Mango, Lime & Passionfruit Jam

A beautiful fusion of flavours - this one's a real treat!

Ingredients
500g mango flesh, chopped
1 lime
2 passionfruit
500g caster sugar

Method
Slice two pieces (about 4cm long) of peel off the lime.  Place them, along with the juice of the lime, the passionfruit pulp and seeds, and mango, in a medium saucepan.  Bring to the boil and simmer, until mango is tender and fairly broken down.

Warm the sugar in the oven or microwave.  Add to the fruit and stir well to combine.  Return to the boil, then simmer for about 30 minutes.

Pour into hot, sterilised jars and seal well.

Pear & Ginger Jam

I haven't made any jam in a while, since it's still a bit early for stone fruit, but we've seen the last of the strawberries.  I was wondering what I could use in the meantime, then got an idea for this one.  It's rich and sticky and the flavours are just divine.  It's probably better for dolloping, as the pear bits really held onto their shape, so it is quite chunky.  I'd like to experiment with a smoother one, so I'll keep you posted!  Perfect with scones, pikelets, crepes or on toast.

Ingredients
1kg pears, peeled, cored and diced (about 800g of flesh)
800g white sugar
zest and juice of 1 large lemon
25g fresh ginger, peeled and crushed or finely diced
1 teaspoon ground ginger
1 teaspoon ground cinnamon

Method
Place all ingredients in large saucepan over medium heat.  Cook, stirring often until sugar is dissolved.

Reduce heat to low and simmer for about 1 hour, until golden and thickened.

Test if jam is ready by placing a saucer in the freezer for 5 minutes.  Dollop a teaspoon of jam and leave for 30 seconds.  Run your finger through the middle - if it stays separate, jam is ready.

Pour into sterilised jars.

Capsicum & Onion Relish

This relish is a bit of a combination of a recipe from the latest Super Food Ideas magazine and my favourite home-made Tomato Relish.  It is simply delicious and I think it's our new favourite relish.  Even better when you can get capsicums & onions on special at Charlie's!  It's perfect on sandwiches, burgers, pizzas, with eggs & toast, quiche...or anything else you can think of.  And how gorgeous does it look in these preserving jars from www.kitchenwaredirect.com.au?

Ingredients
2 teaspoons olive oil
1kg brown onions, sliced thinly
1kg red capsicum, chopped finely
1 teaspoon sea salt
1/2 cup white wine vinegar

1/2 cup balsamic vinegar
2/3 cup brown sugar
2 tablespoons whole grain mustard

1/3 cup sweet chilli sauce

Method
Heat olive oil in a large pot over medium-high heat. Add the onions and cook for a further minute, then add capsicums and cook, stirring, until softened.

Add the rest of the ingredients. Lower the heat and simmer uncovered for 1 hour, or until reduced to a thick, spreadable consistency.

Spoon into sterilised jars and seal. Once open, keep in the fridge for up to 6 months.

Raspberry Jam

Gorgeous detail on the jars!  The raspberry is the 2nd from the right :-)

 As I've previously shared, my resolve for this year has been to only make, and not buy, all of my jams, relishes & chutneys. It's been great fun trying new flavours, and making new things out of seasonal produce. But of course, an essential part of making preserves, is what to put them in.

I came across these delightful preserving jars at www.kitchenwaredirect.com.au. They came in a kit with both large and small jars, super cute chalkboard labels, a recipe/instruction booklet, and perhaps my favourite part - a special jar funnel. No more drips down the sides of the jars! They are on an amazing special at the moment, so if you're in the hunt for some jars, make sure you check them out :-)

So, back to my jam-making. My supply was getting a bit low over winter, as my favourite fruits to use in jams are strawberry and apricot, and neither were in season, so they were too expensive to buy. Then I came across this recipe. It's for the Thermomix, which I borrowed from my neighbour, and it was the easiest thing ever! Two ingredients, about 1 minute to prep and then walk away. It came out at a perfect consistency. I'd gotten the raspberries on special for $4, and it made 750mL of jam - great value!

