Index of Preserve Recipes 1. Drying Grapes - Sun Dried Raisins 2. Lemon Curd 3. Marmalade 4. Fig Jam 5. Pomegranate Jam or Jelly 6. Pomegranate Juice 7. Pomegranate Wine 8. Grape Wine (White and Red) 9. Tomato Sauce 10. Tomato and Apple Chutney 11. Tomato Puree 12. Pickled Onions 13 . Peanut Butter (1). Drying Grapes - Sun Dried Raisins ![]() The great way of preserving some of your very ripe grapes is by sun drying them to produce raisins. The traditional way of doing so in Cyprus, is to mix wood ash and olive oil in hot water and dip bunches of sweetened grapes into the mixture before drying in the sun. Hang the bunches to dry, but cover with a breathable cloth to deter insects. Leave your grapes outside in the sun for about a month to fully dehydrate. Once dry cut them from the bunch but leave a little bit of stalk on each otherwise you will leave a hole for bacteria to enter. Wash the raisins to remove any dirt and dust and allow to dry. Store your raisins in an airtight container and rehydrate in hot water before use. (2) Lemon Curd Ingredients - 4 medium sized lemons, 4 medium sized eggs, 120g of butter (or alternatively use olive oil) and 1kg of sugar. Grate the lemons finely to remove the peel and squeeze out the lemon juice. Put the lemon juice, lemon peel, sugar and butter into a preserving pan and heat gently, whilst stirring continuously, until the butter melts and the sugar is fully dissolved. Remove from the heat and allow the mixture to cool. Meanwhile, beat the eggs and put them into a glass bowl which just fits over a pot of simmering water. Gradually add the lemon mixture and stir until thick. Remove from the heat and pour immediately into pre-sterilised jars (3) Marmalade A simple and straightforward recipe for using freshly picked oranges. Ingredients: 9 medium sized oranges, 2 lemons and 1.5kg of sugar (1) Wash fruit and cut out any blemishes and peel thinly leaving the pith on the fruit. (2) Remove as much of the pith as possible and quarter the fruit. (3) Place the quartered fruit in a food processor and then into a blender. (4) Thinly slice the peel. (5) Place the fruit and thinly sliced peel into the pan and add the sugar. (6) Bring to the boil for about 20 minutes, stirring occasionally. (7) After 20 minutes check for setting by placing a small amount on a cold plate for a few minutes. (8) Pour, whilst still hot, into sterilised jars and put on the lids. (9) Once cooled, label, clean and store in a dark but cool area and use within 6 months but once opened keep in the fridge. (4) Fig Jam A jam to make when the figs are ripe in October and November which is delicious mixed in porridge on a cold winters day. Ingredients: (1) 1.2kg of figs; (2) 1 green apple or home made pectin; (3) 100ml of water; (4) 50ml of freshly squeezed lemon juice (5) 1.1kg of sugar ![]() (5) Pomegranate Jam or Jelly The listed ingredients are to make about 3 medium jars. 1.1 litre of freshly squeezed pomegranate juice 2.150g of pomegranate seeds (from about 3/4 of a pomegranate) - leave the seeds out if you are making jelly 3. 800g grams of sugar 4. 50 millilitre of freshly squeezed lemon juice of 1 lemon. 5. Finely chopped green apple or home made pectin (see under Apple preserving) if jelly making Mix the sugar with the juice in a pan and heat gently whilst stirring until the sugar dissolves. Add the rest of the ingredients and cook for about 45 minutes whilst stirring occasionally and skimming off any foam that appears. After 45 minutes the jam should begin to set. (6) Pomegranate Juice (7) Pomegranate Wine Pomegranates can be made into a delicious wine. To make about 4.5 litres you will need: 6 large pomegranates 450 grams of raisins 900 grams of granulated sugar 2 teaspoons of wine acid blend (available from wine making suppliers) Wine yeast 1 crushed campden tablet 4.5 litres of water Quarter and press your pomegranates to extract the juice, add a litre of water and dissolve the sugar in the mixture by stirring. Pour into a sterilised demijohn, add 3.5 litres of boiling water and add the rest of the ingredients except for the yeast. Allow to stand for a few hours to cool to room temperature and then add the previously activated yeast. Fit the airlock and let nature takes its course. Once fermentation stops, remove the airlock and siphon the wine carefully into a sterilised demijohn whilst keeping the sediment at the bottom. Place a bung to seal the demijohn and leave to clear in a dark, cool place. This may take several months but once completed your wine is ready for bottling. If you can leave the bottles to stand for a year before drinking. (8) Grape Wine (White and Red) There is a great satisfaction from making your own wine from your own grapes and the taste can be as good as that bought in the shops. For the basic instructions go to Preserving and Storing your Produce. The next day and to remove as much juice as possible use a nylon straining bag to squeeze out the juice. The remaining pips and skins can be returned to your compost area. Pour the extracted juice into a pre-sterilised fermentation bottle, add pre-activated wine yeast and fit an airlock. Leave in a warm place but dark place until fermentation is complete which will usually be between 2-3 weeks. Siphon the wine into a pre-sterilised fermentation jar ensuring the sediment stays behind. and top up with a similar wine or cooled boiled water and add a crushed campden tablet. Fit an airlock and move to a cool and dark place to allow the wine to clear. Every 3 months repeat the process and add a crushed campden tablet and leave to clear. Your white wine should be mature enough to bottle after 12 months. Siphon into pre-sterilised bottles and label and cork immediately. If you can, leave for a further 3 months before enjoying a glass or two. The next day and to remove as much juice as possible use a nylon straining bag to squeeze out the juice and add the pre-activated wine yeast. Return the pulp to the bucket which will allow the red pigmentation from the skins to colour the juice. Ferment the juice and pulp in the bucket for a further 4-5 days, stirring once a day. After 4-5 days press the pulp and pour the extracted juice into a pre-sterilised fermentation bottle and add sufficient cooled boiled water to top up and fit an airlock. Leave in a warm but dark place until fermentation is complete which will usually be between 12-14 days. Siphon the wine into a pre-sterilised fermentation jar ensuring the sediment stays behind. Add a campden tablet, fit an airlock and move to a cool and dark place to allow the wine to clear. Repeat the process every 3 months and leave to clear. Your red wine should be mature enough to bottle after 18 months. Siphon into pre-sterilised bottles and label and cork immediately. If you can, leave for a further 3 months before enjoying a glass or two. (9) Tomato Sauce The ingredients for making your tomato sauce are: 1.5K of tomatoes 1 medium sized onion 2 cloves of garlic 2 tsp of mustard seeds 2 tsp of peppercorns 1 tsp of paprika 1 tsp of ground chilies 1 tsp of salt 2 whole cloves a cinnamon stick 85g of sugar a third of a cup of cider vinegar juice from half a lemon (10) Tomato and Apple Chutney A fruity chutney which has a hint of ginger and a useful way of preserving soft or squashy tomatoes and apples. Ingredients: 1 medium sized onion 500g sultanas 500g apple 500g tomato 600ml vinegar half a tsp of pepper half a tsp of ginger 500g sugar (11) Tomato Puree (12) Pickled Onions (13) Peanut Butter Roast 500g of peanuts, turning occasionally, for twenty minutes at 150c. Once cooled, grind in a food processor, add salt to taste and sufficient olive oil to produce a spreadable consistency. If you prefer a slightly sweeter taste you can add sugar or honey to taste. Store in a pre-sterilised jar and use within three months. |
Home > Preserving and Storing your Produce >