Preserving the Season E-Book

Mary Tregellas

• Herausgeber: IMM Lifestyle Books
• Kategorie: Lebensstil
• Sprache: Englisch
• Veröffentlichungsjahr: 2020

Seitenzahl: 183

Beschreibung

Take the fruits of your labor further by understanding general preserving tips and techniques, as well as useful equipment before you get started. An inspiring collection of more than 90 recipes for jams, jellies, chutneys, curds, ketchups, marmalades, pickles, cordials, vinegars, oils, and even liqueurs and breads, Preserving the Season is an excellent resource for any gardener. Also included are easy-to-follow recipes that use your homemade preserves as ingredients! With charming, personal anecdotes from the author, sentimental notes, and helpful tips and variations interspersed throughout, this delightful guide is an engaging and insightful source of inspiration from start to finish!

Leseprobe

Preserving the Season

Preserving the Season

90 Delicious Recipes for Jams, Jellies, Preserves, Chutneys, Pickles, Curds, Condiments, Canning & Dishes Using Them

MARY TREGELLAS

Published 2020—IMM Lifestyle Books, an imprint of Fox Chapel Publishing, 903 Square Street, Mount Joy, PA 17552, www.FoxChapelPublishing.com

© 2012, 2020 by Mary Tregellas and Fox Chapel Publishing Company, Inc.

Preserving the Season (2020) was previously published with the title Notes from the Jam Cupboard (2012), by New Holland Publishers (UK) Ltd. All rights reserved. No part of this publication may be reproduced, stored in a retrieval system or transmitted, in any form or by any means, electronic, mechanical, photocopying, recording or otherwise, without the prior written permission of Fox Chapel Publishing.

The publishers would like to thank HarperCollins Ltd for the use of the quote from

Paddington at Large by Michael Bond here.

Reprinted by permission of HarperCollins Publishers Ltd

© 1962 Michael Bond

Photography by John Davis, except as noted below:

Mary Tregellas: 6, 7, 25, 26, 28, 35, 46, 48, 53, 61, 69, 109, 150, 180, 181, 183, 188, 189, 192

Geoff Borin: 1, 23, 75

Shutterstock: akf ffm (bottom 8); Anna Kucherova (18); beats1 (top back cover); Elena Hramova (146); FabrikaSimf (middle back cover); FuzullHanum (104); Oleksandra Naumenko (160); pilipphoto (96); Sveta Aho (top pattern front cover); Szasz-Fabian Ilka Erika (bottom 4–5); Tasty Life (photo front cover); zarzamora (bottom 14)

Print ISBN 978-1-5048-0122-5eISBN 978-1-6076-5785-9

We are always looking for talented authors. To submit an idea, please send a brief inquiry to [email protected].

IMM Lifestyle Books are distributed in the UK by Grantham Book Service, Trent Road, Grantham, Lincolnshire, NG31 7XQ.

This book has been published with the intent to provide accurate and authoritative information in regard to the subject matter within. While every precaution has been taken in the preparation of this book, the author and publisher expressly disclaim any responsibility for any errors, omissions, or adverse effects arising from the use or application of the information contained herein.

Contents

Introduction

Seasonal preserves

Useful equipment

A note on ingredients

General preserving tips

Berry delights

Sweet and savory cuisine

Crisp and crunchy cuisine

Citrus sweets

Tropical treats

Savory sauces and snacks

Hearty toppings and meals

Wild berries and flowers

Intoxicating refreshments

Robust and sweet breads

Acknowledgments

Introduction

“This has gone beyond a hobby now; this is an obsession,” announced my brother, finding me at the jam pan at 7a.m. one Saturday morning. How did it come to this? Why is it that my first thoughts upon waking on a Saturday morning were consumed with what to bottle before breakfast? I suppose it started in childhood. My mother, Renate, was a refugee from Czechoslovakia and would entertain us with stories of hours spent in her grandmother’s garden where the trees hung heavy with apricots and redcurrants grew in abundance. She was also especially fond of jam—not the jellied mass of sugar and pectin so prevalent in 1970s Britain, but the kind of preserve where the fruit is the star. Occasionally our village shop would sell cut-price conserves from Poland or Bulgaria—her eyes would light up and she would buy as much as we could carry home. For a special occasion, we would visit the delicatessen in the nearby town, which was a world of delights that included jars of delicious morello cherry jam. These were rare treats, however, for money was in short supply.

