What's everyone eating this week?

[karadekoolaid Profile]

Talking of preserved Clive, the recipe for fig chutney you gave me last year is brilliant and the chutney gets even better after a few months.

I´m delighted it worked for you, Joan!

[mark111757 Profile]

Growing up when mum made jam, peach or strawberry as I recall, there were always five pound bags of sugar. 2.2kg around. And bottles of certo liquid pectin. Amazon carries this

https://www.amazon.com/Certo-Premium-Li ... 560U4?th=1

Come to find they don't make it anymore

http://www.dearmyrtle.com/05/0613.htm

Here is a memory

serveimage (1).jpeg (15.13 KiB) Viewed 8436 times

[MariaK Profile]

there is no way you can make jam without sugar. No way. Absolutely, no way.

I agree, except for powidła - the Polish exception that proves the rule - made with quetsche-like plums cooked long and slow. In fact more like a fruit butter than jam. In the country, people who had their own orchards would cook them outdoors in huge cauldrons - 20 to 25 kilos at a time over 2-3 days. Day 1 everyone, children included, would sit round the table and stone the fruit. Early next day a fire was lit outdoors, the cauldron set on stones or bricks placed on top, filled with all the plums and the hard work would begin as the fruit had to be stirred regularly with a very large paddle.
When in Warsaw, as I shall be soon, I usually make a batch but on the hob. The method goes back to the days when sugar was a luxury few could afford and nowadays most people do add sugar, and it just becomes a plum jam. I prefer the deeper, concentrated flavour of the traditional version without added sugar.
But apart from this oddity I do agree that most of the jams made without added sugar just taste wishy-washy.

Clive, enjoy your stay in the US and hope you can stock up on all sorts of goodies when you go back to Caracas.

[karadekoolaid Profile]

Thanks for that, MariaK! That powidla sounds very interesting.
I arrived back Sunday evening. Monday was spent organising everything; washing to do, clothes to be stored, suitcases emptied, cooking ( I left the fridge empty) and lots of other chores. Tuesday - we had a 4 hour power cut, so that screwed up the day. Today, it has poured all day, on and off.

Still - I brought back horseradish ( potted some of it to see if it will grow!), galangal root ( another bit in a pot), some tomato seeds, about 2 kgs of cheese, spices, Indian Mamri tea, Indian pickle, Besan flour, shrimp paste for Thai/south-east Asian cooking ( that should stink the house out ), hot sauce, peanut butter - and more spices. AND I found some powdered pectin, which means I can finally make some Pepper Jelly again!

[DEB Profile]

Hi
I am not sure what recipe you use for pepper jelly, but I use a very concentrated "juice of apples" to set fruit/veg which lake their own pectin. What I do is get a lot of apples, windfall, thinnings or crab-apples, chop the into bits mostly halves add water then simmer until soft then pass through a jelly bag. I have replace some/most of the water with this and it sets sometimes a little to firm.

https://www.lakeland.co.uk/14622/Lakela ... y-Strainer

You can use a clean tea towel to do the same thing.

I make a chilly jelly simply by adding lots of chopped, dried chillies to this liquid and add 500g (1 lb) sugar per 500ml (1 pint) of liquid.

Hope this helps

[Gillthepainter Profile Website]

Hi MariaK.
What an evocative story teller you are.

I did make a batch of no-sugar Polish jam after we talked last time - I've got 4 jars.
An acquaintance's mum is polish and she got the recipe she uses for me, when she was on her Sunday evening call with her. This must have been a year and a half ago.

I remember thinking it was sh-sh-sharp as I was bottling it up, and have put it to the back of the cupboard.
But have opened one jar this morning, it's glorious.
Please say I mentioned Mamma's recipe with you!!! I haven't a clue where I put it, but it's a keeper.



Welcome back Clive.
I can smell your home from here ...............


DEB
your talking of windfall, my painting chum has an apple orchard.
I must get some from her when she's offering.

[karadekoolaid Profile]

Thanks for the tip, DEB. I think that´s what I would do if I lived in country where apples grow - but here in Venezuela, they don´t!
There are lots of high-pectin fruits here - guava, apricot, tropical peach, cape gooseberries, oranges, lemons, etc - but they are also potent in flavour and tend to cross-contaminate the pepper jelly.

[Renee Profile]

Mark, I remember those bottles of Certo, but we now have sugar which contains pectin to use with low pectin fruit.

https://www.silverspoon.co.uk/products/jam-sugar

[Pampy Profile]

You can still buy the Certo liquid in a lot of places http://certo.co.uk/where-to-buy/

[Gillthepainter Profile Website]

Simple bbq skewers again. My usual on the bbq.
With a salad including fresh peas, which I like to pod whilst listening to the radio.

