RUNNER BEAN CHUTNEY
This is a recipe for runner bean chutney but other beans will do just as well. This recipe makes about 6 jars.
(thanks to Bridget)
Ingredients
2lb runner beans (chopped)
1 1/2 lbs onions (chopped)
1 1/2 malt vinegar
2 lb Demera sugar
3 teaspoons cornflour
1 tablespoon dry mustard (powder)
1 tablespoon Tumeric
a little salt
Method
Cook beans in salted water until tender (20 mins) - strain
Cook onions in 1 pint vinegar until tender. Add beans to onions & cook for 15 mins.
Mix tumeric, mustard, cornflour & salt with remaining vinegar in a bowl (until makes smooth paste).
Add the sugar to the beans & onions & boil gently for a further 15-20 mins. *
When cool, pot and when cold, seal jars. Ideally leave to mature for 2 months (but is also delicious almost straightaway.
*You can add 8oz of sultanas or raisins at teh end for 10 mins if desired.
(thanks to Bridget)
Ingredients
2lb runner beans (chopped)
1 1/2 lbs onions (chopped)
1 1/2 malt vinegar
2 lb Demera sugar
3 teaspoons cornflour
1 tablespoon dry mustard (powder)
1 tablespoon Tumeric
a little salt
Method
Cook beans in salted water until tender (20 mins) - strain
Cook onions in 1 pint vinegar until tender. Add beans to onions & cook for 15 mins.
Mix tumeric, mustard, cornflour & salt with remaining vinegar in a bowl (until makes smooth paste).
Add the sugar to the beans & onions & boil gently for a further 15-20 mins. *
When cool, pot and when cold, seal jars. Ideally leave to mature for 2 months (but is also delicious almost straightaway.
*You can add 8oz of sultanas or raisins at teh end for 10 mins if desired.
RHUBARB AND GINGER JAM
This is the recipe and method for rhubarb and ginger jam - this is for a large amount which is made in 2 batches - you can adjust it to fit what you have.
Ingredients
5.8kg rhubarb - cut into 1cm lengths
400g fresh ginger-peeled and grated
12 lemons - zest & juice
4kg granulated sugar
Start the night before and layer the rhubarb and sugar in a large heavy based pan (a jam pan is ideal of course but expensive)
Add the juice, zest and ginger to pan and cook the rhubarb on a medium heat - slowly until soft and sugar is dissolved.
Bring to boil - I turn it up and then back down again when boiling.
Check for set after 20 mins - put a small amount on cold saucer if it wrinkles when pushed with your finger it is done - or use a sugar thermometer
Stir & leave to stand for 10mins then pot into warmed jars.
To sterelise jars put in oven for 30mins at 140 c
BLUEBERRY LEMON CAKE
Recipe adapted by: Glenda
This is a quick lemon cake that benefits from the lovely addition of blueberries. You could leave out the berries if you're after a classic lemon cake, though they are heavenly!
Ready in 1 hour 30 mins
Ingredients
Serves: 10
- 75g butter, melted
- 200g caster sugar
- 1 lemon, juiced
- 2 eggs
- 200g plain flour
- 1 teaspoon baking powder
- 1/2 teaspoon salt
- 120ml milk
- 2 tablespoons lemon zest
- 150g fresh blueberries
For the topping
- 2 teaspoons lemon oil
- 3 teaspoons icing sugar
- 1 carton of mascarpone cheese
Prep: 30 mins
Cook: 1 hour
1. Preheat oven to 180 C / Gas 4. Grease and flour an 8 inch cake tin or a 2 lb loaf tin.
2. In a medium bowl, mix flour, baking powder and salt together and set aside.
3. In a large bowl, cream the butter and 200g sugar until light and fluffy. Add eggs, and beat well.
4. Mix in the juice of 1 lemon. Add the flour mixture, alternating with the milk. Fold in the lemon zest and blueberries. Pour into prepared tin.
5. Bake for 60 to 70 minutes, or until a skewer inserted into the cake comes out clean. Cool thoroughly in tin.
6. For the topping mix the mascarpone cheese, icing sugar and lemon oil in a bowl. Spread generously over cake when cold.
ELDERFLOWER CORDIAL
(thanks to Duncan)
20 heads elderflower (It's best to pick them in the morning when it's dry rather than the evening, as they smell less like cat's wee!)
1.8 kg sugar
1.2 litres water
75g citric acid
2 unwaxed lemons
1. Place elderflowers in a large bowl
2. Put sugar in pan with water and slowly bring to boil, stirring until dissolved.
3. Pare lemon zest and toss in bowl with elderflowers. Slice lemons, discard ends and add slices to bowl (I mash them a bit too). Pour over boiling syrup and stir in citric acid.
4. Cover with cloth and leave at room temperature for 24 hours.
5. Next day, strain through sieve/muslin and pour into newly-prepared glass or plastic bottles.
SPICED COURGETTE CHUTNEY
(thanks to Angie)
2 onions , chopped
APPLE AND BLACKBERRY JAM
(thanks to Angie)
Ingredients
20 heads elderflower (It's best to pick them in the morning when it's dry rather than the evening, as they smell less like cat's wee!)
1.8 kg sugar
1.2 litres water
75g citric acid
2 unwaxed lemons
1. Place elderflowers in a large bowl
2. Put sugar in pan with water and slowly bring to boil, stirring until dissolved.
3. Pare lemon zest and toss in bowl with elderflowers. Slice lemons, discard ends and add slices to bowl (I mash them a bit too). Pour over boiling syrup and stir in citric acid.