Back then, nothing went to waste, and if we could grow things in our small garden or gather something for free, so much the better. Dandelion leaves enlivened salads, young nettles were picked for soup, and bunches of herbs were dried to use throughout the year. This was nothing compared to the amount of preserves and bottled fruits that lined the shelves of our German relatives’ shelves. Nothing I’ve made has ever come close to my Aunt Hanne’s great parfait jars of apricot and strawberry jam. And, of course, my mother would make her own—redcurrant jelly in memory of her grandmother’s garden, pear and ginger jam, tomato chutney...

My own adventures with making jam started with an overenthusiastic greengage plum tree and the pleasure of giving my jam-loving mother an endless supply. Then we acquired a plot of land and, with it, further challenges: what to do with a glut of zucchini? (Chutney!) Or tomatoes? (Ketchup!) Add to that my childhood passion for picking wild fruit and the guardianship of my family home in Devon, England (whose small garden still yields the most delicious pears in the world), and the result is a cupboard full of jams, jellies, chutneys, sauces, and other delights to spread on toast, liven up a cheese sandwich, or accompany pies and sausages.

I have come to realize a simple fact: making preserves makes me happy. Chopping up a pile of fruit or vegetables, cooking them up with sugar, spices, and vinegar, and, thereby, transforming them into something both delicious and attractive is intensely pleasing. I view all cookery as a form of alchemy, but perhaps none more so than the art of preserving, when the flavors and aromas of something short-lived are captured in a pot to be savored throughout the coming year. But the preserves themselves are only part of the story. There is matchmaking to be done, too, whether it’s bringing together the happiest of old couples such as toast and marmalade or cheese and pickle, or forming new introductions. They also come into their own as ingredients in baked puddings, cakes, and savory dishes. I hope that this book will reacquaint you with some old favorites, encourage you to try new things, and inspire you to come up with a few new ideas of your own.

The four sisters (left to right) Tante Jenny, Tante Trude, Tante Betty, and my grandmother Antonie.

My mother (aged 4) with her grandfather, Jarcová, Moravia (Czechoslovakia), 1930.

My mother (aged 4), Beskydy Mountains, Moravia, 1930.

My mother, Tante Betty, and my father (Father), Innsbruck, Austria, 1962.

My brother John, father, mother, and me, 1969.

The Tasting Panel—my family—Ben with (left to right) James, Alexander and Edward.

Seasonal preserves

Last year, our refrigerator died. While the insurance claim was underway, we lived for several weeks with a small borrowed fridge that just fit the everyday essentials. Such a seemingly small change to our kitchen had a huge impact on our shopping and eating habits. We reverted to buying small quantities daily, and nothing was bought without considering how to store and cook it. I rather enjoyed the challenge.

My favorite childhood book was Laura Ingalls Wilder’s Little House in the Big Woods; I loved her stories of stocking up for times ahead. She describes a whole range of preserving techniques and skills that are part of a centuries-old way of life: smoking, freezing, cheesemaking, collecting sap to make into maple syrup, storing the fruits and vegetables that keep, and preserving the rest in jams and pickles. Skip forward 140 years and how things have changed!

With most produce available year round, and ever larger fridges and freezers in which to store them, the seasons have become blurred. Nowadays, however, things are beginning to change. People are becoming more concerned about reducing their carbon footprints by buying from their local produce growers. There is also a larger appreciation for clean, simple food. This is helping to put the emphasis back on fresh, local, seasonal produce, and now we are rediscovering some of the old ways. We may no longer need to bake our own bread, to pick wild berries, or to make jam, but we can have a lot of fun doing it.