[Lusciouslush Profile]

Your salad looks very much like mine last night, with baked salmon in ginger & soy. I was only thinking how long it takes to do a proper salad - by the time I'd washed & de-strung the green beans, blanched them & chilled, same with the mangetout except a brief fry in sesame oil with those, washed & sliced the spring onions & radish, washed, peeled & shaved carrot, soaked sliced red onion in lemon juice & dry fried some mustard seeds to go atop, I seemed to be standing at the sink a helluva long time - not to mention my hands that had gone all wrinkly with all the washing!

[Gillthepainter Profile Website]

It does, doesn't it.
Not just chopping and chucking when it comes to salad. I've got half a mozzarella in the fridge, that I really need to use up today.
I can't think beyond another salad.

[karadekoolaid Profile]

Half a mozzarella?

1) Fry some aubergine rounds in olive oil until soft.Sprinkle with balsamic, season with s & p and set aside.
Slice mozzarella to fit the aubergine rounds. Place a basil leaf on top of each Aubergine round; then the mozzarella; then a tsp of breadcrumbs. Place under the grill till the cheese melts.
2) Pasta cruda: chop mozzarella into cubes. Add diced tomato, an anchovy or three, couple of cloves of garlic, fresh herbs, olive oil. Mix well together. Prep your spaghetti or fettuccine or what ever you like. When cooked, drain quickly; add the tomato/mozz marinade and return the pasta to the pan. Stir once or twice and serve. I believe this technique for making (cold) pasta is called stracciata - the sauce is literally "stretched" with the hot pasta.

[Gillthepainter Profile Website]

Hi Clive.
I love the aubergine suggestion. And have saved that for another day. Merci buckets.

[Sakkarin Profile]

I made a "proper" Pad Thai last night, and like your salad I seemed to be preparing it forever, especially as I used peanuts in the shell (they taste so much better in peanutty dishes than the usual roasted/salted).

I'm doing it again tonight, but it will be taking even longer, as I'm using David Thompson's tamarind rather than Vatcharin Bhumichitr's lemon juicey version.

[MariaK Profile]

Gill,

Apologies for not getting back to you but other occupations plus hassle with the internet connection. Glad you liked the powidła, Has Tony tried them? I seem to remember he was the one who wanted a no-added-sugar preserve.
If you liked friend's Mama's recipe and it's playing hide and seek - as these things do - I'd ask her for it again. I'm sure she'd feel flattered and be very happy to oblige. If not, I can tell you what I do, if it would help.

All the best
Marja

[Gillthepainter Profile Website]

Nice tip on the peanuts, Sakkers, thank you.

Hi Marja.
Yes please to your recipe method.
Tony really liked it on plain yoghurt, but had it just the once, then lost interest - but he's tried it, yes. The scones and clotted cream was just right.

I was really wanting to make some more.

[Alexandria Profile]

Sakkarin,

The authentic Thai Pad Thai, is always prepared with Tamarind and de-shelled peanuts ..

I prepare mine with:

Dry rice noodles, which I soak for 30 minutes in room temperature wáter and then drain before placing in the Wok ..

The other ingredients I employ are:

2 tblsps of Natural Tamarind paste
1 1 / 2 Tsps of minced garlic
a 1 inch chili pepper
1 tsp salt ( if preparing with the Prawns and fish sauce which contains anchovies, so need to be cautious with the salt usage )
1 tblsp smoked paprika ( pimentón )
1 lime fresh
1 tblsp shallot minced
Home made fish sauce (nam pla )
200 grams of fresh extra large prawns or sometimes 2 large boneless breasts of chicken sliced into strips
1 cup of de-shelled coarsely ground peanuts
2 tablesps. Light Green Bio Evoo
1 / 2 cup snipped fresh chives

I believe that is it .. Do you prepare your´s with prawns or chicken or vegetarian style ?

Hope you are feeling a bit better !!

Have a lovely weekend ..

[Alexandria Profile]

Karakoolaide,

Now, that is remarkable .. That is the canapes of aubergine with Mozzarella di Bufala idea, that you had given Gil the Painter ..

Super Super ..


Have a lovely summer ..

All my best regards ..

[Alexandria Profile]

Gilt The Painter,

Another lovely little idea is: Babaghanuj .. Served with toasted whole meal Pita and kalmata olives !!

Always hits the spot ..

Have a nice summer ..