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Preserves

A Beginner’s Guide to Making Jams & Jellies, Chutneys & Pickles, Sauces & Ketchups, Syrups & Alcoholic Sips

Jill Nice

Dedication

For my willing ‘tasters’: David, Ben, Lotte, Lucy,

Steve, Vivien, Nick, Jessie, Ols and the B.B.

Contents

Cover

Title Page

Dedication

Introduction

Vegetables

Fruit

Herbs

Acknowledgements

Copyright

About the Publisher

Preserving is an ancient method of extending the keeping qualities of a wide variety of ingredients. Traditionally used to make the most of a glut of seasonal produce, it is still very popular today and potting up and preserving delicious surplus foods has become a creative, worthwhile and sometimes even profitable hobby.

Preserving has a considerably different motivation nowadays than in the past, when the desire to put food by, whilst it was available in quantity, was a driving force and could literally mean the difference between life and death. Today, our desire to preserve food is to provide better choices for our families, to ensure the food we eat is pure, wholesome and unadulterated, to make the best possible use of local and freshly grown produce and to make the most of the best available ingredients. There is also, of course, the undoubted facts that your own preserves will taste superior and give you much more value for money than if you opt for the shop-bought variety.

I often hear people say how they think making jam is so time-consuming, so here I’ve made the quantities easily manageable and the methods as simple as possible. There is no longer the need to pot up tons of fruit and vegetables to see us through the bleak months of winter – the availability of produce throughout the year and the ability to store food in fridges and freezers has changed all that.

Making your own preserves has become more a desire to experiment and produce the unusual and different, to offer up exciting choices for the table and to make exotic presents for your friends and family – who could resist homemade Peaches in Brandy Wine or Cranberry and Kumquat Pickle? There is also the possibility of all the wonderful tarts, pies and puddings filled with your own creations, those mouthwatering mixtures of apples, pears and plums; rhubarb jam, preserves of gooseberry and apricot with names redolent of the countryside – September Jam, High Derry Down Conserve and Blackberry and Raspberry Jelly.

The cold table has never looked so appetising either – jars of pickled and spiced fruits and vegetables add sparkle to a platter of cold meats and salads. Rich and flavourful chutneys boost homemade crusty bread with a good cheese; spicy sauces and jellies complement tasty pâtés or pies, to say nothing of perking up a plate of bangers and mash.

Preserving all this natural bounty brings out the most ancient of our squirrelling instincts, to put by today what we may not have tomorrow. However, unlike the squirrel, we do not have to search for our hidden bounty beneath a tree, but can gaze upon shelves of glowing and colourful pots and feel eminently pleased with ourselves and the fruits of our labours.

THE DIFFERENT TYPES OF PRESERVES

So, you’ve decided on the main ingredient, but what should you make? And just what is the difference between a jam and a conserve or a chutney and a pickle?

JAM

In its simplest form, jam is fruit boiled with sugar to prolong its keeping quality and prevent it from going mouldy. The effect of heat releases the pectin and acid, present to some degree in all fruit, which then combines with the sugar to form a set. Jam should be a relatively smooth amalgam of fruit and sugar, most usually used for spreading on bread, toast or cakes. In the United States, jam is often referred to as jelly or spread. Jams such as Greengage and Red Gooseberry or Green Tomato Jam with Limes are quite unique.

CONSERVES JAM

Also sometimes referred to simply as preserves, these are pieces of whole fruit suspended in a jellified syrup, for example Cassandra’s Gooseberry Conserve, the truly exotic Fresh Fig Preserve with Sherry or Strawberry Conserve. These are quite delicious and unique and are often eaten as a dessert with cream or used as a filling for sweet flans. Victoria Plum Conserve and Quince and Parsnip Preserve are also utterly delicious and can only be made by your own fair hand.

CURDS

These are usually made from citrus fruits, particularly lemon, in which the pulp, peel and juice are combined with eggs, sugar and butter to give a rich, thick mixture Old-Fashioned Lemon Curd recipe. Lemon curd is a wonderful treat, but without artificial preservatives it does not last well, so make a small quantity and keep it in the fridge. Other fruit, such as raspberries, gooseberries, apricots and peaches, can also be used by substituting 450g fresh fruit, puréed, for the lemon.

CHUTNEYS

A combination of fresh and dried fruit and/or vegetables, hot spices, herbs, sugar and vinegar mixed together to make a chunky mixture in which no flavour predominates. They can range from sweet and mild to ferociously spicy. Chutney should be soft and slightly runny when cooked – the mixture thickens and improves in flavour when kept. In India, the land of its origin, chutney was made with uncooked ingredients and brought to the table raw. Nowadays, it is more usual to set it aside to be eaten at a later date with cold meats and bread and cheese.

