Lemon Chutney

I made this awesome lemon chutney ages ago, and have been meaning to post the recipe up but have totally forgotten about it (sorry). Do not make this chutney if you do not like the bitey tang of lemons as it is quite strong. However, it is just gorgeous, especially with roasted meats. It is incredibly easy to make (although needs to be made over two days) and the smell of lemon in the kitchen is beautiful. I hope you guys like it as much as I do.

Lemon Chutney

Ingredients:

• 4 large lemons
• 3 medium onions
• 1.5 tbsp salt
• 2.5 cups white vinegar
• 3 cups brown sugar
• 1 cup raisins
• 1 tsp ground ginger
• 3 tsps mustard seeds (although I just use the mustard in the jar, the seeded stuff not the smooth stuff, so no need for a muslin bag).

Method:

1. Wash and thinly slice up the lemons (remove all pips).
2. Peel and slice the onions.
3. In a bowl layer the lemons and onions, sprinkling each layer with salt.
4. Cover and leave to stand for 24 hours.
5. Next day, pour the lemons and onions into a colander and rinse well under cold running water. 
6. Drain well, then put in a pan with the vinegar, sugar, raisins, cayenne pepper and ground ginger. 
7. Wrap the mustard seeds in a small square of muslin and tie securely. Add the muslin bag to the preserving pan, making sure it is thoroughly immersed in the mixture.
8. Heat the mixture gently, stirring occasionally, until the sugar has dissolved completely. 
9. Bring slowly to the boil, then reduce the heat and simmer for 1½ hours, or until the lemons are tender and the chutney has been reduced in volume by a quarter and is thick and shiny. 
10. Remove the pan from the heat, remove and discard the muslin bag and spoon the chutney into clean, warm, dry jars. 
11. Cover immediately with vinegar proof lids. When the chutney is cold, label and date the jars and store in a cool, dry, airy cupboard for two months.

Strawberry Jam.

Isn't it marvelous when you go to the supermarket & they have just want you want on special? I had a hankering for some homemade strawberry jam, & there they were, tubs & tubs of gorgeous strawberries, all on sale, just for me. The house smells divine at the moment, there is no smell like fresh strawberry jam. The problem will be keeping it away from the other people who live in this house, so I don't think that it will last for long.

Strawberry Jam

Ingredients:

• 1.5kg hulled strawberries (I do chop them up into big pieces)
• 0.5 cup lemon juice (I only use the fresh stuff)
• 5 cups sugar

Method:

1. Combine all the ingredients in a large saucepan.
2. Stir over heat, without boiling, until all the sugar has dissolved.
3. Bring to the boil, & then simmer, uncovered,  without stirring, for 20 minutes or until the jam jells when tested.
4. Pour the jam into hot & sterilised jars & seal.
5. This recipe makes about 5 cups of jam.

Lemon Marmalade

A friend of mine has the most magnificent lemon tree, which is heavily weighed down with an abundance of delicious juicy lemons & I love lemon marmalade. So today I made some. This is a very easy recipe & you will love the lemony smell wafting through your house, I promise.

 

Lemon Marmalade

Ingredients:

• 1 kg lemons
• 1 kg sugar
• 7 cups water

Method

1. Halve/quarter the lemons length way.
2. Cut into thin slices (I use a food processor, much quicker).
3. Soak the cut lemons overnight with the water, keep them covered.
4. Transfer the mixture into a large pan.
5. Bring to the boil & then simmer, covered, for about 40 minutes, or until the rind is soft.
6. Add the sugar: stir over heat until the sugar is dissolved.
7. Bring to the boil & then boil, uncovered, for about 30 minutes, or until the marmalade jells when tested.
8. Pour into hot sterilised jars & seal.
9. Makes about 6 cups. 

