Gluts in the Garden

Penelope_Penguin · 9 August 2006 at 7:25AM

Good morning!

I've been chatting in other threads about using the produce from the garden and hedgerow, that we have loads of at this time of year. I've offered to post the recipes here - hope you like some of them!

I'll start with apple wine and green tomato chutney.

I'll add marrow and ginger jam, and sloe gin, if anyone asks for them.

Please add recipes of your own.

Penny. x

Penelope_Penguin · 9 August 2006 at 7:36AM

Apple Wine [/B You'll need alot of apples, but it's fine to scale it down for the amount of apples you have. It tastes really "appley".

Apples (I used mix of garden and wild) 10kg. You can also use pears, or a mix of apple and pear, though this can lead to the wine being slightly cloudy.
Sugar 1kg to the gallon of liquor. You may need to add more sugar, depending on the sweetness of the apples. Try it once the fermentation is well under way.
Yeast and nutrient, I buy this online from specialist suppliers
Water, 4.5l, 1 gallon

Chop apples small (I use food processor, no need to peel or core, just remove bad bits). Put into fermenting bucket, with yeast and nutrient (quantities on packet), and water (water will not cover the apples). Leave for a week, stirring several times a day. Keep bin covered, and in a warm place. Strain the juice from the apple pulp (my chickens love this!!). Measure the liquor, and add sugar in proportion. Dissolve sugar and add to demijohn, with air lock. When the fermentation has finished, rack it (that's transfer to clean demijohn using syphon). Wine will be ready in about 6 months, but improves after keeping for a year.

Penny. x

comping_cat · 9 August 2006 at 7:40AM

Would love the sloe gin pen, just found a bush/tree? with sloes on near my house!!!!!

Penelope_Penguin · 9 August 2006 at 7:47AM

Green Tomato Chutney It has a clean fresh taste, bit like a green apple.

Makes about 3.5kg, 8lb

Green tomatoes 1kg
Onions 1kg
Cooking apples 1kg
Raisins, 450g, 1lb
2 level Dsp ground ginger
Demerara sugar 625g, 1lb 6oz
Pickling spice 25g, 1oz
Malt vinegar 1.75l, 3pt

Preserving pan, jars, gauze and string.

Quarter the tomatoes, peel and guarter the onions, quarter and core the apples. Chop them in the food processor, and add to preserving pan. Add raisins, garlic, cayenne, salt, ginger, sugar. Tie pickling spice in a piece of gauze and tie with string. Tie to handle of pan, and drop into mixture.

Add vinegar, and bring to simmer. Simmer, uncovered, for about 3.5 hours. Stir often, especially near the end, as it has a tendency to stick. It's ready when most of the vinegar has been absorbed, and a spoon drawn across the surface leaves a trail. Remember thet it thickens slightly as it cools.

Pour hot chutney into sterilised jars, cover with waxed seal, and seal with tight lid. Label when cool.

I keep for about 3 months before use, so will be ready for Christmas.

Penny. x

Penelope_Penguin · 9 August 2006 at 7:57AM

catowen wrote:

Would love the sloe gin pen, just found a bush/tree? with sloes on near my house!!!!!

Here, we go, then. Easy and delicious!

Sloe Gin - from my MIL!

Sloes are best after the first frost, but it can be a race between you and the birds!

Weigh your sloes. They then need their skins damaging, so that the gin can penetrate, and the flavour come out. This can be done by slashing them with a needle, but is easier to freeze them for a couple of weeks. As they thaw, they're a bit squishy.

Put your sloes into a demijohn (with solid cork) or other wide mouthed jar. Add 100g sugar, and 750ml gin per 450g sloes. I use supermarket own brand gin. You now need to shake regularly, for at least 2 weeks. After 2 weeks add 10ml almond essence.

After 2 months (or later is no problem) strain off the sloes (feed them to the hens!) and put the liquor into a clean bottle (I use nice shaped whisky, etc, bottle). It'll be ready by the following christmas.

Penny. x

dorsetmiss_2 · 9 August 2006 at 8:20AM

Penny, do you have any ideas for a glut of fennel fast going to seed? :rolleyes:

Thanks

Penelope_Penguin · 9 August 2006 at 8:22AM

Morning, DM. I love fennel!. I got my last lot in my veg box - think they had a glut, too. Is this the bulb sort, or herb?

Penny. x

dorsetmiss_2 · 9 August 2006 at 8:33AM

Its the bulb sort...got absolutely loads and its suddenly decided to bolt!!! Any ideas would be very welcome. Have had it finely sliced in salad, steamed and oven roasted so far. There is only so much aniseed you can take!!!!

Penelope_Penguin · 9 August 2006 at 8:54AM

Hi DM!

I add it to potatoes, for instance add to potatoes boulongere, or gratin dauphinoise. I adapted a recipe for mackerel from a magazine. Cook mackerell in oven with thinly sliced potato, fennel, and onion, and a bit of water and butter, with black pepper and garlic. I've also added it to a veggie cassoulet, which was delicious!

Cooked in these ways, the flavour isn't quite so pronounced!

How do you grow it - from seed or from small plants? I've never managed to get the bulbs to swell when I've grown from seed. Do you know the variety? Mind you, you probably have more rain in the West than we do in the East, so that might help.

Penny. x

dorsetmiss_2 · 9 August 2006 at 9:00AM

Penelope_Penguin wrote:

How do you grow it - from seed or from small plants? I've never managed to get the bulbs to swell when I've grown from seed. Do you know the variety? Mind you, you probably have more rain in the West than we do in the East, so that might help.

Penny. x

Ahem....I am the head gardener...with executive status, (non-working!). It was grown from seed, I know that much...will consult the under-gardener on his return!

I just love gratin-dauphinthingy, never thought of putting fennel in it...will be giving that a try...thanks for the idea :T

comping_cat · 9 August 2006 at 9:15AM

[URL="file:///C:/My%20Documents/My%20Pictures/sloes/image1.html"][IMG]file:///C:/My%20Documents/My%20Pictures/sloes/thumbnail/thumbnail1.jpg[/IMG][/URL]Hope this comes out properly!!! This is the tree near my house, can anyone confirm that these are sloes so i can make some of pens lovely sloe gin!!!! Thanks!!!!

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Gluts in the Garden

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