Pickled Cherries
Ingredients:2 strips of orange zest - use a potato peeler
1tsp black peppercorns
2 cinnamon sticks
1tbsp coriander seeds
1 bay leaf
1kg cherries, stoned
700ml red wine vinegar
350g brown sugar
2tbsp sea salt
Method:
Tie up the first five ingredients in a muslin square and give it a good bashing with a meat mallet. Put this and the rest of the ingredients into a large saucepan and slowly bring to the boil stirring to dissolve the sugar.
Simmer for 10 - 15 minutes.
Transfer to a sterilised jar (or jars) while hot making sure there is no air, so full to the brim. Seal while still hot.
Clean, label and date the jar when cool.
Store in a cool, dark place for a few months.
I'm hoping to invent recipes for chicken, pork, duck etc with these.
First made: 16th June 2013
1tsp black peppercorns
2 cinnamon sticks
1tbsp coriander seeds
1 bay leaf
1kg cherries, stoned
700ml red wine vinegar
350g brown sugar
2tbsp sea salt
Method:
Tie up the first five ingredients in a muslin square and give it a good bashing with a meat mallet. Put this and the rest of the ingredients into a large saucepan and slowly bring to the boil stirring to dissolve the sugar.
Simmer for 10 - 15 minutes.
Transfer to a sterilised jar (or jars) while hot making sure there is no air, so full to the brim. Seal while still hot.
Clean, label and date the jar when cool.
Store in a cool, dark place for a few months.
I'm hoping to invent recipes for chicken, pork, duck etc with these.
First made: 16th June 2013
Preserved Lemons
Ingredients:
9 lemons, unwaxed - see Recipes/Tips and Tricks for how to get the was cleaned off.
8 green peppercorns
4 star anise
4 bay leaves
250g sea salt
bottles water at room temperature
Method:
Juice 3 of the lemons and quarter the rest but leave them joined a the bottom. Squash the quartered lemons into sterilised jars (see Recipes/Tips and Tricks)and share out the rest of the ingredients between them. Top up with bottled water, screw the lids on tightly and give them a good shake. Store in a cool, dark place for at least two months giving the jars a shake every now and again.
First made: 23rd July 2013
9 lemons, unwaxed - see Recipes/Tips and Tricks for how to get the was cleaned off.
8 green peppercorns
4 star anise
4 bay leaves
250g sea salt
bottles water at room temperature
Method:
Juice 3 of the lemons and quarter the rest but leave them joined a the bottom. Squash the quartered lemons into sterilised jars (see Recipes/Tips and Tricks)and share out the rest of the ingredients between them. Top up with bottled water, screw the lids on tightly and give them a good shake. Store in a cool, dark place for at least two months giving the jars a shake every now and again.
First made: 23rd July 2013
Tomato Sauce
Ingredients:
8 tomatoes, skinned, deseeded and chopped
2 onions, peeled and roughly chopped
2 garlic cloves, peeled
3 tbsps olive oil
2 tbsps apple and honey vinegar or apple cider, white wine vinegars
2 tbsps honey
salt
freshly ground black pepper
1 tsp balsamic cream (optional)
Method:
Whizz the onion and garlic in the food processor and then sauté in the olive oil until very soft but not browned. Add the rest of the ingredients, bring back to the boil, lower to a simmer and cook until the tomato is broken down. Allow to cool a little then liquidise with a stick blender (or whizz in the processor) and transfer to a sterilised jar. Put the lid on immediately.
Will keep in the fridge for up to a month.
First made: 13th May 2013
8 tomatoes, skinned, deseeded and chopped
2 onions, peeled and roughly chopped
2 garlic cloves, peeled
3 tbsps olive oil
2 tbsps apple and honey vinegar or apple cider, white wine vinegars
2 tbsps honey
salt
freshly ground black pepper
1 tsp balsamic cream (optional)
Method:
Whizz the onion and garlic in the food processor and then sauté in the olive oil until very soft but not browned. Add the rest of the ingredients, bring back to the boil, lower to a simmer and cook until the tomato is broken down. Allow to cool a little then liquidise with a stick blender (or whizz in the processor) and transfer to a sterilised jar. Put the lid on immediately.
Will keep in the fridge for up to a month.
First made: 13th May 2013
Stock for Minestrone Soup
I do daft things - one night, I came home from work and decided that I WANTED minestrone soup and I wanted it made from homemade ham stock! So I went out to the market and bought all the ingredients, came home, made the stock and then made the soup. We ate about ten o'clock!
Ingredients:
1 hambone (from cured ham)
2 carrots, peeled
1 onion, peeled
2 tomatoes
1 red chilli
1 courgette
Cooking instructions:
Roughly chop the vegetables and place in large pot, add the ham and water to the top, bring to the boil and simmer for at least an hour.
As it is cooking, skim off any scum that forms on the surface.
Once cooked, pass through a fine sieve saving any meat from the bone but discarding everything else.
Use immediately or freeze for later.
First made: 9th May 2011
Ingredients:
1 hambone (from cured ham)
2 carrots, peeled
1 onion, peeled
2 tomatoes
1 red chilli
1 courgette
Cooking instructions:
Roughly chop the vegetables and place in large pot, add the ham and water to the top, bring to the boil and simmer for at least an hour.
As it is cooking, skim off any scum that forms on the surface.
Once cooked, pass through a fine sieve saving any meat from the bone but discarding everything else.
Use immediately or freeze for later.
First made: 9th May 2011
Maple Mustard Marinade for Chicken or Pork
Ingredients:
4 boneless, skinless chicken pieces
3 tbsp olive oil
2 tbsp maple syrup (or honey)
1 tbsp grainy mustard
salt and pepper
Cooking instructions:
Season the chicken pieces and place in a non-metal bowl.
Mix the rest of the ingredients and pour over the chicken making sure it is all covered.
Cover and place in the fridge to marinate for at least an hour.
Place chicken pieces in an ovenproof dish and pour over the marinade. Cook in a preheated oven (180C) for 20 minutes or so turning once.
Serve with baked potatoes and steamed broccoli.
First made: 8th August 2012
4 boneless, skinless chicken pieces
3 tbsp olive oil
2 tbsp maple syrup (or honey)
1 tbsp grainy mustard
salt and pepper
Cooking instructions:
Season the chicken pieces and place in a non-metal bowl.
Mix the rest of the ingredients and pour over the chicken making sure it is all covered.
Cover and place in the fridge to marinate for at least an hour.
Place chicken pieces in an ovenproof dish and pour over the marinade. Cook in a preheated oven (180C) for 20 minutes or so turning once.
Serve with baked potatoes and steamed broccoli.
First made: 8th August 2012
Italian Seasoning
Ingredients:
2 tbsps each of dried:
basil
oregano
rosemary
parsley
thyme
(summer savory)
and
1tbsp chilli pepper flakes
Method:
Mix all the ingredients and keep in a jar.
2 tbsps each of dried:
basil
oregano
rosemary
parsley
thyme
(summer savory)
and
1tbsp chilli pepper flakes
Method:
Mix all the ingredients and keep in a jar.