam:

OR:
1.4kg large courgettes, or marrow, weighed after peeling, chopping into 1cm thick pieces and de-seeding
1.8 kg sugar
25 g ginger, grated
rind and juice of 2 lemons, thinly peeled
rind and juice of 1 oranges, thinly peeled

1. Place the courgettes in a large bowl and sprinkle over about 450g of the sugar. Leave overnight.

2. Place the grated ginger, lemon and orange rind on a piece of muslin and tie up the muslin over the mixture. Place the muslin bag in a preserving pan with the courgettes, orange and lemon juices.

3. Simmer for 30 minutes, add the remaining sugar and boil gently until setting point is reached and the courgettes look transparent.

4. Remove and discard the muslin bag. Pot the hot chutney into clean, warm, sterilised jars, cover with waxed paper discs, set aside to cool and cover in the usual way.
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Vegetable jam recipes by Hugh Fearnley-Whittingstall | Life and style | The Guardian

Vegetable jam recipes | Hugh Fearnley-Whittingstall | Life and style | The Guardian:

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Blueberry Orange Ginger Jam.

Ingredients
8 cups fresh blueberries
4 1/2 cups jam sugar
Grated zest and juice of one large orange
1 tablespoon freshly grated ginger
1/4 teaspoon ground ginger
1/2 teaspoon unsalted butter
Directions
- Working in batches if necessary, pulse blueberries in blender until coarsely crushed.
You should have about 6 cups.

- Measure 4 1/4 cups of sugar in one bowl.
In another bowl- remaining 1/4 cup sugar.

- Zest and juice orange.
You should have 1/2 cup juice.
If you don't, make up the difference with water.

- Combine blueberries, orange zest and juice, granted ginger, and ground ginger in large, heavy saucepan or stockpot.
Stir in jam sugar.
Bring to a boil over high heat, stirring constantly.

- Add remaining sugar all at once.
Stir in butter and return to a full rolling boil.
Boil for one minute.
Remove jam from heat and skim off any foam from surface.

- Ladle hot jam into hot sterilized jars, leaving 1/4-inch headspace.
Wipe rims of the jars, cover with lids, and screw bands on until just barely tight.
Place jars on rack in pot and cover completely with water.
Cover pot and bring to a boil over high heat.
Boil for 10 minutes.
Turn off heat, uncover pot, and allow jars to rest in water for five minutes.
Remove jars from pot and allow them to rest undisturbed on countertop for six hours or overnight.

- Blueberry Orange Ginger Jam Recipe | Serious Eats:

- Blueberry Jam, 3 Ways | Love and Olive Oil:
Blueberry Lime:
Blueberry Blackberry:
Blueberry Honey Lavender:

- Blueberry Jam with Brown Sugar:
Ingredients:
500g blueberries
1/3 cup brown sugar, light, packed
2 TBS lemon juice
Cook until jam thickens, about 20 minutes.
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Blueberry Jam.

Ingredients
6 cups of smashed blueberries (you’ll need 8-10 cups of unsquashed berries to equal this amount)
4 cups sugar
3 tablespoons classic pectin powder
zest and juice of 1 lemon
1 teaspoon cinnamon
1/2 teaspoon grated nutmeg
Instructions
Prepare a canning pot and 3 pint jars.
Place 3 lids in a small saucepan and bring to a bare simmer.
Pour the smashed berries into a low, wide, non-reactive pot.
Measure out the sugar and whisk in the powdered pectin.
Add the sugar and pectin mixture to the fruit and stir to combine.
Once the sugar is mostly dissolved, place the pot on the stove and bring to a boil.
Cook at a controlled boil for 10 to 15 minutes, until the fruit begins to look thick and any foaming has begun to subside.
Add cinnamon, nutmeg, lemon zest and juice and let jam continue to cook until it passes the plate test, or until the drips hang off the spatula in thick, sticky rivulets.
Remove jam from heat and funnel into prepared jars.
Wipe rims, apply lids and rings, and process in a boiling water bath canner for 10 minutes.
When time is up, remove jars from canner and place them on a folded kitchen towel to cool.
Once jars are cool enough to handle, remove rings and test seals.
Sealed jars can be stored on the pantry shelf for up to one year.
Any unsealed jars should be refrigerated and used promptly.