Let the seasons be your guide: January and February are marmalade months, with wonderful, bitter Seville oranges in season; spring and early summer see the appearance of rhubarb and gooseberries, while creamy elderflowers cry out to be made into cordials. Then come the first strawberries, heralding the summer’s mad whirl of berries, stone fruit, and vegetables. In early autumn, apples and pears take center stage, and there are still plenty of hedgerow goodies to be foraged. By late autumn, things are slowing down; the shelves groaning with jars and bottles of beautiful homemade preserves to enjoy throughout the year ahead. Grab your wooden spoon: preserving is back in town!

Stocking your pantry with preserves is a wonderful way to eat homemade food all year round.

Though making preserves only requires a couple of tools, there are many others available that will help you get the job done.

Useful equipment

Many preserves can be made with the most basic equipment—a pan, a wooden spoon, and some jars—but there are some other handy tools to have on hand.

Preserving Pan

If you are going to invest in just one thing, then let it be a stainless steel preserving pan (or maslin pan). These are large, deep pans with sloped sides, which allow liquid to reduce more quickly and lessen the danger of hot preserves splashing everywhere. A large, heavy-based stainless steel saucepan is the best alternative. Avoid aluminum pans, which can affect the taste.

Wooden Spoon

One with a long handle is best—hot preserves can spit, so it is a good idea to keep a little distance between them and your hands. Avoid metal spoons, which can react with ingredients and discolor the preserves.

Jam Thermometer

These clip to the side of the pan and are used to prevent over-boiling. They also check the temperature of preserves to ensure that they have reached the correct temperature for setting. I rarely use mine for this, but do find it useful when pasteurizing cordials.

Jam Funnel

This is a special wide-mouthed funnel that makes it much easier to fill jars without spills. A narrow funnel is useful for filling bottles, too. An alternative is to pour the preserve into jars using a heatproof jug.

Jelly Bag and Stand

A fine-woven bag is used to strain the juice from the pulp when making jelly and cordials. Often sold with a stand, or with loops for hanging, they can also be attached to an upturned stool with a bowl underneath to catch the juice. Alternatively, line a large strainer with a double layer of muslin or fine cotton (such as an old, clean dish towel) and suspend over a deep bowl. The jelly bag should always be scalded in a saucepan of boiling water just before use.

Making preserves doesn’t require many tools. A wooden spoon and some pots will easily get the job done.

A jelly bag must be scalded in boiling water before each use.

Muslin or Spice Ball

Use a piece of muslin for tying whole spices together. A spice ball is a metal mesh container, usually on a chain, which clips to the side of the pan (shown opposite).

Slotted Spoon

Scum can form when jams and jellies are cooking, so a slotted spoon is useful for skimming it off the surface. It is also helpful in fishing out stones from cherries, plums, and other stone fruit.

Kitchen Scissors

I find kitchen scissors invaluable in preserve-making, from slicing cooked peel for marmalade and cutting rhubarb into chunks, to chopping chili peppers and dried apricots.

Mouli

Making purées with a stainless steel mouli is a lot easier on the arms than pressing ingredients through a sieve or strainer.

Jars, Bottles, Lids, and Covers

It is fine to reuse jam jars and bottles, as long as they have no chips or cracks, so save them up or ask your friends and neighbors to give you theirs. The most useful sizes are the 12 oz. (340 g) and 8 oz. (227 g) jars. Avoid any that contained very pungent things in a former life.

Lids can also be reused, though with secondhand lids it is advisable to cover the jars with plastic wrap first. Select lids that are not tainted by the smell of the previous preserve—a whiff of gherkin is not great on strawberry jam. For chutneys and pickles, use lids with vinegar-proof linings, as vinegar will corrode metal. You can buy new lids separately, and waxed paper circles, plastic wrap covers, and elastic bands come in packs. Place waxed paper circles (waxed side down) on hot preserves immediately after potting to form a firm seal.

