eat well every day.
AUTUMN
RUITGLUT
Don’tdiscard
emishedorwasp-
bbledfruit.Pears,
pplesandplums
mbinebeautifully
inthisdelightfulrosy
colouredjam,known
forsomereasonas
HighDumpsyDearie
Put900geachchopped
apples,pearsandplumsin
a preservingpanwith50g
choppedfreshginger(tiedin
a muslinbag)andenough
watertocoverthebaseofthe
pan.Simmergently,stirring,
for 45 minutestosoften.Add
2kgjamsugar, thenstirover
theheatuntilthesugarhas
melted.Addthegratedzest
andjuiceof1 lemon, bringto
theboilandboilfor 15 minutes
oruntilthejamreachessetting
point(1
probe/su
Scoopoffa
tothesur
anddis
ginger,the
knobofbut
thefruits
thenseal
hotinsteri
jarsandl
whencoole1
COOL hot food before freezing to
avoid your freezer warming up
and causing other frozen food to
partially defrost.
2
S TOCK the freezer amply as it
makes it run more efficiently
and cost-effectively.
3
PACK WISELY Freeze food in
airtight containers or freezer bags
to prevent freezer burn and stop food
drying out. Fill containers to the top
- unless it’s liquid and will expand,
in which case leave a 1cm gap.
4
FREEZE FLAT When freezing
liquids (soups and so on) in bags,
squeeze out the air before sealing
and freeze flat if possible so the bags
take up less room. This also helps
food freeze more quickly, which
prevents large ice crystals forming.
5
MAKE CUBES For smaller amounts
such as sauces, herb butters and
chopped fresh herbs in oil, freeze in
ice cube trays, then pop out the
cubes and store in a freezer bag.
6
LABEL AND DATE food so you can
find what you want and keep an
eye on what needs to be eaten up
first. The recommended maximum
storage time is 3-6 months, to
ensure the food is at its edible best.
7
FREEZE STRAIGHTAWAY If you’re
not sure when you’re going to eat
a pack of sausages or chicken
breasts, freeze them straight after
buying so they’re as fresh as possible
when they go into the freezer.8
FREEZE IN PORTIONS so you can
defrost only the amount you need.9
DON’T RE-FREEZE food that’s
already been frozen unless it’s
been cooked in a recipe in between.
For example, you can defrost a pack
of mince, cook it to make a ragù,
then freeze the ragù.10
SAFE DEFROSTING For best
results, slow-defrost food in the
fridge overnight before cooking to
avoid the growth of harmful bacteria.
Some dishes can be cooked straight
from the freezer, though – freeze
pies and casseroles in individual foil
containers,for example, ready to pop
straight into a low oven (160°C) to
cook slowly until piping hot all the
way through. Microwaves are useful
for defrosting raw meat you’re going
to cook – but make sure the food
doesn’t start cooking. A tip for
prawns: defrost quickly by putting
in a sieve and running under cold
water, then use straightaway.LOVE YOUR FREEZER
10 TIPS: MAKE I
EASY, KEEP IT F
A
FRble
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ap
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ith