Chutney is an excellent way in which to use up gluts of fruit and veg, such as windfall apples, plums, marrows or green tomatoes, that are sometimes less than perfect and correspondingly cheaper or, if you’re really lucky, even free! Tomato Chutney or Hot Rhubarb Chutney make use of glut produce and last throughout the winter to make a good addition to sandwiches and salads.

RELISHES

Relishes are a soft amalgam of fruit and/or vegetables, such as Red Pepper Relish. These delicious goodies are not as long-lasting as chutneys, but they can be made reasonably quickly and are an extremely useful addition to the ubiquitous barbecue menu. Because they spread easily, they are also excellent in sandwiches. Make small pots or keep in the fridge once opened. Hamburgers and sausages will be perked up with the Celery and Tomato Relish or Chilli Relish.

PICKLES

There are three types of pickle. One in which the amount of vinegar used is proportionately lower than the quantity of fruit and sugar, therefore a spicy ‘set’ pickle is achieved. The second type is where fruit and vegetables are partly cooked in a spicy vinegar. The last variety of pickle is made by preparing vegetables in a salt or brine mixture and then packing them into jars of well seasoned vinegar or sauce, for example Pickled Onions or Hot and Spicy Pickled Red Cabbage. Homemade pickles are so much better than commercially produced pickles – no additives, no artificial preservatives – just a wholesome fresh flavour and you can have lots of fun experimenting and even more enjoyment out of the eating!

A pickle like Spiced Gooseberry Pickle can be made throughout the year and adds a welcome boost to a cold supper.

SPICED FRUITS AND FRUITS IN ALCOHOL

Spiced fruits are dried or fresh fruit that have been carefully brought to the boil in a well-spiced vinegar, simmered and then transferred to a jar. The vinegar is then boiled to reduce it, strained and poured, while it is still hot, over the fruit. My favourite fruits to use are Hunza dried apricots Spiced Apricots, prunes and mixed dried fruit. After having been left for a month to mature, they make a very welcome appearance at a festive table.

Alcoholic lovelies are fresh fruit, for example, peaches or greengages, which are gently poached and placed into a jar, covered with syrup and topped up quite extravagantly with alcohol. See Peaches in Brandy Wine, Vivien’s grapes in Muscat, Your own pear liqueur, Sloe Gin and Blackcurrant Shrub.

SAUCES AND KETCHUPS

A preserved sauce is the thick, runny reduction of fruit and/or vegetables cooked with vinegar, sugar and spices; it is then sieved before being bottled. These sauces are most often used as flavourings in soups, sauces and stews. Tomato and Brown Spicy are the most familiar shop-bought sauces. There are some marvellous mixtures, which are very economical to make and last ages. Traditional ketchup (not at all like the popular tomato variety) was at one time a pungent mixture of spices, onions, garlic, occasionally mushrooms and berries, which were allowed to macerate in vinegar for a good length of time before being sieved and bottled. Worcestershire Sauce is the most similar commercial product to a traditional ketchup. Homemade sauces bear no relation to commercial varieties – Spicy Fruit Sauce is a welcome addition to the table, whilst Mushroom Ketchup perks up stews and casseroles.

THE KEY INGREDIENTS USED IN PRESERVING

FRUIT & VEGETABLES

FRESH FRUIT AND VEGETABLES

Thanks to the miracles of modern science and improvements in transport, most fruit and vegetables are available throughout the year. However, in the cause of economy and being environmentally friendly, it is far better to buy your fruit and veg from local markets or shops that you know source produce grown within an acceptable distance or, if you can, grow your own. Also, make the most of farm shops and pick-your-own farms. Another good local source to keep your eyes open for are glut fruits and vegetables, which are offered by gardeners rather than see them go to waste. These are often excellent buys or they may even give them away – try a bit of bartering!

If you’ve chosen a recipe that includes exotic fruits that aren’t grown in this country, then do buy them in their natural season and from as close by as possible. Always wash them well to ensure that any wax or preservative coating is removed.

For detailed information on specific types of fruit and veg, refer to the recipe section.