4. Cover with cloth and leave at room temperature for 24 hours.
5. Next day, strain through sieve/muslin and pour into newly-prepared glass or plastic bottles.
SPICED COURGETTE CHUTNEY
(thanks to Angie)
2 onions , chopped
- Put all the ingredients in a large pan. Bring slowly to a simmer, stirring to stop the mixture sticking.
- Simmer, uncovered, for 2 hours until dark, thick and chutney-like. Pour into sterilised jars and leave for 2-3 weeks before eating.
APPLE AND BLACKBERRY JAM
(thanks to Angie)
Ingredients
- 500g blackberries
- 500g cooking apples, peeled, cored and chopped
- Juice of 1 small lemon
- 1kg jam sugar
- Put the blackberries and apples into a preserving or large pan with the lemon juice and 100ml water. Place over a medium heat and simmer gently for 10-15 minutes, until tender and reduced.
- Pop a couple of saucers into the freezer to chill. Add the sugar to the pan and cook, stirring to dissolve. Bring to the boil and boil rapidly for 5 minutes. Remove from the heat.
- Put a teaspoonful of jam onto a chilled saucer for 1 minute. Drag your finger lightly over the jam. If it wrinkles, it has reached setting point; if it doesn’t, boil for a couple more minutes, then turn off the heat and try again with another chilled saucer. Set aside to cool for 1 hour.
- Preheat the oven to its lowest setting. To sterilise the jars and lids, clean and upturn them – lids off – on a baking sheet. Put in the oven for 15 minutes. Stir the jam, then ladle into each jar, seal and label
COURGETTE AND TOMATO SOUP
(thanks to Glenda)
This soup is very quick and easy to make, especially if you have the ingredients in your garden (currently plenty on Lotti Sep 2011). It is lovely served with warm petit pain (white, part baked) or fresh wholemeal bread. The soup freezes well.
Ingredients
1 oz butter
1lb courgettes chopped or sliced thinly
1 small/medium onion chopped
1 clove garlic crushed
1lb tomatoes skinned and chopped
1tbsp cornflour
1 pint chicken stock
1/4 tsp turmeric or mixed spice
seasoning to taste
Method
1.Melt butter in large saucepan and gently cook courgettes and onion for 5 mins, shaking pan occasionally
2.Add tomatoes, flour and tumeric and continue cooking for few mins
3. Add the stock, stir well and slowly bring to boil
4. Lower heat and simmer gently for about 20 mins
5. Blend until smooth, reheat and serve adding salt and pepper to taste.
This soup is very quick and easy to make, especially if you have the ingredients in your garden (currently plenty on Lotti Sep 2011). It is lovely served with warm petit pain (white, part baked) or fresh wholemeal bread. The soup freezes well.
Ingredients
1 oz butter
1lb courgettes chopped or sliced thinly
1 small/medium onion chopped
1 clove garlic crushed
1lb tomatoes skinned and chopped
1tbsp cornflour
1 pint chicken stock
1/4 tsp turmeric or mixed spice
seasoning to taste
Method
1.Melt butter in large saucepan and gently cook courgettes and onion for 5 mins, shaking pan occasionally
2.Add tomatoes, flour and tumeric and continue cooking for few mins
3. Add the stock, stir well and slowly bring to boil
4. Lower heat and simmer gently for about 20 mins
5. Blend until smooth, reheat and serve adding salt and pepper to taste.
FAMILY FAVOURITE FRUIT CAKE
This is a lovely, moist, never let you down cake. The original recipe used porter but I always use milk instead. It supposedly keeps well and should be wrapped in grease proof paper and foil and then stored for a week before eating. Not a chance of this in our house, it usually gets started on before it’s even cold. This is a real family favourite of ours. We take one on family hikes and my nephew who only likes chocolate cake loves it!!
Ingredients
8 oz self-raising flour
½ tsp baking powder
4 oz stork margarine
4 oz sugar
2 tsp ground mixed spice
¼ pint of milk
2 eggs
12 oz dried mixed fruit
1. Pre heat oven to 170 degrees C (325 degrees F, gas mark 3).
2. Grease and line a 7 or 8 inch cake tin.
3. Put margarine in microwave for 10 seconds.
4. Beat in sugar.
5. Add flour, baking powder, mixed spice, eggs and milk and beat until well mixed.
6. Stir in the dried fruit.
7. Pour into prepared tin and bake for 1 hour until well risen and a skewer comes out clean.
8. Leave cake in tin, cover with a clean tea towel whilst cooling and see how long you and yours can last before you eat it!
Glendaxxx
Sometimes I put some chopped walnuts in too.
Just baked one with a few cherries in to see what that’s like. Smells gorgeous.
Ingredients
8 oz self-raising flour
½ tsp baking powder
4 oz stork margarine
4 oz sugar
2 tsp ground mixed spice
¼ pint of milk
2 eggs
12 oz dried mixed fruit
1. Pre heat oven to 170 degrees C (325 degrees F, gas mark 3).
2. Grease and line a 7 or 8 inch cake tin.
3. Put margarine in microwave for 10 seconds.
4. Beat in sugar.
5. Add flour, baking powder, mixed spice, eggs and milk and beat until well mixed.
6. Stir in the dried fruit.
7. Pour into prepared tin and bake for 1 hour until well risen and a skewer comes out clean.
8. Leave cake in tin, cover with a clean tea towel whilst cooling and see how long you and yours can last before you eat it!
Glendaxxx
Sometimes I put some chopped walnuts in too.
Just baked one with a few cherries in to see what that’s like. Smells gorgeous.
