- Gooseberry curd
- Fresh Strawberries with Balsamic Vinegar and Basil
- Rhubarb, apricot and ginger chutney
- Lemon and mint cordial
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Gooseberry curd
This is a little more subtle and complex than a pure lemon curd, with the floral flavour of the gooseberries dancing on the tastebuds. There's nothing better on a scone or hot breakfast pancakes. Makes about five small (250-300ml) jars.
500g gooseberries
100ml lemon juice
125g unsalted butter
450g granulated sugar
200ml strained beaten egg (around 4-5 large eggs)
Sterilise some jars as above.
Put the gooseberries in a pan with the lemon juice.
Bring slowly to a simmer, stirring often, until the fruit starts to release its juice, then simmer gently for five to 10 minutes until the fruit has collapsed.
Rub this mixture through a fine sieve to get a thin, smooth gooseberry puree.
Put the puree, butter and sugar into a large basin over a pan of simmering water.
Stir until the butter has melted and the mixture is smooth.
Take off the heat and let it cool for a minute – you don't want it to be too hot when you pour in the eggs, or they will scramble.
It should be cool enough that you can comfortably put your finger into it.
Pour in the strained beaten egg, whisking all the while.
Return the pan to the heat and stir the mixture over the simmering water until thick and creamy and registering at least 82C on a sugar thermometer.
This requires patience – it will take a good 10 minutes, probably more – but the curd is much less likely to get too hot and scramble than if you cooked it directly in a pan.
If the curd does start to scramble, take it off the heat and whisk vigorously until smooth.
As soon as it has thickened, pour the curd into the hot jars and seal.
Leave to cool before labelling. Use the curd within four weeks; once opened, keep in the fridge and use within a week.
Hugh Fearnley-Whittingstall's lemon and mint cordial:
A lovely, zingy cordial for summer drinks.
Try it with soda or fizzy water and lots of ice.
Makes 1.5 litres.
'A lovely zingy summer cordial.'
A couple of large bunches of mint – about 75g in total
Finely grated zest of 5 lemons, plus their juice (about 150ml in total), strained to remove pips and fibres
750g granulated sugar
Tear up the mint, stalks and all, and put into a large bowl with the lemon zest.
Pour over a litre of boiling water and leave to infuse overnight, or at least for several hours.
Sterilise some bottles with swing-top lids or screw tops (see introduction).
Line a sieve with a piece of muslin or clean, thin tea towel and place over a saucepan.
Pour the minty, lemony liquid through the sieve, then gather up the corners of the cloth and twist them, so you squeeze every last drop of flavour out of the mint and lemon zest.
Add the strained lemon juice and the sugar, heat gently, stirring to dissolve the sugar, then bring to a simmer and cook for two minutes.
Use a funnel to pour the hot liquid into the hot, sterilised bottles.
Seal the bottles and leave to cool before labelling.
The cordial will keep for about six weeks in the fridge.
If you want to keep it for longer, leave it to cool in the pan, pour into plastic bottles and freeze.
Rhubarb, apricot and ginger chutney
With its acidity and deep flavour, rhubarb makes a fantastic chutney – it's delicious with nutty cheddar in a sandwich. Makes five or six medium (300-400ml) jars, though you can double the quantities (in which case it will take longer to cook).
1kg rhubarb, cut into 3-4cm pieces
500g onions, peeled and chopped
4 cloves garlic, peeled and chopped
500g dried apricots, very roughly chopped – quarters or sixths is fine
350g golden granulated sugar
300ml cider vinegar
Finely grated zest of 2 large oranges
Juice of the oranges (about 200ml)
50g root ginger, peeled and finely grated
1 tsp dried chilli flakes
1 tsp ground coriander
½ tsp salt
½ tsp finely ground black pepper
Put all the ingredients in a preserving pan.
Bring to a simmer and cook gently for an hour and a quarter to an hour and a half, stirring often, particularly towards the end, when the thickened mixture might otherwise catch and burn.
The chutney is ready when it is rich and thick, exhibiting a geyser-like plopping, rather than a liquid simmering.
Pull a wooden spatula through it – if you can see the base of the pan briefly, before the chutney comes together again, it's ready.
While the chutney is cooking, sterilise some jars and vinegar-proof lids.
Put them in the oven towards the end of the chutney cooking time, so they are clean, dry and hot when you come to pot the chutney.
Pot into the hot jars, filling them right to the top and ensuring there are no air pockets.
Seal at once and leave to cool before labelling. Leave for at least a month before opening, then keep in the fridge.
Store unopened jars in a cool, dark place for up to two years.
Here!
Fresh Strawberries with Balsamic Vinegar and Basil
1 1/4 cups sugar
1 1/4 cups balsamic vinegar
2 1/2 tablespoons honey
2 teaspoons freshly ground black pepper
1 cup fresh basil leaves, torn into small pieces and loosely packed
10 cups strawberries, trimmed and halved (4 pounds whole berries)
In large mixing bowl, stir together sugar, vinegar, honey, and pepper.
Add basil and strawberries; toss to coat.
Cover and chill at least 10 minutes and up to 1 1/2 hours.
Serve chilled.
