Apple jelly ( never fail recipe)

This recipe is an easy starter recipe for people wanting to make jam type jelly for the first time. Apples have plenty of pectin and the addition of lemon juice means this jelly is almost guaranteed to set.

The herb that is added can be varied according to your tastes, I know my husband loves it with sage, but I prefer the more traditional mint. The jelly is ideal with a roast or with cold meats in salads or sandwiches.

Ingredients

2 pounds of apples roughly chopped (inc skin and cores, when chopping be careful not to chop seeds as this will add a bitter taste to the jelly. Add whole cores for the pectin)
3 pints water (or dry cider for an even richer flavour)
Bunch mint ( 3-4 tbsp chopped plus a few nice sprigs)( or chosen herb, eg sage, thyme, tarragon or lavender flowers)
Few strips of lemon rind
granulated sugar
juice of 1 lemon

Method

1. Tie together the sprigs of herbs and lemon rind. Add to a pan with the chopped apple with two pints of liquid.
2. Bring to the boil then simmer for twenty five minutes until the apples are pulpy.
3. Strain through a jelly bag/ tea towel/ pillow case ( freshly laundered on a hot wash) in a sieve. This should stop dripping after about three hours.
4. Return the pulp to the pan with the other pint of liquid and simmer for another twenty minutes. Strain as before.
5. Measure your total liquid back into the pan and add the lemon juice.
6. Boil for ten minutes and then add the sugar (one pound per seventeen fluid ounces of liquid) and stir to dissolve. Continue to boil to setting point.
7. Cool the liquid for a few minutes and add the chopped herbs.
8. Pour into hot jars and seal.

Apple Chutney

I've got a bit of a theme going on here due to a surfeit of tomatoes, both red and green. This apple chutney really is delicious though, and it's using some of my early crop of green peppers as well. This makes about eight jars and is one of the easiest chutney recipes you will ever come across.

Ingredients
12 medium-sized tart apples, peeled and cored
6 green tomatoes ( good size)
4 small onions, peeled
3 large green capsicum ( peppers)
1 cup raisins
1 litre white vinegar
2 cups sugar
2 tsp salt
2 tbsp mustard seeds

Method

1. Chop up the vegetable and fruit and put in a large pan.
2. Add everything else.
3. Bring to the boil and then cook gently for thirty minutes or until thick enough.
4. Ladle into hot jars and tap to remove air bubbles.

Green Tomato Chutney

Any-one with a vegetable patch will know the feeling of joy as tomatoes begin to appear, and then the feeling of despair as they keep appearing in a good year. This is an excellent way of using green tomatoes if a plant falls over, or if you just think there are too many on a plant and need to remove some.

Don't be scared by the ingredient list it is really very easy.

1.5 pounds green tomatoes
1 pound green apples
8 ounces coarse chopped onions
1 tablespoon salt ( 15ml tbsp)
4oz raisins
1 pound soft brown sugar
8 fluid ounces cider vinegar
rind and juice of two lemons
2 tablespoons mustard seeds
2-3 chopped deseeded red chillies ( make sure you know how hot they are!)

In a muslin bag:
1 tablespoon coriander seeds
2 teaspoon black peppercorns
2 teaspoon allspice berries
1 teaspoon cloves
2 crushed cinnamon sticks

Note: About the muslin bag...I used a piece of a clean pillow case last time and that worked well, any porous clean cloth will do.

1. Peel and chop the tomatoes.
2. Peel , core and chop the apples and add the peelings etc, to the spice bag.
3. Put the tomatoes, apples, onions and salt into a large pan and bring slowly to the boil. Simmer for twenty minutes.
4. Add the raisins, lemon juice and rind, sugar, vinegar and spice bag and return to the boil. Stir until the sugar has dissolved and then simmer for thirty minutes, or until the mixture is nice and thick.
5. While the mixture simmers wash out your jars and put them and the lids into a low oven to sterilize.
6. Add the mustard seeds and chillies and pour mixture into warmed jars. Seal and leave for one month before eating.

I have to admit that I often don't peel the tomatoes, just give them a good wash. Green tomatoes are difficult to peel, and I am often using small " windfall" fruit. The skin doesn't alter the flavour and isn't really noticeable in the finished product.

The mustard seeds are optional, some people don't like the texture. The chillies can also be omitted if you don't want their kick in the finished product.