Hobbies and Crafts

By request: (This recipe was on the boards once before, I think by Persephone)

Cucumber Relish

Cucumber relish
yield 2 and quarter pounds

1 and half pounds ridge cucumbers
8 oz onion
1 green pepper
three quarters ounce of salt
half pint of white vinegar
5 ounces sugar I use part white part brown
1 teaspoon turmeric*
1 teaspoon mustard seed*
1 teaspoon ground allspice*
half teaspoon ground mace*
Peel and dice the cucumbers, finely slice the onion, de seed and shred the green pepper. Place in a bowl with the salt. Leave to stand for 3 hours.
Drain, rinse in cold water, and drain again thoroughly.
Place remaining ingredients in a pan, stir until sugar is dissolved, bring to boil and simmer for 2 minutes. Add the vegetables, bring to the boil, and simmer for 4 to 5 minutes, stirring constantly.
Pour into warm jars, cover securely and label.
KEEPS FOR 6 - 8 WEEKS (Note, actually I kept it for 6 months and it was still good).


Regarding the spices. Because I don't want to have to buy all the separate spices I actually just use spiced vinegar and it is fine.

A quick relish to serve with salads and cold meats/fish..

Pickeld Sweet and sour cucumber
1 cucumber
tsp salt
2tsp castor sugar
1 tsp rice vinegar
half tsp red chili oil (I have used rapeseed oil with chili).
few drops sesame oil (optional)

Halve the unpeeled cucumber, scrape out the seeds and cut into chunks.
In a bowl, sprinkle the chunks with the salt and mix well. Leave for at least 20 minutes, longer if possible, then pour juice away.
Mix the cucumber with the sugar, vinegar and oil. If using sprinkle with sesame oil just before using.

Plopping Away Chutney - An Easy Rhubarb Chutney Recipe

This is one of the easiest chutney recipes I have come across and literally requires placing on the stove top and being allowed to plop away (plopping being the noise it makes as it cooks). I prefer to use outdoor grown rhubarb for the recipe as I find the thick stalks cook down really well and have a more robust flavour, but it works very well with new season forced rhubarb resulting in a lighter coloured and flavoured chutney.

Prep Time: 10 minutes
Cook Time: 1 hour
Total Time: 1 hour, 10 minutes
Yield: 6 jars

Ingredients:

2lbs/900g Rhubarb

2lbs/900g Sugar

1lb/450g Sultanas

1 pint Vinegar

1 oz. /25g Salt

1 oz. /25g powdered Ginger

1 Onion – finely chopped

½ teaspoon Cayenne Pepper

½ teaspoon ordinary Pepper

Preparation:

Bring all the above to the boil. Reduce heat.

Let it plop away till thick and dark brown

Stir now and then.

Pour into clean sterilised jars, put lid on and store. Has a long store cupboard life.

Notes:

1. I recommend making the chutney in a large non-reactive or stainless steel pan, keep an eye on the chutney to make sure it is not burning at the bottom.

2. This amount takes about an hour to cook and fills 6 one pound jars.

3. The rhubarb chutney will keep for several months in sealed jars kept in a cool place but it is not necessary to put it in the fridge.

4. A delicious accompaniment to cold meats, cheeses and pies and a star on the Christmas table and especially good with pork pie and a good British cheeseboard.

LA

Has anyone got a fail proof recipe for caramelised red onion chutney please.

Lady Augusta, one to try sometime.

Caramelised Red Onion Chutney Recipe

This is one of those recipes that’s not so much a recipe as a way of creating something supremely tasty from only three ingredients plus time and some heat.

Ingredients;

6 x medium red onions sliced in half moons

Balsamic vinegar

Olive oil

Get a large pan or saucepan onto a high heat. Allow the pan to heat fully before adding a lug of olive oil, turning the heat down and adding all the chopped onions. Stir them well until the heat has gone down in the pan and they stop sizzling.

Next cover the pan of onions and leave over a very low heat for thirty to forty five minutes, stirring occasionally, until all the liquid has disappeared. Now add a glug of a good balsamic vinegar, stir this in and leave it for ten minutes until this too has disappeared and repeat this last step again, adding more Balsamic Vinegar, stir it in well and leave over a low heat until all the liquid has evaporated.

Now you’re ready to serve, hot over a freshly cooked burger or steak; or if you allow this to cool it can be stored in a refrigerated, sterilised glass jar for about a month, to be used cold on sandwiches or salads or reheated.

LA

Ooh I like the sound of that one too.

Thank you LadyAugusta I will try your recipe and let you know how I get on with it.