A metal sieve is a good way to spice your preserves without having to worry about any pieces being left behind.

A spiral whisk can also be a handy tool.

A stainless steel mouli will help you strain your preserve mixtures effortlessly.

Mesh spice balls are a great way to add spice flavors to your preserves without having to add the spices directly into your mixtures.

A note on ingredients

Fruit and Vegetables

There is a common misconception that second-rate fruit is suitable for jam—not so. For jam-and jelly-making, fruit should be just ripe or slightly underripe, so that the flavor is at its best, and the pectin content has not started to wane. Riper fruit and vegetables are suitable for chutneys, ketchups, and cordials.

Rinse and prepare produce just before using; drain and dry well. Discard any squashy berries, and cut away bruises from hard fruits. Frozen produce is great for preserves: cook from frozen and adjust the cooking time accordingly.

Try to obtain at least some of your fruit and vegetables locally. Gardens, pick-your-own farms, and farmers’ markets are good places to start. Barter with your friends and neighbors—you are sure to find someone with produce to spare.

Sugars

It is the magical combination of sugar, acid, and pectin that makes a good set. A high proportion of sugar also acts as a preservative, so don’t be tempted to reduce the amount.

High-pectin fruits include cooking apples, redcurrants, blackcurrants, quinces, cranberries, gooseberries, and damsons; medium-pectin fruits include raspberries, apricots, plums (including greengage plums), and, early blackberries; and low-pectin fruits are cherries, strawberries, pears, late blackberries, peaches, and rhubarb.

For jams, jellies, marmalades, and cordials, white granulated sugar serves most purposes, although brown sugar is delicious in marmalades. You can buy sugar that contains added pectin, which is useful with fruits that are low in natural pectin, such as strawberries and cherries. Preserving sugar (which does not contain pectin), sometimes recommended for use with high-pectin fruits, has larger crystals and supposedly makes the clearest preserves, though I never use it.

For chutneys and sauces, various types of brown sugar (demerara, light, and dark muscovado) are more commonly used, giving a deeper color and flavor, though white granulated sugar works too.

Cold Remedy

As well as its uses in chutney-making, cider vinegar is a magical ingredient for curing all kinds of ills. My mother’s favorite cure for colds and flu was to drink hot cider vinegar and honey. Put two teaspoons of cider vinegar in a mug with a level tablespoon of honey. Top up with boiling water and stir until the honey is dissolved. Sip the hot drink slowly, inhaling the steam as you do so.

Spices

Key ingredients in chutneys and sauces, spices give warmth, heat, and fragrance to any recipe. Ready-ground spices are convenient but a little less aromatic. When using whole spices, either tie them in muslin or place in a spice ball and let them swim around in the preserve, infusing it with their flavor; or, for the most flavorsome and potent results, toast the spices in a dry frying pan for 2–3 minutes, and then grind in a spice mill or with a pestle and mortar and add to the preserve.

Vinegars

Vinegar’s acidity gives it the power to preserve, since microorganisms cannot grow in an acidic environment. Most types of vinegar are suitable for savory preserves. Red and white wine vinegars are good all-rounders and work well in most recipes. Strong-tasting malt vinegars have long been used in preserving. Clear distilled malt vinegar is a good choice if you want to keep the color of the original ingredients. Cider vinegar has a fruity taste, and is slightly less acidic than wine and malt varieties. Balsamic vinegar has a lower acidity, so it is not suitable as a preservative, though it can be added for flavor.

General preserving tips

I have a very small kitchen. No fancy equipment. No team of test chefs, just me and the Tasting Panel (my husband and children). And I haven’t had a single cooking lesson in my life—so I can say with confidence that preserve-making has something for everyone to try. Some can be made in an hour, start to finish; others take time and a little advance planning.

