pickles chutneys and relishes cookbook

8/4/2019 Pickles Chutneys and Relishes Cookbook

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INTROD CTION -------------'---'~, _ ._.----."".., , .__. 6PICKL,ES, RELISHES AND CHUTNEYS IN HISTORY ...----.-.. 1 2

SAVOURY PRESERVES FRO f AROUND THE WORLD ,,'..,.... 2 0

THE B ASIes: - -.---~ -- - , ." " _ , -------.--.---.,..-,- ". 2 61g7~edients-___ , ,.." ., __e _ _ _."_ , " _... 2 8Equipment . -.. -- - , , --,---..-....32

METHODS - ---- , ".- -- --.-..- - ', ". 3 4

RE.CIPES: _." , - - , -. _.__._. , , 40Spring , - -_-- , ." ,- - -.-.- .,. , ,,-.- --.-.42Summer -.-- - , .,. ..- --. -- , - - 6 2Autumn ----'.,." - -- - , "'.-- -- - - , 8 4Winter > _ __ _..-___ .._._ 1 0 6

INDEX ,- -.._._ ,., _ _ -..- _ _ _ , 1 2 6,~

ACKNovVLI.;DGEME -TS .._.. -..- - .._ _.._ __1 2 8

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PR ESERVTNG FRUIT._ AND VEGETABLES

IS A \WI.YOF KEEPING IRESII .lNGREDlE:-JTS FROIdALL Oq~R THE WORLD IN 'PER ["b:CT CONDll'IOi'

Ii' YOUR OWN LARDER.

IT IS A CEr--,TRIES OLD PROGES. wmcn CAe,\;DS

PERFECTED l i ' < MODERN KITCHENS.


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INTRODUCTION

ABQVE:S in ce e ar ly times,sprigs o f h er bs I ttl YJ ebee!!pU I in t.o th e p ic kl e ja r fo r

bo tll a pp ea ra nce (Judflo oour: D ill has aIW(lJ'J

be e ll 0 118o f th e mostpopu lar o f pickle lierbs

c md b o/li its feu/he,) 'leaves and its seeds are

used. It Call b t: usedwith 0 /Y mge o f summervcgetable..r but is best o f

til! w ith c ua rm o er :

RiGHT: Boxes fu ll o jslimmer's b O l t tl ! :J ' , th ep eifect ingrediem s fo r

pickles and d l l l 1 7 l e y s . Hereare sweet peppers o f a ll

co lo urs to be pickled aloneo r with o ther vegetables,

to m ato es fo r chutneys andc a liJ l n taers to give (Jc ru ud : to P ic ca lilli,

INTRODUCTIOPRli-;'\'HRI'ING 11/.4"-8 EXCEI.IJ;;NT USE OF FOODS PRODUCED IN THEIR

iVA'rURAL SEASON liND HARVESTED IN PERFECT CONDITION. BUT 11 ' IS NOT ,IIERF.LY 1t suarsOF E(,'ON()An~ G~ITCHrNG PROf){ CE tIT 11~'>PF.M\, WHEN PLF.NTY .lLEANS CHEAp, FOR US!!.'LATER

IN THF. vi : IR. IT IS flLSO ,4BOUT ENJ01~lfENT. NATURALLl" SUN-RIPEN1W fFEGE1_'ABLFSANDFRUIT. FOR EX_AAfPT:.,Gl1N TA,STE F,LR BETTER PRESERFED THAN ius SAME BIIS!C FRESH

IN(.'RED1ENlS FORGED TO GROW OUT OF SEASON IN fIlEllK LICHT . iII[OREOl'ER, PRJ.:SF.RVrNG IS_;j FORN OF AI.eHEMy, A tl lA.RIELLOU.s TRANSFORMAIJON OF BASIC INGREDIENTS INTO

SOMETHING EN11REfX DIFFERENT. EXCITING AND DEUCfOUS.