- Blueberry Jam - Food in Jars:

Small Batch Blueberry Ginger Jam
Ingredients
3 cups smashed blueberries (650g)
1 1/2 cups sugar
7-8cm ginger, sliced
1 lemon, zested and juiced
1/4 cup chopped candied ginger
Instructions
Prepare a small canning pot and two half pint jars.
Combine mashed blueberries, sugar and sliced ginger in a bowl or measuring cup.
Let sit for at least an hour and up to 24 hours to give the ginger time to infuse its flavor into the fruit.
If you’re going for a longer maceration time, pop the fruit into the fridge.
When you’re ready to make the jam, pour the fruit into a medium pot.
Bring to a boil and add the lemon zest and juice.
Cook for 10-20 minutes (time depends on moisture level in fruit, humidity, power of stove, etc.) until jam approaches Setting point is 104.5°C/220F and appears to pass the plate test.
When jam is finished cooking, remove pot from heat and stir in the candied ginger.
Pour into prepared jars.
Wipe rims, apply lids and rings and process in a boiling water canner for 10 minutes.
Check seals when cool and store unopened jars in a cool, dark place.

- Urban Preserving: Blueberry Ginger Jam - Food in Jars:
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Blueberry Rhubarb Jam With Maple Syrup,

Blueberry Rhubarb Jam With Maple Syrup Recipe | Serious Eats:
Ingredients
1+1/2 cups jam sugar
3 cups chopped rhubarb/400 grams, diced (about 6 stalks)
200g blueberries
1/4 cup freshly squeezed lemon juice
1/4 teaspoon unsalted butter
1 cinnamon stick
1 star anise
1/2 vanilla bean, split
1 cup pure maple syrup

Directions
1. Combine rhubarb and 1/4 cup water in a large saucepan.
Bring to a boil, then reduce heat, cover, and simmer just until rhubarb breaks down, 10 to 12 minutes.
Meanwhile, puree blueberries in a food processor or blender.
OR:
Wash rhubarb, top and tail then chop into evenly sized pieces (I usually run a knife down the middle of the stalks then chop into roughly 1cm sized pieces).
Place in a glass bowl and pour the sugar over the top.
Cover with a plate or cling film and leave overnight, by which time the sugar will have soaked up the juice from the rhubarb.

2. Measure 2 cups of stewed rhubarb (reserve any extra rhubarb for another use).
Return 2 cups of rhubarb and the pureed blueberries to the saucepan.
Add lemon juice, butter, cinnamon stick, star anise, and vanilla bean and bring to a boil over medium-high heat.
Add maple syrup and jam sugar and return fruit mixture to a boil, stirring constantly.
Boil hard for one minute.

4. Remove pot from heat and skim any foam from surface of the jam with a cold metal spoon.
Remove and discard star anise, cinnamon stick, and vanilla bean.
Ladle jam into hot sterilized jars and process them in a hot water bath for 10 minutes.

OR:
- Growing and making jam with blueberries | Life and style | The Guardian: By Gloria Nicol
recipes using some shop bought berries alongside seasonal rhubarb.

Makes 1.25kg
600g rhubarb
300g blueberries
2 limes, the zest and juice
700g sugar

Wash rhubarb, top and tail then chop into evenly sized pieces (I usually run a knife down the middle of the stalks then chop into roughly 1cm sized pieces).
Place in a glass bowl and pour the sugar over the top.
Cover with a plate or cling film and leave overnight, by which time the sugar will have soaked up the juice from the rhubarb.

Place the grated lime zest and blueberries in a pan, adding 3 tblsp of lime juice. Heat gently and simmer for 15 minutes with the lid on, until the berries are cooked and surrounded by juice.

Pour the rhubarb and sugar into a jam pan and stir over a low heat until the sugar is completely dissolved.
Add the blueberries and lime, turn up the heat and cook at a rolling boil until setting point is reached (a small dollop of the syrup on a cold plate will readily form a skin when left to cool slightly).
It took me 10 minutes to achieve this and I advise that you keep an eye on it and give the occasional stir whilst it cooks as the mixture is apt to burn if you're not careful.

Skim if necessary.
our into hot sterilised jars, put a circle of waxed paper on the surface of each one and seal.

This jam has a nice soft set that suits me fine. If you prefer your jam to 'cut' rather than dollop substitute all or half of the sugar with preserving sugar that includes added pectin.
- Blueberry Jam, 3 Ways | Love and Olive Oil:

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The New Rule of Ratatouille: Forget the Rules.