STORECUPBOARD FRUIT AND VEGETABLES

Apart from being able to treat your family to pure, unadulterated and imaginative preserves, the reason for making these good things is to take advantage of fruit and vegetables when they are fresh, in season and when they should be correspondingly cheaper. During the winter months this is not always an option, therefore a little cheating may be necessary…

TINNED FRUIT AND VEG

These make exceptionally good preserves. Measure off the juice and use it with, or substituted for, the liquid in the recipe. If it is sweetened, reduce the sugar by 1 tablespoonful per tin. Gooseberries, apricots, plums, pineapple and tomatoes are the most successful. Tinned sweetcorn can be used in relish to cheer up the ubiquitous hamburger.

FROZEN FRUIT

Look for bargains at your local pick-your-own farm shop (many have freezers full of fruit) or check out your local supermarket for offers – frozen fruit, particularly berries, can sometimes be cheaper than fresh.

DRIED FRUIT AND VEG

Dried fruits are essential for chutneys and pickles, but there are a host of jam and conserve recipes that make good use of dried fruit during the winter months. Dried tomatoes and mushrooms can be used in pickles and chutneys.

FRUIT JUICES

Good-quality, preservative-free, pure fruit juice can be a useful standby for jellies and to add to other fruit.

SUGAR

White sugar is produced either from sugar cane grown in the tropical regions of the world or from sugar beet, which is produced in more temperate climates. Although there is no difference between the two, my preference has always been for cane sugar.

Sugar, like honey, wine and spices, was used in early kitchens in order to disguise, or improve upon, mediocre and stale food and was considered to be a costly and exotic spice. Only the well-to-do and wealthy in Britain could afford to use sugar as a preservative and it took hundreds of years for it to become the everyday commodity that it is now. Sugar acts as a preservative only when it is used in conjunction with a pectin and/or acid.

Jams and jellies with an inadequate amount of sugar will inevitably give poor results. You may have to over-boil the jam to compensate for the lack of sugar and this will not only give a bad colour and taste, but the preserve will not thicken or set properly. The preserve will probably not keep and it may not be entirely fermented (an easily recognisable condition in which the preserve tastes like wine); or it may taste sour or grow an unappetising mould. Jams and jellies with too much sugar will be oversweet and lacking in flavour. They will also crystallise during cooking or whilst the preserve is being stored.

The proportions of sugar to fruit are very important and recipes should be followed in this respect, but for those who would like to go it alone, here are some rough guidelines, but remember that the fruit must always be fresh and unbruised (for the pectin content of different fruits):

1kg high-pectin fruit requires up to 1.25kg sugar

1kg medium-pectin fruit requires 1kg sugar

1kg low-pectin fruit requires approximately 800g sugar

Certain important steps to be taken with sugar will ensure a clear, bright jelly or jam with a good set and, hopefully, no problems afterwards. Always warm the sugar in a heatproof dish in a very low oven (70°C/gas mark ¼) for 10 minutes before adding it to the pan of fruit or juice; this will not only keep the colour good, but also help the sugar to dissolve more rapidly. The sugar must be thoroughly stirred in and dissolved before the preserve is brought to the boil – if you do not do this, you will find that you have crystals forming in the jam or, worse still, it will sink to the bottom of the pan, stick and burn and there really is no salvaging that little error! This applies to chutneys, pickles and sauces as well as to sweet preserves.

Do not boil for longer than you have to once the sugar has been added. Unless stated otherwise, the boiling should be as rapid as possible to prevent the fruit skins hardening in reaction to the sugar and to keep a good, bright colour and fresh flavour.

Do not stir too much or leave the spoon in the pan once the sugar has been added and brought to the boil – it may make it more difficult to achieve a set. Take care not to boil past the point of setting – it’s worth remembering to remove the pan from the heat as you test for a set, otherwise it may well just bubble past the setting point whilst your back is turned.

Lots of different types of sugars are available. Here are the advantages, or otherwise, of each:

PRESERVING SUGAR

A white sugar that has larger crystals than granulated sugar and creates less ‘scum’ (for want of a better word). It therefore requires less skimming and ensures a brighter, clearer jam or jelly, although it would be wasted on chutneys.

JAM SUGAR

A white sugar that has added pectin and is very useful for making preserves from fruit with a low pectin content. Strawberries, rhubarb and raspberries can be very temperamental, as can plums and apricots, and dried fruit certainly needs extra help. Jam sugar is not necessary when making preserves other than jams or jellies.

