The Preserver's Year

TravellingAbuela

I still have a few boxes of last year's elderberries in the freezer and need to use them before this years crop are ready. But what to do with them? Has anybody any tips for anything I haven't already used them for? Over the winter months I have made blackberry & elderberry jam and jelly, elderberry & apple jelly, elderberry chutney (which we weren't too keen on) and an elderberry cordial (frozen ready to dilute in yogurt pots). Again, we weren't too impressed with the cordial (found it a bit "cleggy") but if anyone can give me a favourite recipe I am willing to give it another go. Is there anything else I could use them in?

ampersand

TravellingAbuela wrote: »

........Again, we weren't too impressed with the cordial (found it a bit "cleggy") but if anyone can give me a favourite recipe I am willing to give it another go. Is there anything else I could use them in?

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Odd you should say this TA - exactly the word I would use for my elderberry gin result., as cold/flu assuager:-)

Means I use flower recipes now, rather than bother with berries for anything - and the birds are pleased.

Sunnyday

I made this recipe last year and poured it into bottles to store in the fridge. http://www.irishsecrets.ie/recipe-secrets/elderberry-syrup.php A spoonful when a cold or sore throat is lurking really seemed to help.

I sometimes diluted some for a hot drink before bedtime as it helps raise the body temperature slightly so i fall asleep earlier

HTH

SD

TravellingAbuela

Thanks Sunnyday, this is very similiar to the recipe I used but I was hoping to dilute it to use as a refreshing drink. But it wasn't very refreshing at all! Maybe I should just settle on using the syrup for medicinal purposes or, as the website suggests, adding to a glass of red wine! Thanks anyway!

floyd

ampersand wrote: »

Hello - a Strawberry and Apple Jam query here.

First real crop of strawberries I've had and 2lbs were easily picked yesterday.

I have some disappointing Gala apples - can use up in Strawberry and Apple Jam. All the recipes I see require a green[presume= pectin]apple, which these tacky soft Sainsbury things are not.

Shall I simply add lemon juice?[I don't buy pectin sugar - needless expense] If so, proportions please.

Any good S&A recipe would be welcome.

Thankyou.

p.s. - don't blame the name 'Gala' - these and Braeburn originated in my country and are sometimes a travesty of what I know, grown/poorly stored, elsewhere.

Sorry I missed this when you originally posted. I would be tempted just to make a strawberry conserve (not set) rather than taint your beautiful strawberries with fluffy apples and risk spoiling something so fabulous.
Lemon juice doesn't contain pectin, its the white pith part that does but you do need acid with pectin which is why you usually see lemons in recipes, the pectin will come from the fruit if it is naturally rice like blackcurrants, damsons etc or added for low pectin fruits like strawbs and apple or cherries with redcurrants.

I found this general guide on allotment.org.uk for making a pectin stock that might be useful for future reference

"Use cooking apples, redcurrants or gooseberries. Place the prepared fruit in a pan with around ¾ pint (450ml) of water to every 2 lbs (1kg) of fruit and simmer until tender. Strain through a jelly bag or muslin. Set the juice aside. Leave for a few hours and then cook the pulp again with half the original water. Simmer for about 1 hour and then strain thoroughly again and combine the two batches of juice.

The amount of pectin to add varies according to the fruit used but a general guide is about 5 fluid ounces (150ml) of pectin stock to 4lbs (2kg) of fruit.

When using commercially made pectin, follow the manufacturers instructions. Generally 2 to 4 fluid ounces (50-125ml) of liquid or 2 teaspoons of dried to each 1lb (450g) of fruit is sufficient.

If using lemon juice, 2 tablespoons to 4lbs (2kg) of fruit is normally adequate."

[Deleted User]

I don`t have fruit to use up this year but am concentrating on my vegetables as much as I can. I don`t have loads of storage for my crops and I do have stacks of onions on the allotment and I have a de-hydrator, vac sealer and slicers so I have been dehydrating onions like there is no tomorrow and then I vac pack. I also have a glut of first early potatoes with second earlies ready and a main crop following on so am trying for the first time today, to dehydrate blanched potato slices. My freezer is already full :eek:and I have no room for a second one so I have to think outside the box.

I have a lot of jars and kilner jars but just don`t have time to make pickles etc at the moment and am ok for hm jam for a good two years

My allotment neighbour is away for a couple of weeks and has invited me to pick all her strawberries, I must have picked 2 pounds today and have experimented by vac packing some to put in the fridge. They may turn out like mush but I`ll know in a few days

ampersand

floyd - thankyou.
Yes, I realised I was sloppy in my use of 'lemon' in post, but as no answer came, I've used up the apples with kale, well-peppered, this afternoon.
It's excellent.
More strawbs picked, all holding their own spread on kitchen paper in large dish in fridge.
I'll jam them tomorrow, but have never come across a strawb. equivalent anywhere near as successful as the raspberry jam I make from the NZ Edmonds book[posted on several threads.]
Have you a good favourite?

floyd

I've never been fortunate to have enough strawberries to make jam, I was planning on going to a PYO farm this year so I will watch with interest for anyone else who can offer up a favourite recipe

TravellingAbuela

Ampersand, if you can get hold of any gooseberries then you could try this Strawberry & Gooseberry Jam I made last year. It was absolutely delicious and I shall definitely make again if I can get hold of any cheap strawbs and gooseberries:

3 lb gooseberries
3 lb strawberries
200 ml water
6 lb sugar

Makes about 10 lb of jam.

ampersand

Goodness TA - I extracted a bag of gooseberries from freezer 3 days ago, thinking to use them in sth at Charity tomorrow!
You are prescient :-)
Car will be ready today - it's a multi-bus trek into the wild Fens - so will pick up more sugar en route back.
What method for the jam please? The raspberry recipe is very particular with a method I've never come across for anything else - and it is superb and failsafe.
floyd - if ever you come across the small Sainsbury's 99p hardback Preserves and Pickles book from years ago, do buy it. I pick up any I see and pass them on[all titles] - they're excellent. I've used their liquid pectin recipe too, with sharp windfall apples - it's good.