Preserves

I have been preparing for my Year 11 class today, as I will be teaching food preservation on Friday. I like to have a selelction of jams and chutneys to show them and demonstrate some of the recipes. This year has been a bumper crop for many of the fruits and vegetables and I just love Autumn to make sure they are preserved so they be can be eaten in the winter to remind ourselves of the summertime.
I started this morning with Spicy Plum Chutney as I had been given about 8lb of the most beautiful plums. I also made some Plum Jam. Strawberries were on special offer in the supermarket and although I have already made a huge amount I want to show the class how to make the jam using my new electric jam maker. I will also be making Lemon Curd and Blackcurrant Jam. A busy time of year, but it is important to show the younger generation how to preserve.

Spicy Plum Chutney
Ingredients
1.5kg plums
500g cooking apples
2 oranges
200 dried figs - choppled
100g dried cranberries
1 tsp ground ginger
1 tsp cinnamon
300ml red wine vinegar
500g demerera sugar
Method1. Halve the plums and remove the stone
2. Peel, core and dice the apples
3. Finely grate the zest from the oranges and sqwueeze the juice into a large pan
4. Add the figs, cranberries and spices along with the vinegar and sugar
5. Stir until dissolved
6. Simmer until thick and syrupy
7. Put into clean, warm jars and label when cold

I will let you know how the lesson goes when thy make it next week.