The Preserver's Year

starjumper

I've literally got a freezer full of red currants and I really need to do something with them which isn't either red currant jelly or stawb and red currant jam as I've already got a cupboard full of jars of them. I'd love to make a chutney or relish with them, has anyone got a recipe I could use?
A trawl of the internet hasn't come up with anything really.

Many thanks in advance! :beer:

oliveoyl

I don't think you could make any chutney or relish from berries because they near enough turn to mush/liquid when you cook them. How about adding them to a load of other fruit, stewed together to make a fruit compote (I have this for brekkie a lot with nat yoghurt and granola type cereal). I make a load, and freeze it in portions.

ChocolateMonkey

Im dreading stoning my damsons.

Janine2225

starjumper wrote: »

I've literally got a freezer full of red currants and I really need to do something with them which isn't either red currant jelly or stawb and red currant jam as I've already got a cupboard full of jars of them. I'd love to make a chutney or relish with them, has anyone got a recipe I could use?
A trawl of the internet hasn't come up with anything really.

Many thanks in advance! :beer:

Has anyone ever tried drying them? They'd be kind of homemade currants I'm guessing
I only ever make jam with mine so cant be much help i'm afraid. Red and blackcurrant jam is my DS2's favourite. Either that or put a few on top of HM baked vanilla cheesecake, wont solve the qty issue tho! If you have any other fruit to add them to I'm guessing a summer pud would be an obvious use.

misskool

Quick question to hardcore preservers, I'm going through 2kg of sugar each time I make something and it's not exactly cheap (although a lot of the fruit is low effort). Does anyone bulk buy things like sugar and vinegar? and where do you get them?

Thank you!

oliveoyl

I get mine from a shop called Heron (don't know if there's one near you)... it's about 75p which is a bit cheaper than the supermarkets. I keep my eyes out in the leaflets that come through with the free paper as well as sometimes shops like Spar have it on promotion. I know Asda sell 5 kilo bags but it doesn't work out much cheaper.

I got lucky last year when Tesco were having a re-shuffle... they were selling off light and dark brown sugar for 22p per 500g... so I stockpiled (keeps forever).

shaz_mum_of__2

someone asked about mamade- it's a marmalade kit avilable at all the supers usually in the jam aisle works every time and great for beginners

John seymour does a carrot and lemon marmalade which is nice i now add carrot to all my marmalades it looks like orange peel and takes on the flavour of marmalade and bulks out the jar for minimum cost

I buy sugar at poundstretcher/instore for 69p i buy vinegar at the chinese supermarket for £2 a gallon(white or brown vinegar)

Chris25

ChocolateMonkey wrote: »

Im dreading stoning my damsons.

ChocolateMonkey, if you're making a preserve, see Oliveoyl's post above - see says that when she makes jam, the stones float to the top.

shaz_mum_of__2

Just made a marrow and pineapple jam...................sounds weird ....................tastes good !!

350g marrow(peeled and deseeded weight)
350g pineaple (peeled weight)
cooked together with about a half pint water until really soft then blend or mash
add 70g sugar 2 tablespoons lime juice and boil till setting point made 3 jars .....................not a firm set but not runny either iykwim

Valli

Chris25 wrote: »

ChocolateMonkey, if you're making a preserve, see Oliveoyl's post above - see says that when she makes jam, the stones float to the top.

Don't stone any stone fruit precook (as with all fruit) - the pectin is apparently around the stones so they need to be in. The fruit will split and the stones will separate.

Skim them off but allow them to drain - I pop a seive over and leave them in that

TIP

COUNT YOUR FRUITS - 20 IN 20 STONES OUT...

I have been offered plums :D:D:D:D