- The New Rule of Ratatouille: Forget the Rules | Serious Eats:
Ratatouille typically includes a mix of eggplant, summer squash (i.e., zucchini, yellow squash, and other soft-skin types), onion, garlic, bell peppers, and tomatoes stewed in olive oil. Herbs vary, and some folks hold very strong opinions about which ones they should and should not be, but among the most ubiquitous are basil, parsley, and thyme.
- Cutting the Vegetables: Anywhere from 0.5cm to 1cm pieces is a good size.
- Pre-Salting: The salted eggplant and squash produced ratatouille with more depth and sweetness.
You can dice the eggplant and squash, then salt them and let them sit while you continue dicing the other vegetables.
- Single-Pot Versus Individually Cooked Vegetables: you do preserve the shape and flavor of each vegetable a little better by cooking them separately...but not absolutely essential - starting with the onion and garlic, then adding the bell peppers soon after, followed by the squash and eggplant, and finally the tomato.
- Fresh Diced Tomato Versus Tomato Purée: the diced fresh tomato maintained its shape to the end, while the puréed tomatoes acted as a sauce, coating everything in a red sheen and helping to bind it all together.
As you can imagine, the tomato flavor is more pervasive when added as purée, since it glazes every other vegetable in the dish.
I prefer the purée.
Canned whole tomatoes often provide some of the best quality you can get, but feel free to use a puree made from cooked fresh ones if they're good enough.
Ratatouille: Step by Step:
I start by salting the eggplant and squash and letting them stand in a strainer set over a bowl for between 15 and 30 minutes.
Whether doing the individually cooked or the one-pot approach, I then sweat onion and garlic in olive oil.
For the one-pot approach, the next step is to combine everything else in the pot and let it cook until done.
Once everything is in the pot, I set it over low heat and add the tomato.
I also add herbs at this point; here, it's a bundle of basil, parsley, and thyme.
Herb garnishes are up to you, too. In these photos, I've stirred in some chopped parsley, but you could use basil, another herb, or just leave it out altogether.
I'll often also stir in a bit more fresh olive oil for flavor at the end.
As good as ratatouille is hot, it's so, so much better when eaten slightly chilled or at room temperature the next day.

Provençal Ratatouille Recipe:
Ingredients
3 cups 0.6cm diced summer squash, such as zucchini and yellow squash (about 4 small or 2 medium squash)
3 cups 0.6cm diced Italian eggplant (about 1 medium eggplant)
Kosher salt and freshly ground black pepper
3/4 cup (12 tablespoons) extra-virgin olive oil, divided, plus more as needed
3 cups 0.6cm diced yellow onion (about 3 medium onions)
6 medium cloves garlic, minced (about 2 tablespoons)
3 cups 0.6cm diced red and yellow bell pepper (about 4 large peppers)
2 cups pureed canned whole tomatoes, with their juices, from 1 (800g) can
1 bouquet garni (herb bundle), made from fresh herbs such as thyme, parsley, and basil, tied together with butcher's twine
Chopped fresh parsley leaves and tender stems, for garnish (optional)

Directions
1. Place summer squash in a wire mesh strainer set over a bowl; place eggplant in a second wire mesh strainer and set over a second bowl.
Toss both with a liberal amount of kosher salt and let stand to drain at least 15 minutes and up to 1 hour.
Discard any liquid that collects in the bowls.

2. In a large skillet, heat 3 tablespoons olive oil over medium-high heat until shimmering.
Add onion and garlic, season with salt, and cook, stirring, until softened, about 6 minutes.
Scrape onion and garlic onto a rimmed baking sheet and spread in an even layer to cool for 3 minutes.
Transfer onion and garlic to a large pot.

3. Meanwhile, add 3 more tablespoons olive oil to skillet and heat over medium-high heat until shimmering.
Add bell pepper, season with salt, and cook, stirring, until softened, about 7 minutes.
Scrape bell pepper onto the rimmed baking sheet in an even layer to cool for 3 minutes.
Transfer bell pepper to pot with onion.

4. Add 3 more tablespoons olive oil to skillet and heat over medium-high heat until shimmering.
Add summer squash and cook, stirring, until softened, about 4 minutes.
Scrape onto rimmed baking sheet in an even layer to cool for 3 minutes.
Transfer to pot with onion and bell pepper.

5. Add remaining 3 tablespoons olive oil to skillet and heat over medium-high heat until shimmering.
Add eggplant and cook, stirring, until softened, about 4 minutes; add more olive oil as needed if skillet dries out while cooking eggplant.
Scrape eggplant into pot with other vegetables and stir to combine.

