Preserves

A quick and easy recipe that can be adapted to suit the season’s best veg…

Pam welcomes the first tiny gooseberries that appear in the month of May, just as the first boughs of elderflower are beginning to show. The berries are picked when no bigger than her little thumbnail, almost as a thinning process, allowing their brothers and sisters to fill out and mature on the bush. But these early green goddesses are full of pectin, sharp and tart, and make a divine jam. The fragrant elderflowers add a flavour which will remind you, when the days are short and dark, that summer will come again….

This variation on the classic lemon curd is tart, sweet, rich and completely delicious. The curd doesn t keep for very long once opened, so it makes sense to preserve it in small jars. Taken from the Channel 4 series, River Cottage to the Core….

In our opinion, chestnuts are a super Christmas ingredient! Make this chestnut jam and spoon it into meringue nests topped with cream. You can also stir a spoonful or two into chocolate mousse or dollop it onto vanilla ice cream before drizzling with hot chocolate sauce. Or, just enjoy it by the spoonful—we won’t judge! This preserve also makes a lovely filling for chocolate cakes, and of course, it can be enjoyed simply spread on beautiful crusty bread….

There are probably hundreds of recipes for chorizo. Throughout Spain, and indeed Mexico, families have been handing down their own recipes for generations. The meat is flavoured with a spice mix, usually largely informed by paprika, but which can also include fiery cayenne or naga chilli, which will send it off the Scoville scale (the scale that chilli heat is measured in). This recipe is for a salami-style chorizo, made with a fairly eclectic blend of spices that can be altered to suit your own heat threshold. It also includes pieces of cured loin of pork, which provide a nice contrast, both texturally and visually. The smoked paprika added to the mix, gives it a more subtle smokiness. Alternatively, you could use ordinary paprika and cold-smoke the salami yourself, after it has had 2 weeks or so of normal air-drying….

This recipe is taken from The Book of Preserves by Pam the Jam. Courgettes are magnificently prolific, which makes them good value when they’re in season in the late summer and early autumn. This chutney is a delicious method of using up gluts if you grow your own. Although my preference is to use tender young courgettes, when they are little more than 15cm long, you can use big courgettes too, either green or yellow. Coriander and cumin are a classic spice duo and will turn a panful of courgettes into a dazzler of a chutney. Don’t skip toasting the seeds; the few minutes it takes will bring out their best flavour….

Pickling onions adds a sweet-sour kick to any dish. With harissa spice, these onions transform into a tangy, aromatic treat. This recipe makes 3 x 400ml jars—perfect for sharing or stocking up. They’ll keep for up to 12 months, but they won’t last that long!…

This is one of those marvellous recipes that you’ll turn to again and again. Try it once and you’ll see how easy it is to play around with the ingredients – stick to the approximate overall amount and you’ll find it’s very forgiving….

The perfect refreshment on a sunny spring day when fresh rhubarb in season from our preserves and fermentation tutor. Making your own ginger beer is surprisingly easy and extremely satisfying. It takes just over a week to make in total, but the hands-on time is only 5-10 mins every day. The rhubarb can we swapped with any seasonal fruit, or experiment with herbs and spices like star anise, cinnamon, cardamom and more……