WHITE OR GOLDEN GRANULATED SUGAR

White granulated sugar is most commonly used in preserving as it has no colour or distinctive taste. It is cheaper than preserving and jam sugar, but does not dissolve so easily and often forms a scum, which will impair the appearance of jams and jellies, although not the taste. If this happens skim the scum off before potting. Golden granulated sugar gives a slightly mellower flavour and, when used in light-coloured preserves, a richer colour. However, golden granulated sugar is more expensive than white, and I can see no real advantage in using it.

WHITE CASTER SUGAR

This is more expensive than granulated sugar, but is necessary in some exotic recipes and for making curds. If you do not have caster sugar, then whizz some granulated sugar around in a blender for a second or two.

LIGHT BROWN SUGAR, SOFT BROWN SUGAR AND DEMERARA SUGAR

These are made from sugar cane and are less refined than white sugar. All of these sugars can be used in preserves, but as they do not usually form a set when used alone, they should be used in conjunction with white sugar. Whilst many people believe that using brown sugar in their preserves has a beneficial effect, I find that it impairs a satisfactory set, therefore it is better used in those preserves in which a firm set is not essential. When using high-pectin fruit such as apples, gooseberries and damsons, a reasonable set may be achieved by substituting half or a quarter of the white sugar for brown, but low-pectin fruit such as apricots, peaches and strawberries will not achieve a firm set without the use of additional pectin, and it is as well to remember that brown sugars will alter both the colour and the taste of the preserve, so it is best to use them with strong, dark fruit, for example damsons and plums.

Light brown, soft brown and Demerara sugars can give additional colour and taste to fruit cheeses, chutneys (where they can be used very satisfactorily in conjunction with brown malt vinegar), relishes and sauces. Once again, as in all preserves, do make sure that the sugar is dissolved before bringing to the boil.

SOFT DARK BROWN SUGAR, MUSCOVADO, MOLASSES AND BARBADOS SUGAR

Very dark, rich sugars that will flavour and colour quite strongly. Unless a recipe specifically advocates the use of any of these sugars, they should only be used in chutneys and sauces.

ICING SUGAR

Unsuitable for use in preserving.

All of the following can be substituted, in part, for sugar:

GOLDEN SYRUP

A refined by-product of white sugar, which gives a lovely taste to preserves and a golden colour to pickles. It also fractionally changes the consistency. Golden syrup is best used by substituting a quarter of the sugar for syrup, preferably in preserves made from high-pectin fruit such as apples or gooseberries, where it adds a golden colour. The same proportions can be used when making syrups for spiced and alcoholic fruit. Always warm the tin before measuring and pouring – it makes life so much easier.

BLACK TREACLE

Thick, dark brown supremely sticky stuff. Used only sparingly to give a strong flavour and dark colour. Very few jams use treacle in the ingredients, but it is occasionally useful in chutneys, etc.

CORN AND MAPLE SYRUP

These are most popular as accompaniments to waffles, pancakes and fritters, but can also be used in preserves. Substitute a quarter to half of the white sugar for syrup and remember that both dark corn syrup and maple syrup colour quite distinctively and that maple syrup has a strong taste.

HONEY

Absolutely delicious in preserves. It is much sweeter than sugar and has a unique ‘wild quality’ that it imparts to any preserve in which it is used. Mixed blossom honey is the most economical choice, but there are some wonderfully flavoured pure blossom honeys: clover, eucalyptus, rosemary, orange blossom, heather and lime. Do be careful to blend blossom honey carefully with the fruit in the preserves because their tastes are quite distinctive. I would not recommend using chestnut blossom honey in preserves as it is very overwhelming. I like to use the more delicately flavoured honey for use in fruit curds, where it can transform the flavour. Honey added to jam makes it a subtly different preserve, but it will not set if used alone, therefore substitute a quarter to half of the sugar for honey depending on the fruit or flowers used and the consistency of the set preferred.

MOLASSES

Very thick and black and not suitable for use in home preserving.

SALT

Salt is particularly important in the making of chutneys and pickles for many reasons. Strong brine acts as a preservative and prevents the process of discolouration if used with care. Salt sprinkled on such vegetables as cucumbers rids them of excess moisture and helps to soften hard skin. Salt also removes bitter juices from fruit and vegetables such as aubergines and prevents juices from leaching into the vinegar. Salt gives a unique pungency to lemons and limes, which is totally unlike their natural flavour; it also combines with herbs and spices to give magical effects from the most basic ingredients.

Some recipes require a lot of salt and some very little, and I would suggest that you stick to the quantities given. Remember, that when reducing pulps, purées and pastes, the salt flavour will become more concentrated.