Moraba-ye Zereshk

I have a most wonderful friend (insert "sistah") named Beck. She is warm, generous, funny, wise & a truly beautiful soul. I trust & admire her so much. I am times am very jealous of her strength, intelligence & her outer beauty. She is a crazy girl who challenges me & makes me feel all warm & fuzzy inside at how lucky I am to be her friend. She went shopping the other day & rang me from some exotic spice store in Melbourne to see if I wanted anything. So, I just said: buy me something I don't have, pick something....... & of course she decided to take it that one step further by buying me something I had never ever heard of & then found me a recipe. Who on earth has heard of a BARBERRY? ?

Apparently they are widely cultivated in Iran as mainly a dried fruit & they also are reported to have medicinal purposes. Beck found me the MOST DIVINE preserve recipe. I can't describe how beautiful this jam is, & if you do happen to find a barberry seller then please give this recipe a go. The berries are teeny tiny, like currants & they are quite tangy. With the other ingredients, this jam packs a flavourful punch. Thanks Beck for this recipe & the chance to discover something utterly delightful. I love you my friend xx. 

Moraba-ye Zereshk (Barberry Preserve with Cinnamon & Vanilla - from "Saraban")

100gm dried barberries

260gm sugar

1 tbsp cracked cardamom pods

1 cinnamon stick, broken in half

1 vanilla pod, split

700ml boiling water

1. Soak the barberries in cold water for 2 minutes & then drain
2. Put the barberries in a heavy based saucepan with the remaining ingredients.
3. Bring to the boil over a medium heat
4. Lower the heat & cook at a gentle simmer for 40 - 50 minutes or until the syrup coats the back of a spoon thickly.
5. Stir regularly & skim off from time to time if needed.
6. Ladle into sterilised jars & pour on enough syrup to cover completely
7. Seal while hot & store in a cool place.
8. Makes about 300mls.

Green Tomato Chutney

I absolutely am delighted that I have picked the last of the produce from the vegie patch that requires any work at all to become a preserve. There is no more to do, the vegie patch is now pretty much dead & it just needs to be refreshed (yay!). Yesterday I cooked up 6kgs of green tomatoes & made a Green Tomato Chutney - 18 jars of the stuff. I don't think I have ever eaten a green tomato chutney before, so I look forward to trying this one.



Green Tomato Chutney

1kg cooking apples, chopped.
3 onions, chopped
6 garlic cloves, chopped
2 cups raisins
2kg green tomatoes, chopped
2 tbsp ginger, chopped
2 tbsp mustard seeds
6 allspice berries, crushed
1/2 tsp dry chilli, chopped
3 cups sugar
1 tbsp salt

4 cups vinegar

1. Combine all the ingredients in a large saucepan
2. Bring to the boil.
3. Simmer for about 3 hours, stirring frequently, especially towards the end of cooking.
4. When it is thickening & you can stir a wooden spoon through it without any free liquid, it is done.
5. Ladle into sterilised jars & seal.

Beetroot Chutney.

This morning I harvested the beetroot & ended up with a 5kg load. I've never grown beetroot before, but it was just so easy. I love to eat beetroot, especially roasted, but the only way the boys will eat it currently is if I make it into a chutney.

So, guess what I did today? I made up 22 jars of it.

Here's the recipe - it's one of the easiest recipes around.

Beetroot Chutney

2 kg cooked beetroot
1 kg onions
4 cups sugar
2 tsps allspice
2 tsps mustard seeds
2 tsps coriander seeds
10 peppercorns
2 tbsps salt
4 cups vinegar
1 cup plain flour

1. To cook the beetroot, cut off all of the tops, & place the beetroot in a large saucepan, cover with water & simmer until tender.
   
2. Remove skins when cool enough to handle.
3. Finely chop the beetroot & onions in a food processor, (this is best done in several small lots). Use an on/off motion as they must be finely chopped & not a puree.
4. Combine all ingredients (except the flour) in a large pot. Bring to the boil & gently cook for about 50 minutes.
5. Mix the flour to a smooth paste with cold water.
   
6. Add to the mix, stirring to thicken & boil for approximately 5 minutes more.
7. Pack the chutney into hot sterilised jars, cover and label.