If you don't have a Thermomix, I found this link, which looks easy too. It's great to know I can do delicious home-made raspberry jam any time of the year!

Ingredients
500g frozen raspberries
300g raw sugar

Method
Put the raspberries and the sugar into the TM

Cook for 20 mins at 100 degrees on speed 2.

For a thicker jam - cook for a further 5 mins at varoma speed on speed 2.

Pour the jam into a clean jar and leave to cool.

Another use for the preserving jars!

Pineapple & Passionfruit Jam

In my resolve to make all of my jams & preserves this year, and not buy any from the shops, things have been going well.  Until a couple of weeks ago, when I realised I had nearly finished my jar of Strawberry, Lime & Vanilla Jam - and I had given away the rest that had been in the pantry!

So I've been on the lookout at shops and markets for some cheap, suitable fruit to make a new batch.  But unfortunately, apricots and strawberries (my two favourite varieties), are not in season and are too expensive to use for jam.

Until I came across some cheap pineapples (on special at Charlie's Fruit Market this week!) - and decided that would do the trick!

This jam is different - it has a real fresh & tropical flavour - but I really like it!  And best of all, it worked out at about $4 for 4 jars full - bargain!

(Note: I used a food processor to get the pineapple very well chopped, but you could just do it by hand to have a chunkier jam).

Ingredients
2 pineapples, skin & core removed, chopped
350g caster sugar
Pulp of 3 passionfruit

Juice of 1 lemon

Ingredients

Place pineapple in a large saucepan with sugar, passionfruit & lemon on medium-high heat.

Heat, stirring, until sugar has dissolved.  Bring to a boil, then reduce heat and simmer for about 1 hour, until it's thickened and is quite golden in colour.

Cooking time will depend on your saucepan and stovetop, so keep and eye on it and cook to your liking.

Pour into hot, sterilised jars.

Mushroom Paste

This is a fascinating recipe that I made a little while back after being given a few boxes of mushrooms.  It was the perfect way to use up a heap before they went slimy.  This preserve really highlights the mushrooms' natural flavour and can be used mixed through pasta, on a pizza, as part of a savoury snack (like on dry biscuits with cheese) or anything else you can think of!  It's a really unique flavour, but it totally works!  I made a few changes to the recipe (taken from Simon Bryant's website), but I've given you the original here.  Let me know how you go!

Ingredients
1 cup dried porcini
2 tablespoons extra-virgin olive oil
4 shallots, diced
3 sprigs fresh oregano and fresh thyme
4 Portobello mushrooms, 2mm diced
6 fresh shiitake mushrooms, 2mm diced
6 button mushrooms, 2mm diced
4 Swiss brown mushrooms, 2mm diced
2 cloves garlic, finely chopped
1 tablespoon salt
½ cup dry white wine
50ml red wine vinegar
Extra virgin olive oil for covering top of jar at the end

Method
Soak the dried porcinis in a bowl of warm water. Let sit for 20 minutes or until they are soft. Strain through a fine sieve reserving the liquid, squeezing out the juice. Chop finely.

In a large sauté pan, heat the olive oil until warmed. Fry the shallots and stir until fragrant, add the porcini, stir then add the fresh herbs and garlic. Continue to stir then add all the mushrooms and sauté until cooked adding “a bucket load of salt”. It takes quite a lot of time to really cook out. Deglaze pan by adding white wine then red wine vinegar and continue to cook until evaporated. Add the reserved porcini liquid and reduce until liquid has evaporated.

Remove from heat and pour into sterilized jars, (these can be sterilized in the oven) let settle to get the air pockets out (knock the jar on the bench to help it along). Top with the extra oil and seal while hot making sure that the jar is full to the top. This should keep about 3 months in the fridge.

Perfect to use on bruschetta, in pasta sauces topped with a little grated parmesan and basil, or tossed through warm potatoes, in risotto, or as a base for pizza.

Beetroot Relish

This is another relish that I would've posted in the Christmas lead-up, but ran out of days!  I'm currently a bit addicted to this and the jar in my fridge won't be lasting too much longer!  I love it on toast, on a wrap with grated cheese and lettuce, mixed with some sour cream as a dip, or as a base spread on pizza.  So delicious, give it a go!