6. Set pot of vegetables over medium-high heat and stir in tomato puree and herb bundle; heat until ratatouille is gently bubbling, then lower heat to medium and cook, stirring, until tomato puree coats vegetables in a thick sauce, about 15 minutes.
Discard herb bundle.
Season with salt, stir in chopped parsley (if using), and drizzle with a small amount of fresh extra-virgin olive oil.
Serve right away, or chill and serve either reheated, slightly chilled, or at room temperature.
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Ratatouille from Mastering The Art of French Cooking.

serves 6-8
Ingredients
500g eggplant
500g zucchini
1 teaspoon salt
6-7 tablespoons olive oil, more if necessary
250g (about 1 1/2 cups thinly sliced yellow onions
500g firm red tomatoes, or 1 1/2 cups pulp
2 (about 1 cup) sliced green bell peppers
2 cloves mashed garlic
salt and pepper to taste
Instructions
Peel the eggplant and cut into lengthwise slices 1cm thick, about 8cm long, and 2-3cm wide.
Scrub the zucchini, slice off the two ends, and cut the zucchini into slices about the same size as the eggplant slices.
Place the vegetables in a bowl and toss with the salt.
Let stand for 30 minutes.
Drain.
Dry each slice in a towel.
One layer at a time, saute the eggplant, and then the zucchini in hot olive oil for about a minute on each side to brown very lightly.
Remove to a side dish.
In the same skillet, cook the onions and peppers slowly in olive oil for about 10 minutes, or until tender but not browned.
Stir in the garlic and season to tastes.
Slice the tomato pulp into 1cm strips.
Lay them over the onions and peppers.
Season with salt and pepper.
Cover the skillet and cook over low heat for 5 minutes, or until tomatoes have begun to render their juice.
Uncover, baste the tomatoes with the juices, raise heat and boil off several minutes, until juice has almost entirely evaporated.
Place a third of the tomato mixture in the bottom of the casserole and sprinkle over it 1 tablespoon of parsley.
Arrange half of the eggplant and zucchini on top, then half the remaining tomatoes and parsley.
Put in the rest of the eggplant and zucchini, and finish with the remaining tomatoes and parsley.
Cover the casserole and simmer over low heat for 10 minutes.
Uncover, tip casserole and baste with the rendered juices.
Correct seasoning, if necessary.
Raise heat slightly and cook uncovered for about 15 minutes more, basting several times, until juices have evaporated leaving a spoonful or two of flavored olive oil.
Be careful of your heat; do not let the vegetables scorch in the bottom of the casserole.
Set aside uncovered.
Reheat slowly at serving time or serve cold.

It's a method promoted by Julia Child:
- In the News | Radcliffe Institute for Advanced Study at Harvard University: "Siting Julia"

Also: - Classic Ratatouille | Essential Pepin:
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How to Make a Perfect Frittata.

- How to Make a Perfect Frittata - Bon Appétit | Bon Appetit: "well-seasoned cast-iron pans"

- The Only Frittata Recipe You'll Ever Need | Epicurious.com:

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Gooseberry and Elderflower Preserve.

900 g gooseberries
4 tablespoons elderflower cordial
a trace of butter
900 g granulated sugar

First of all take the large, heavy saucepan and smear the base with a butter paper as this will help prevent the preserve sticking at a high temperature.

Then top and tail the gooseberries into the pan and add 5fl oz (150 ml) water.
Next bring up to simmering point and simmer very gently until the fruit is tender – this will take about 15 minutes.

After that add the sugar and stir well, then, keeping the heat low, wait for the sugar to dissolve completely (about 15 minutes), testing the liquid with a wooden spoon to make sure that there are no little granules of sugar left.
Now turn the heat up to its very highest setting and let the preserve boil rapidly for 8 minutes, then take it off the heat to test for a set.

Spoon a little of the preserve on to one of the cold saucers from the fridge, and let it cool back in the fridge.
You can tell – when it has cooled – if you have a 'set' by pushing the mixture with your little finger: if it has a really crinkly skin, it is set.
If it is not set, boil for 5 more minutes and repeat until the preserve is set.

When set, stir in the elderflower cordial and allow it to settle for 15 minutes before pouring it into warmed sterilised jars.
Seal with waxed discs, put the lids on and label when cold.
- Gooseberry and Elderflower Preserve | Recipes | Delia Online:

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All About Strawberries.

