PRESERVING
Preserves are a great way of enjoying seasonal fruits and vegies year
round. Here we give the lowdown on cooking up everything from jams
to chutneys – you might end up with a pickle, but you’ll relish the results!PICKLES
Pickles are vegetables, and
occasionally fruits, that are preserved
in vinegar, brine or a mixture of the
two, usually with flavourings like
herbs or spices and sugar or mustard.
The best−known pickles are pickled
onions, pickled cucumbers (called dill
pickles or gherkins), and mixed
mustard pickles.RELISHES
Relishes are usually based on a single
vegetable, such as corn or tomatoes.
Relishes are cooked on the stovetop
and simmered for about an hour.
Relishes are milder in flavour than
pickles. Relishes are not meant to
keep for a long time — store them
in the fridge.CHUTNEYS
Chutneys encompass a range of spicy,
sweet and tangy fruit and/or
vegetables that have been cooked to a
thickened texture. They often combine
ingredients as diverse as tomatoes,
mangoes, apples, mustard powder
and sultanas.CONSERVES
Conserves are made with large pieces
of fruit. Marmalades are clear, bittersweet
jams made from one or more citrus
fruits; the bitterness comes from the
peel. Jellies are clear, lozenge−coloured
mixtures made from cooked fruit
strained through a muslin cloth. The
juice is boiled with sugar until it
reaches a consistency that will gel.
TOP TIP
Some recipes suggest
standing jam before
bottling. This is
most common with
marmalade recipes. The
standing time allows
the fruit to settle into
the “jelly”, allowing it to
be evenly distributed
when bottled.STRAWBERRY JAMJAM
Jams are made with small
pieces of fruit, cooked until
tender. Sugar is then added
and the mixture cooked
until it sets, achieved by
the action of pectin, a
substance in the fruit.
High−pectin fruits include
apples, citrus, plums,
quinces and redcurrants.
Low−pectin fruits include
cherries, figs, peaches and
pears – combine them with
high−pectin fruits to make
them set more easily.Secrets From The Test Kitchen
10 AWW FOOD • ISSUE TWENTY TWO