Ingredients
4 large, fresh beetroot (about 800g), peeled and grated
1 medium red onion, chopped
2 large green apples, peeled, cored and chopped
2 cloves garlic, crushed
1 3/4 cups red wine vinegar
1 cup white sugar
1 teaspoon cooking salt

Method
Combine beetroot, onion, apple, garlic, vinegar, sugar and salt in a large saucepan; stir over high heat, without boiling, until sugar dissolves. Bring to the boil. Reduce heat; simmer, uncovered, stirring occasionally, about 40 minutes until relish is thick.

Spoon hot relish into hot sterilised jars; seal immediately.

Apricot & Vanilla Bean Jam

I can only finish of Edible Gifts Week with one recipe - this delicious jam!  Apricot Jam is a bit of a "thing" in my family - my Grandma makes the BEST one ever, but my mum, aunty and sister have also made pretty amazing renditions along the way.  This one is a Women's Weekly recipe - and I've already have a few rave reviews from people who've received these as gifts for Christmas.  It's easy and tastes amazing - what better Christmas gift?!?

Ingredients
1kg fresh apricots, halved and seeded
1 vanilla bean, halved lengthways
1 cup water
1 kg white sugar

Method
Combine apricots, vanilla beam and water in a large saucepan; bring to the boil. Reduce heat; simmer, covered, about 15 minutes or until mixture is pulpy.

Add sugar to pan; stir over high heat, without boiling, until sugar dissolves.

Bring to the boil; boil, uncovered, without stirring, about 35 minutes or until jam jells when tested.

Discard vanilla bean. Pour hit jam into hot sterilised jars; seal immediately. Label and date jars when cold.

Lemon Curd

Here's another perfect Edible Gift - a tangy but sweet Lemon Curd, courtesy of the Women's Weekly Jams & Preserves book.  This is perfect on toast, pikelets, scones or in mini tarts.

Ingredients
6 egg yolks
1 cup caster sugar
80g unsalted butter, chopped
1 tablespoon finely grated lemon rind
2/3 cup lemon juice

Method
Whisk egg yolks and sugar in medium bowl until combined; transfer to small saucepan with remaining ingredients. Cook, stirring, over low heat, about 8 minutes or until mixture thickly coats the back of a wooden spoon. Remove from heat immediately; stir for 30 seconds.

Pour into hot, sterilised jars; seal immediately. Label and date jars when cold.

Tomato Relish

Another Monday and it's only 8 days until Christmas!  I hope you're enjoying all the Christmas recipes so far.  We've already done Ham Week and Christmas Treats Week, so now I'm launching into Edible Gifts.  Hopefully this will give you some great ideas of unique gifts for family and friends that come from the kitchen - mainly jams & preserves.  I have a special friend doing a guest post for me this week, so can't wait to share her delicious recipe.

So, kicking off today is Tomato Relish!  This recipe is a bit of a combination between one from Jamie Oliver and one from Julie Goodwin. This was my first attempt at relish and i was so happy with the result! It is just divine - perfect with cheese or as an accompaniment with quiche, sausages, steak or savoury scones.

Ingredients (makes about 4 cups)
1 tablespoon olive oil
2 tablespoons curry powder
500g onions, sliced thinly
2kg ripe red tomatoes, chopped
1 teaspoon sea salt
1 cup red wine vinegar
375g brown sugar
2 tablespoons whole grain mustard

Method
Heat olive oil in a large pot over medium-high heat, then add curry powder. Stir for a minute, until fragrant. Add the onions and cook for a further minute, then add tomatoes and bring to the boil.

Add the rest of the ingredients. Lower the heat and simmer uncovered for 1 hour, or until reduced to a thick, spreadable consistency.

Spoon into sterilised jars and seal. Once open, keep in the fridge for up to 6 months.

It's not hard to fill some jars with edible goods for a practical, delicious and always-appreciated gift!