All About Strawberries - How To Cooking Tips - RecipeTips.com:

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Video: jam-making.

- Video: Christine Ferber's Raspberry Jam | Martha Stewart:

- Gourmet Jams by Christine Ferber | Euromaxx - YouTube:

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Strawberry Jam.

This is a fantastic recipe taken from Pam Corbin's, 'Preserves' book.
It follows a golden jam rule my granny used, A pound of sugar for every pound of fruit.
As strawberries are low in pectin, adding some jam sugar helps attain a great setting point without affecting the strawberries delicious flavour.

Ikg strawberries, hulled, large ones, halved and quartered.
500g granulated sugar.
450g jam sugar with added pectin
150ml lemon juice

Put 200g of the strawnberries into your preserving pan alongside an equal amount of sugar and using a potato masher, cruish to a pulp.
Place the pan on a low heat and when the fruity mixture warms add the rest of your strawberries.
Gently bring this to simmering boil, using a spoon to agitate the bottom of the pan,this prevents the fruit from sticking.
Simmer the mixture for 5 minutes to allow the strawberries to soften a little.

Next add the remaining sugar and the jam sugar.
Stir the mixture gently to prevent the sugar sticking and burning on the bottom of the pan.
When the sugar has disolved add the lemon juice.
Turn up the heat and when the mixture reaches full boil, continue boiling for 8-9 minutes.
Then test for setting point.

Remove from the heat and, if the surface is scummy, stir gently until the scum has dispersed.
Pot and seal.
Use within 12 months.

Thane Prince: 'Best Ever Raspberry jam' .

- Thane Prince: 'There’s something quiet and proper about jam-making' - Telegraph:

In Perfect Preserves, Thane explains in jolly, practical prose the subtle differences between jams, jellies, butters, marmalades and chutneys.
Preserving is not just for harvest festival time, she says, it’s a year-round effort.
“It starts in the spring with marmalade – those oranges come in in February – and runs all the way through to December, when I make my cranberry vodka.
“With sugar, acid and pectin, you can set anything.
Best Ever Raspberry jam
This is probably my favourite recipe for jam.
I always make small batches as this jam is best eaten fresh Frozen berries work well allowing a taste of summer when snow is abundant.
Ingredients
500gm freshly picked or thawed frozen raspberries
500gm white sugar
Instructions
Put 3-4 200ml washed and dried jam jars on a baking sheet then place in an over set to 150º C
Have a couple of small plates in the fridge or freezer
Place the berries and sugar into a heavy bottomed steel or enamelled pan and cook over a low heat until the fruit melts and the sugar is fully dissolved.
Bring the mixture up to boiling point and boil rapidly for 5 minutes.
Switch off the heat and test for a set. Drop a teaspoon of jam on a cold plate, wait about 30 seconds then push the edge of the puddle gently with your finger.
If you can see the surface wrinkling your jam is ready if not re-boil testing every 2 minutes, again using the timer to keep track.
Once you are happy with the set, pot the jam into the hot jars cover with lids and allow to cool
Check the lids are tightly on and label before storing in a cool dark larder or cupboard

Thane Prince's gooseberry and elderflower curd
”A curd is, basically, a set custard, a silky-soft luxury.”
Ingredients
500g gooseberries
Five eggs
125g salted butter
100ml elderflower cordial
200g white caster sugar
Instructions
Place the washed gooseberries in a pan over a low heat, with just the water that clings to them, cover and cook until the fruit softens and boils.
Rub the mixture through a sieve into a round-bottomed pan.
Lightly whisk the eggs until smooth, and add to the pan, along with the butter cut into 1cm cubes, the elderflower cordial and sugar.
Put the pan on a very low heat and srir constantly with a wooden spoon, as though scrambling eggs.
Cook until the sugar has completely dissolved and the butter melted.
The mixture should not feel gritty when stirred, and there should be no signs of sugar on the back of your spoon.
Turn the heat up a notch to low, stirring constantly, cook the curd until it is thick enough to coat the back of the wooden spoon.
Do not stop stirring or leave the pan; do not let the mixture bubble.
When the curd has thickened – remembering it will thicken more as it cools – take the pan from the heat.
Pot the curd into sterilised jars, using a jam funnel and a ladle.
Cover with the lids and leave to cool.
When the jars are cold, label them and check the lids are firmly screwed on.
Store in the fridge; unopened, it keeps for up to four weeks.

