Jam Ideas!!!!!!
Adding a bit of flavour to whatever you’re about to sit down and enjoy couldn’t be simpler!
And the surprising answer is jam! It can only improve most dishes, from your humble sandwich to your roast chicken and on to a great desert.
Jam is one of the most versatile things you can keep in your larder and make most things you make a winner!!
So I’m working on a few ideas for something a bit different to spread on whatever your making I hope you enjoy them and maybe share some of your recipes with me!!!!
Gibney’s Devil’s Delight
Ingredients:
•150g long fresh red chillies, each deseeded and cut into pieces.
•150g red peppers, cored, deseeded and cut into rough chunks
•1kg Jam sugar
•600ml cider vinegar
Method:
Serves: Makes approx. 1.5. Litres
1. Sterilize your jars and leave to cool.
2. Put the cut-up chillies into a food processor and pulse until they are finely chopped. Add the chunks of red pepper and pulse again until you have a vibrantly red-flecked processor bowl.
3. Dissolve the sugar in the vinegar in a wide, medium-sized pan over a low heat without stirring.
4.Scrape the chilli-pepper mixture out of the bowl and add to the pan. Bring the pan to the boil, then leave it at a rollicking boil for 10 minutes.
5.Take the pan off the heat and allow it cool. The liquid will become more syrupy, then from syrup to viscous and from viscous to jelly-like as it cools.
6.After about 40 minutes, or once the red flecks are more or less evenly dispersed in the jelly (as the liquid firms up, the hints of chilli and pepper start being suspended in it rather than floating on it), ladle into your jars. If you want to stir gently at this stage, it will do no harm. Then seal tightly.
Jack’s Rhubarb and Elderflower Jam
Ingredients:
2kg rhubarb
13-18 heads Elderflower
2 kg sugar
Grated rind of juice of 1 lemons
Method:
1. Cut the rhubarb into half-inch chunks.
2. Place in a bowl, layering with the sugar.
3. Tie elderflowers in muslin bags and place in middle of rhubarb. Leave for 24 hours.
4. Bring slowly to boil and boil for 2-3 minutes only.
5. Return to bowl and stand for 24 hours.
6. Remove the elderflowers.
7. Add the grated rind and juice of the lemons to the bowl then put all of it in a preserving pan.
8. Boil rapidly until setting point is reached.
9. Pour into warmed sterilised jars.
Max’s Sweet Onion Marmalade
Ingredients:
4 tbsp. Extra virgin olive oil.
2kg red onions (approx. 6), peeled, halved and sliced.
Sea salt and freshly ground black pepper.
300ml Red wine.
2 tbsp. of cumin
6 tbsp. Balsamic vinegar.
3 tbsp. White wine vinegar.
6 tbsp. light soft brown sugar.
Method:
1. Heat the oil in a preserving pan or a large heavy stainless steel saucepan.
2. Add the onions, a pinch of salt and some pepper and cumin seeds. Cook over low to medium heat for about 30 minutes until the onions soften and turn translucent, stirring occasionally so they don’t catch and burn. Slow cooking is essential at this point as this is where the delicious caramel taste is developed.
3. Raise the heat a little,
4. Add the wine and vinegars and stir to combine. Bring to a boil then reduce the heat,
5. Stir in the sugar and cook on low heat, stirring occasionally, for another 30–40 minutes until most of the liquid has evaporated.
6. Remove the pan from the heat.
7. Taste and adjust the seasoning as necessary, although the flavours will mature with time. Spoon into warm sterilised jars with non-metallic or vinegar-proof lids, making sure there are no air gaps. Cover with waxed paper discs, seal and label.
8. Store in a cool, dark place for at least 1 month to allow the flavours to develop.
I hope these recipe work well for you and I would love to hear what you are making at the moment