The last batch of caramelised red onion chutney I made was so thick we couldn't get it out of the jar. :-D :-D :-D

Ann, I always make my jams, jelly's and chutney all from home grown friut. Just finished making Blackcurrent Jam....... 40 Jars.

I do not like Rhubarb, but I love the chutney. I have made about 100 Jars so far this year. My 95 year old neighbour who lives 3 1/2 miles away cannot get enough of it.

Lesley, The onion chutney is simple to make it only keeps for about a month so I just make it when I want it.

LA

Blackcurrant Jam

If you are lucky enough to have a glut of blackcurrants, try this blackcurrant jam recipe.

Makes about 3 litres

Keeps for at least a year

Ingredients:

4lbs/1.8kg blackcurrants, pulled from their stems and washed, but small flowery ends kept intact

4lbs/1.8kg granulated sugar

600ml water

Put the blackcurrants into a large saucepan with 600ml water and bring to the boil, then reduce the heat and simmer for 25 minutes until softened.

Add the sugar and stir until gently dissolved, then increase the heat and bring to a rolling boil. Boil for around 10 – 15 minutes, and then test for a set.

When the jam has reached setting point, remove from the heat and leave to cool for 30 minutes, stirring occasionally, before pouring into warm sterilised jars and sealing.

LA :-)

I love black currant jam but sadly we don't grow blackcurrants :-(

Ann, I have only picked a 1/4 of our blackcurrents this year. Most of the bushes are in the top feild. We have a public right of way cutting through the corner so a lot do get picked by the ramblers. :-)

LA

Do they realise they are private bushes. A bit of a cheek but if you can't use them I suppose it is better than going to waste. I wonder how many ramblers only ramble through your field at this time of year Lol!!!! Have you tried an honesty box?? :-D

Does anyone have a recipe for zuchinni pickle?

A friend's mother used to make it, but she wouldn't give anyone the recipe, not even her daughter!

:-(

Zuchinni as in courgette? I am sure there was one around on here some time ago so maybe somebody will have one.

Zucchini Pickle

There are quite a number of ways to play around with the personality of these pickles.

Sometimes I shave the zucchini paper-thin, resulting in a wispy tangle of pickled zucchini and onions. Other times I want my pickles to have a bit more bite, structure, and definition. In those instances, I slice the zucchini thicker, perhaps 1/8-inch, and let them drain as long as possible, sometimes overnight refrigerated. Also worth noting, when I make them for our personal condiment stash, I used a brown natural cane sugar. It gives the pickle liquid a brownish colour.

If I’m making the pickles to take to a BBQ or something, I'll make them with regular organic cane sugar - one that is lighter in colour.?

3 medium zucchini (1 pound / 16 oz. / 450 g), thinly sliced?

1 medium white onion, thinly sliced?

3 shallots, thinly sliced

1 1/2 tablespoons fine grain sea salt

1/4 cup (small handful) fresh dill sprigs

1 small fresh red chili pepper, very thinly sliced

1/2 tablespoon yellow mustard seeds

180 ml cider vinegar?

180 ml white wine vinegar?

1.75 oz. / 50g natural cane sugar

Toss the zucchini, onion, shallots, and salt together in a colander and place over a bowl to catch the liquids. Cover the bowl and refrigerate for at least a couple hours. Toss once or twice along the way. You're aiming to get as much liquid out of the zucchini as possible.?When you're finished draining the zucchini, shake off any water. At this point you want the zucchini as dry as possible. Place in a 1 litre jar along with the dill, chili pepper, and mustard seeds.

Combine the ciders and sugar in a small saucepan over medium heat. Bring to a simmer, stirring until the sugar dissolves, and continue to boil for a few minutes. Pour the liquid over the
Zucchini and seal the jar. Let cool, then refrigerate. The pickles are good for a week or so.

Makes one large jar.

LA
:-D :-D

Thankyou LadyA ~ I'll copy that one.

I like relishes, chutney etc, OH doesn't; he likes pickled onions, I don't.

I might make half the amount :-D

I really don't like dill.......... I'll play around with what I have in the herb pots.

I didn't know I put up cucumber relish, if I did I must've found it somewhere. I don't like cucumbers though I guess they are okay in a relish..

I know LInda in Herriot Country on the Aussie thread makes some good sauces, chutneys relishes etc..

My father would pickle red cabbage and I think Linda might have one of those as well. He used to do a really nice tamarillo (tree tomatoes before the name change) chutney that I loved.

You will have to go on there and ask that saucey Linda to pop over here and that Persie said so..

:-) :-)

ooh, maybe it wasn't you then Perse. Wonder who it was.

:-S