Blackberry ketchip
Yield approx. 1kg | Keeps 6 months
Ingredients1kg blackberries
350g red onions
30g garlic
1–2 fresh red chillies
1/2 teaspoon celery seeds
1 teaspoon juniper berries
1 teaspoon black peppercorns
500ml cider vinegar
1 teaspoon fine sea salt
400g white granulated sugar
Instructions
Wash the berries in a colander and shake off as much water as possible.
Tip them into a large heavy-bottomed, non-reactive preserving pan.
Peel and finely chop the onions and the garlic.
Chop the chilli.
I leave the pith and seeds in, but for a milder flavour take these out.
Grind the seeds, berries and peppercorns finely, using a spice mill or a mortar and pestle.
Now put everything but the sugar into the pan with the blackberries. Place this over a moderate heat, and bring the mixture up to a simmer.
It should bubble gently.
Cover with the lid and cook gently for 30–40 minutes or until everything is very soft.
Remember to stir from time to time.
Remove from the heat and allow to sit for 5 minutes, as blending the hot mixture can be explosive.
Once the ketchup has cooled a little, spoon it into the blender and whizz until smooth. It may be necessary to do this in batches.
You now need to sieve the ketchup to remove any unwanted lumps, skins etc. Place a sieve over a glass bowl and, using a wooden spoon, rub the mixture through the sieve until you have a dry, fibrous residue left in the sieve.
Discard this.
Place some clean bottles and/or jars and their lids on a baking tray and then into the oven preheated to 100 C/200 F/ Gas 2 for 20 minutes.
Return the ketchup to the washed saucepan and add the sugar, stirring it in well.
Put the pan over a low heat and stir until the sugar has completely dissolved.
Simmer the ketchup over a medium heat until thick, about 15 minutes, stirring often, as it has a tendency to stick to the pan at this stage.
Once it is as thick as you wish, remembering that it will thicken on cooling, remove the ketchup from the heat and allow it to stand for 5 minutes.
Take the baking tray of bottles/jars from the oven at the same time.
Stir the ketchup once more, then pot into the hot jars or bottles, using a funnel, and leaving a headspace of about 2cm at the top of each bottle or 1cm at the top of each jar.
Screw the lids on loosely and allow to cool.
When cold, label the bottles or jars, and check the lids are tight. Store in a cool, dark place or the fridge.

- Thane Prince's Blog: www.thanecooks.blogspot.com
and - http://thanecooks.wordpress.com/
and - http://www.thaneprince.com/


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Roast lamb with boulangère potatoes.

Start your boulangère potatoes first, then use them as a base to roast your lamb on.
Ingredients:
1 lamb joint
Large potatoes equal in weight to the lamb
1 large onion
1 tbsp dried herbes de Provence
2 garlic cloves
50g/2oz butter

You can make this roast for two, using a small half shoulder, or as many as 12, with two legs of lamb.
Just remember you need the same weight of potatoes as meat.
Serve with redcurrant jelly rather than mint sauce.

Pre-heat the oven to 400F/200C/gas mark 6.
Peel the potatoes and slice thinly.
Rinse them and soak in cold water.
Peel, halve and finely chop the onion.
Peel the garlic.
Chop one garlic and thinly slice the other.
Mix onion, chopped garlic and herbs.
Use half the butter to grease a large earthenware gratin-type dish or roasting pan.
Fill with a third of the drained potatoes.
Season with salt and pepper and scatter half the onion mixture over the top.
Make another layer of potatoes and onion and finish with a layer of potatoes.
Smooth the surface of the potatoes and press down evenly with the flat of your hand.
Dot with butter.
Add enough boiling water to almost cover the potatoes.
Cook them in the oven for 30mins, then turn up to 450F/230C/gas mark 8 for another 15 minutes – until the liquid has been absorbed, the potatoes are tender and the top is nicely browned.
Meanwhile, trim excess fat from the lamb.
Make slashes in the meat and post the sliced garlic.
Calculate the cooking time, allowing between 15 and 25 minutes per pound, depending on how pink you like your lamb.
Now place the joint on top of the potatoes and cook for 15 mins before returning temperature to earlier level.
Turn meat at halfway point.
Then remove the joint, keep it warm and allow it to rest for 15 minutes or more, leaving the potatoes in the oven.
Carve at the table, giving everyone some of the meat juices and letting your guests help themselves to the potatoes (they’ll want more).

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