Jams

The usual method for jam-making is to cook fruit slowly until it is soft and the juices are flowing. It should be stirred frequently at the start, to prevent catching. The pan is then removed from the heat, sugar is added, and the mixture is stirred until thoroughly dissolved. The jam is boiled rapidly (known as a “full rolling boil”) until setting point is reached. Setting points vary from fruit to fruit, and other factors can affect it too—the size and type of pan, the ripeness of the fruit—so, although the individual recipes indicate an approximate time, it is necessary to test for a set with each batch to be sure (here).

• Do not fill the pan much more than half-full, as the mixture can bubble up quite spectacularly.

• Do not stir jam (or jelly) too often during the boiling stage, as this lowers the temperature (a high temperature is needed to reach setting point).

• Adding fresh lemon juice to low-pectin fruits can help to achieve a set, and it brightens the flavor.

• Adding one to two tablespoons of butter to jams just after stirring in the sugar can prevent scum from forming. If you choose not to add the butter, you will need to skim off the scum. Wait until the end and skim all at once to avoid wastage.

Marmalades

The key to a good citrus marmalade is to cook the peel thoroughly before adding sugar, or the final preserve will be tough. There are two ways to make marmalade: either cook the fruit whole, or shred the peel before cooking. To tell if the cooked peel is soft enough: with whole fruit, there should be no resistance when piercing with a fork; with shreds, you should be able to crush them easily between your thumb and finger. Once the peel is softened, the method is much the same as jam—dissolve sugar and boil rapidly until a setting point is reached. See here for more information on making marmalade.

Curds

Fruit curds are soft and creamy preserves made from the juice and zest of citrus fruits, or the purée of other fruit varieties. The juice or purée is whisked together with butter, sugar, and eggs in a double boiler or in a heatproof bowl set over a pan of simmering water until the mixture coats the back of a spoon. Curds need careful attention while cooking to ensure they do not curdle. Make in small batches because they keep for only about four weeks in the fridge.

Cordials

Fruit that is too ripe for jam- or jelly-making is fine for cordials, since there is no setting point to worry about. The process starts in the same way as for jelly—cook the fruit with a little water until juicy, then strain through a jelly bag. Dissolve sugar in the strained juice and then bottle. Cordials will keep for one to two months only in the fridge, but you can extend their keeping times by freezing and pasteurizing.

Freezing: allow the cordial to cool, then fill clean plastic bottles, leaving a gap at the top to allow for expansion as the cordial freezes. They should keep up to a year.

Pasteurizing: you will need a very deep saucepan, a sugar thermometer, and bottles that are not too tall. After filling the bottles, screw the lids on lightly. Put a folded dish towel in the bottom of the pan and stand the bottles on it. They should not touch each other. Fill the pan with warm water to within 1 in. (2.5 cm) of the bottle tops, and heat the water to sterilizing point, 190ºF (88°C). Maintain this temperature for 20 minutes, then remove the bottles, and tighten the lids. Cordials processed this way should keep for up to a year, stored somewhere cool and dark. Refrigerate after opening.

Chutneys

Fruits and vegetables are cooked slowly with vinegar, sugar, and spices until soft and well reduced. Depending on the ingredients, this can take up to two hours, so do not abandon the pan, especially in the later stages when it is more prone to catch and burn. Chutney is ready when a spoon drawn through it leaves a trail. It will thicken a bit more when cooled. If you can wait, leave chutneys to mature for a few weeks before eating—they will mellow and taste less vinegary. Most chutneys will keep for at least a year or more, though they may discolor a little.

Jellies

One of the joys of jelly-making is that it requires minimal preparation; just wash and chop the fruit roughly (no peeling or de-seeding required). The fruit is cooked with water to release the juice, and then strained through a jelly bag for several hours or overnight. The juice is then measured and cooked with sugar until it reaches setting point. The usual sugar-to-juice ratio is between 1–1 lb 5 oz. (450–600 g) of sugar to 1 pint (600 mL) juice.