- Fresh Strawberries with Balsamic Vinegar and Basil
- Rhubarb, apricot and ginger chutney
- Lemon and mint cordial
-------------
Gooseberry curd
This is a little more subtle and complex than a pure lemon curd, with the floral flavour of the gooseberries dancing on the tastebuds. There's nothing better on a scone or hot breakfast pancakes. Makes about five small (250-300ml) jars.
500g gooseberries
100ml lemon juice
125g unsalted butter
450g granulated sugar
200ml strained beaten egg (around 4-5 large eggs)
Sterilise some jars as above.
Put the gooseberries in a pan with the lemon juice.
Bring slowly to a simmer, stirring often, until the fruit starts to release its juice, then simmer gently for five to 10 minutes until the fruit has collapsed.
Rub this mixture through a fine sieve to get a thin, smooth gooseberry puree.
Put the puree, butter and sugar into a large basin over a pan of simmering water.
Stir until the butter has melted and the mixture is smooth.
Take off the heat and let it cool for a minute – you don't want it to be too hot when you pour in the eggs, or they will scramble.
It should be cool enough that you can comfortably put your finger into it.
Pour in the strained beaten egg, whisking all the while.
Return the pan to the heat and stir the mixture over the simmering water until thick and creamy and registering at least 82C on a sugar thermometer.
This requires patience – it will take a good 10 minutes, probably more – but the curd is much less likely to get too hot and scramble than if you cooked it directly in a pan.
If the curd does start to scramble, take it off the heat and whisk vigorously until smooth.
As soon as it has thickened, pour the curd into the hot jars and seal.
Leave to cool before labelling. Use the curd within four weeks; once opened, keep in the fridge and use within a week.
Hugh Fearnley-Whittingstall's lemon and mint cordial:
A lovely, zingy cordial for summer drinks.
Try it with soda or fizzy water and lots of ice.
Makes 1.5 litres.
'A lovely zingy summer cordial.'
A couple of large bunches of mint – about 75g in total
Finely grated zest of 5 lemons, plus their juice (about 150ml in total), strained to remove pips and fibres
750g granulated sugar
Tear up the mint, stalks and all, and put into a large bowl with the lemon zest.
Pour over a litre of boiling water and leave to infuse overnight, or at least for several hours.
Sterilise some bottles with swing-top lids or screw tops (see introduction).
Line a sieve with a piece of muslin or clean, thin tea towel and place over a saucepan.
Pour the minty, lemony liquid through the sieve, then gather up the corners of the cloth and twist them, so you squeeze every last drop of flavour out of the mint and lemon zest.
Add the strained lemon juice and the sugar, heat gently, stirring to dissolve the sugar, then bring to a simmer and cook for two minutes.
Use a funnel to pour the hot liquid into the hot, sterilised bottles.
Seal the bottles and leave to cool before labelling.
The cordial will keep for about six weeks in the fridge.
If you want to keep it for longer, leave it to cool in the pan, pour into plastic bottles and freeze.
Rhubarb, apricot and ginger chutney
With its acidity and deep flavour, rhubarb makes a fantastic chutney – it's delicious with nutty cheddar in a sandwich. Makes five or six medium (300-400ml) jars, though you can double the quantities (in which case it will take longer to cook).
1kg rhubarb, cut into 3-4cm pieces
500g onions, peeled and chopped
4 cloves garlic, peeled and chopped
500g dried apricots, very roughly chopped – quarters or sixths is fine
350g golden granulated sugar
300ml cider vinegar
Finely grated zest of 2 large oranges
Juice of the oranges (about 200ml)
50g root ginger, peeled and finely grated
1 tsp dried chilli flakes
1 tsp ground coriander
½ tsp salt
½ tsp finely ground black pepper
Put all the ingredients in a preserving pan.
Bring to a simmer and cook gently for an hour and a quarter to an hour and a half, stirring often, particularly towards the end, when the thickened mixture might otherwise catch and burn.
The chutney is ready when it is rich and thick, exhibiting a geyser-like plopping, rather than a liquid simmering.
Pull a wooden spatula through it – if you can see the base of the pan briefly, before the chutney comes together again, it's ready.
While the chutney is cooking, sterilise some jars and vinegar-proof lids.
Put them in the oven towards the end of the chutney cooking time, so they are clean, dry and hot when you come to pot the chutney.
Pot into the hot jars, filling them right to the top and ensuring there are no air pockets.
Seal at once and leave to cool before labelling. Leave for at least a month before opening, then keep in the fridge.
Store unopened jars in a cool, dark place for up to two years.
Here!
Fresh Strawberries with Balsamic Vinegar and Basil
1 1/4 cups sugar
1 1/4 cups balsamic vinegar
2 1/2 tablespoons honey
2 teaspoons freshly ground black pepper
1 cup fresh basil leaves, torn into small pieces and loosely packed
10 cups strawberries, trimmed and halved (4 pounds whole berries)
In large mixing bowl, stir together sugar, vinegar, honey, and pepper.
Add basil and strawberries; toss to coat.
Cover and chill at least 10 minutes and up to 1 1/2 hours.
Serve chilled.
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