Never neglect the addition of salt in your recipes, unless you are on a salt-free diet, in which case it is worth investigating salt substitutes. Salt brings out the flavour in food that might otherwise be dull and lifeless. This strange property is why fortunes have been made, and the prosperity of nations founded, upon salt – you do not realise how vital it is until you are deprived of it, and then a terrible craving sets in! Apart from which, it was at one time the only method of preserving foodstuffs – from fish and meat to fruit and vegetables.

Salt should be kept in non-porous stoneware jars or wooden boxes and a few grains of rice added to ensure that it stays dry and free-flowing – especially if you keep salt near the cooker. Damp salt becomes concentrated and can cause mayhem for the careful cook.

Several varieties of salts are available:

TABLE SALT

The most widely used type, table salt contains magnesium carbonate to give it free running properties, but I feel that this makes it unsuitable for clear pickles and bottling as it may give a cloudy result.

ROCK SALT

A crystal form of salt, this is the next best thing to block salt, which was traditionally widely used in preserving but is now difficult to obtain.

BAY SALT, SEA SALT OR GROS SEL

These are crystals of sea water formed by evaporation under natural or artificial heat. This is the salt that I find most satisfactory for nearly all preserving.

MALDON SALT

Flat flakes of salt naturally produced in Maldon in Essex. Maldon salt is the very best, but also the most expensive.

FLAVOURED SALT

Ready-made celery salt, garlic salt and onion salt are all popular kitchen condiments and each adds their own distinctive flavour to a wide variety of dishes. But how about making your own herb salts? Take a bunch of fresh mixed herbs, choosing a selection that is suitable for a specific purpose. For example, use the more delicate herbs like chervil and tarragon in creamy sauces; robust herbs like marjoram and sage will go well with meat and fish; whilst strong, aromatic herbs such as oregano and basil are the most suitable for pizzas and cheese dishes. Make sure that the herbs are freshly picked, clean and dry and chop them finely. Either put them into a liquidiser or mix very thoroughly by hand in a bowl or pestle and mortar with three-quarters of a cup of an additive-free salt. Spread the mixture out thinly on a baking tray and leave overnight in the oven at a very low temperature (50–70°C/gas mark ¼), with the door ajar. Store in an airtight container – the herb salt will last indefinitely, but all herbs lose their flavour over time.

VINEGAR

An essential ingredient in a wide variety of pickles, chutneys and relishes, not only to add colour and flavour, but also to prevent the growth of bacteria and so extend the keeping qualities of the finished preserve.

Choosing the right vinegar can be a daunting prospect as the range available at supermarkets is ever-increasing, so here’s a guide to the different types:

MALT VINEGAR

Made from a fermentation of malt, it is available as either brown (coloured with caramel) or white (distilled). This vinegar is the one that most home preservers favour, for it is economical, can be purchased in large quantities from 1–5 litres and is easily available. However, do make sure that the vinegar you purchase is true malt vinegar. Although malt vinegar is harsh and uncompromising, it is quite suitable for more robust pickles, chutneys and sauces where refined flavours would be lost. White malt vinegar is usually used in conjunction with white sugar, where a light, clear or decorative appearance is necessary, for example artichoke pickles. Small green tomatoes, red chillies, shallot or pickling onions, pieces of lemon and so on will show to better advantage if white vinegar is used.

WINE VINEGAR

This was originally made from wine in Orléans, France, where great casks of stored wine suffered from the accidental inclusion of air, thus becoming disastrously soured over a period of time. Eventually, the value of this unpalatable wine was discovered, financial disaster was averted and a more scientific approach was worked out for making Orléans wine vinegar. Many companies now make less expensive wine vinegar by modern methods. Wine vinegar is better than malt vinegar in delicate pickles (if there is such a thing!) but do not be misled into thinking that because it has a more fragrant flavour it must be better for pickles, for this is not necessarily so. Wine vinegar has a different effect on some combinations of fruit, vegetables, spices, etc, and may result in a sour note. One of the best uses it may be put to is in herb vinegars.

CIDER VINEGAR

This is produced in much the same way as wine vinegar. It can vary enormously in quality and price and the flavour can be pleasant and mellow. It is much more useful in nearly all preserves than wine vinegar and is, if you can afford it, a better substitute for malt vinegar, especially if you favour natural foods. If you run out of cider vinegar in an emergency, half white malt vinegar and half dry cider will give you a reasonable result and this is the mixture that I frequently use in preserves that are well cooked. Cider vinegar is excellent for making flower, fruit and herb vinegars, although it does have a clear golden colour that you may consider to be a disadvantage.