Apple and herb jelly

Add herbs to this amber savoury jelly. Lavender or rosemary work well with lamb or try sage for pork … Makes about 7 x 500g jars

Ingredients

  • 5 1/2 lbs (2.5 kg) cooking apples
  • 3 sprigs of your chosen herb, plus small sprigs for each jar
  • 2 1/4 pints (1.3 litres) of cider vinegar
  • About 3lb granulated sugar. (Apples have plenty of pectin so you don’t need jam sugar here.)

Method

  1. Cut the apples into chunks. You don’t have to peel or core them but remove any bruised bits. Cover with 2 3/4 pints (1.5 litres) of water. Add the herbs.
  2. Bring to the boil. Reduce to a simmer and cook until the apples are completely soft – around 45 mins.
  3. Add the cider vinegar and cook for another 5 mins. Pour into a jelly bag or muslin suspended over a large bowl and leave it to drip overnight. Don’t press or squish the apples because your jelly will end up cloudy.
  4. The next day, measure the liquid that you’ve got. For every pint, you need 1lb sugar. Put both the liquid and sugar into a preserving pan and heat gently, stirring to help the sugar to dissolve. Bring to the boil and boil until you reach setting point (when it wrinkles on a cold saucer). Skim off any scum.
  5. Ladle into warm, sterilised jars. Put a sprig of your chosen herb in each jar, cover with a waxed disc and seal with a lid. Gently shake the jar so that the herb doesn’t stay at the top. Keeps for a year but refrigerate when open.

Sweet apple and ginger chutney

Ingredients

  • 1.35kg apples (dessert for preference but any windfalls will be fine)
  • 450g onions
  • 1 tbspn salt
  • 2 cloves garlic
  • 115g crystallised ginger
  • 675g sugar
  • 280ml wine or cider vinegar

Method

  1. Peel, core and chop the apples into peanut-sized pieces.
  2. Peel and chop the onions into similar sized pieces.
  3. Finely chop the pieces of crystallised ginger and mince the garlic.
  4. Place all the ingredients into a large pan and heat gently, stirring until the sugar is dissolved.
  5. Bring to the boil. Cook until the mixture is so thick that, when you draw a spoon across the bottom of the pan, you can see the base before the chutney covers it again.
  6. Turn off the heat and ladle into warmed, sterilised jars.
  7. Screw the lids on tightly and leave to cool. Store in a cool place. Refrigerate after opening.

Apple, mint and coriander chutney

Make this fresh chutney whenever you need it. Lovely spread on sandwiches, on a cheese board with mature cheddar or creamy brie, in wraps with grilled halloumi, roasted vegetables, or falafel, or mix in olive oil to make a dressing. Makes 1 cup.

Ingredients

  • 1 medium cooking apple, peeled, cored and chopped
  • 1/2 cup fresh mint leaves (lightly packed, stalks removed)
  • 1/2 cup fresh coriander leaves (lightly packed, tender stalks are fine)
  • 1/2 to 1 green chilli or 1/4 tspn black pepper (adjust to taste)
  • 1/2 tspn sea salt
  • 1/2 tspn caster sugar (optional but balances out the tartness)
  • Juice of 1/2 lemon (or lime for a zestier kick)
  • 2-3 tbspn very cold water or ice cubes. Adjust for consistency. The ice cubes help smooth blending and preserve colour.

Method

  1. Load the apple chunks, mint leaves, coriander leaves, chilli or pepper, salt, sugar and lemon juice into a blender. Pulse a few times, then run the mixer until the chutney is smooth but still a little textured.
  2. Gradually add water to get a spreadable consistency.
  3. Taste and adjust seasoning. Add more lemon for brightness, sugar if it’s too sharp, or chilli for heat.
  4. Use immediately for the freshest colour and flavour but will keep in an airtight container in the fridge for up to 2 days. The colour might dull slightly in keeping due to oxidisation so a splash more lemon helps to keep it green.

Spiced apple and berry puree

This works with any kind of berry or with plums. Keeps in a cool, dark place for a year or more. Once opened, keep the remainder in the fridge and use within 2-3 weeks.

Ingredients

  • I punnet berries or plums
  • 1 punnet apples
  • Juice of 1 lemon
  • 1/2 stick cinnamon
  • 3 star anise
  • 10 cloves
  • 3 tbspn honey (to taste)
  • Ground ginger (to taste)

Method

  • Blend the fruit in a blender and sieve to remove pips.
  • Put in a saucepan. If you’re using plums, add 1/2 pint water. No water if you’re using berries.
  • Put the spices in muslin, tied with string, and add to the pan with the other ingredients. Simmer until the fruit is broken down.
  • Remove the spice bag and turn off the heat. Add honey and ground ginger, to taste.
  • Pour into sterilised jars. Put the lids on and fasten tightly. To heat-seal the lids, put the jars lid-side down into a baking tray. Fill with 1-2″ of water. Simmer for 5 minutes.