Before the advent of freezers, wheremuch of our surplus garden produceends up, other methods of keepingharvested vegetables and fruits before [heyspoiled had [0be devised. The drying of fruitis no doubt the oldest form of preserving fruit,bur [he technique of making pickles Out ofvegetables and fruits was already well knownthousands of years ago.

The ancient Egyptians Greeks andRomans, as-well as t 1 1 1 : : Celts, certainly knewall about how (Q alter rhe flavour and textureof vegetables by pickling them, During rbeDark Ages tile practice was carried on 'in themonasteries, s-ubsequently flowering inmedieval times, when it became an artlearned by the mistress of every house. In the

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sixteenth and sevenreenth centuries, whennew ingredients were discovered ill foreignlands and brought home to Europe, thecookery book, containing recipes for preserves,became a valueditem in man. home kitchens.Trade with India introduced chutneys andreli hes to Europe, especially Britain, addingan important extra dimension to savourypreserving.The early recipes, made in English country

ki rch ens and preserving TO(JmS, have changedvery lirtle over the years. Although they havebeen slimmed down and simplified the basicmethods and end results remain the same. Infact, the wheel eerns to l1ave gone full circle.In the seven reenrh century, cooks seemedwilling to pickle just about anything that wasedible and ready to absorb influences from allover the world. But by the middle of thetwentieth cenrury, the English at least seemed[Q have limited their interest in savourypreserves 10 pickled beerroor, red cabbage,onions and cucumbers, many ofwbieh werecommercially produced rather than preparedat home. But thar is all changing now.

Today, the world i amuch smaller placeand .many countries ace more cosmopolitan.Ethnic communities have introduced theirfoods to alien cultures, and supermarketshel ves and market ralls all over the worldoffer exotic fruits and vegetables to be.

R IGHT : Plants o f tlte genlls Solanum, wll ich area ll rela ted to the potato a nd u io -I t/s ha de . They

indude th e t omato whiclt , although titf irsttreated wi/It suspicion ill the W est, becom e o ne

o f th e most popu lar illgredients fo r m okillgp ic kl es . c h utl ll !) s a ll d s au ce s.


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iUlOn:: S p ic y p ic k /e dm l l sh rooms f la vo l lred

wi,h .e;inger

experimented \ ith, Gardening cataloguesFeaQlre new baby vegerables. We [lOW cakefar more interest in ncx foods and in [he

recipes of other countries thanat any rime since [heseventeenth centuryCombine the e with our oldfavourites am] thepossibili ties for creari ng newsavoury preserves arelimitless.Thc rime is right [() start

pickling again and to make newchutneys and relishes. But what

exactly are savoury preserves and what is thedifference between them? For many people,the words "pickle', "chutney" and "relish"have become somewhat interchangeable,which is nor surprising as many manufacturers'labels arc equally confused. In culinary terms.however, there are dear differences betweenrh esc rh rec rype of preserve which are a IIbased on vegetable or fruits,

Pickles can be made withvegetables or fruits. Vegewbles areusually salted, either with dry salt orbrine (a salt and water solution),before being packed into jars andcovered with a spiced vinegar.Various AavolUings by way of herbsprig or spices can be pur into thejars. FIllies are 1) ually poached in aspiced vinegar syrup. Pickles areclear and the vegetables and fruitsrernai n recognizable. Vegetablepickles are eaten while they aresri II cris p.Chutneys are made from mixtureof chopped vegetables and fruitsIIIixed with vinegar. sugar andspices and imrncrcd for a long time until they

reach the consistency of jam, They keep wellover a long period during which their flavoursimprove and mellow.

Relishes arc made in different Ivays all overthe world .. Many are rather like a crossbetween a pickle and a churncv, made fromfinelj chopped and salted vegetables cookedvery quickly in a vinegar mixture before beinzbottled, Some of these cooked relishes arethickened with flour or cornflour. Others aremixtures of pureed raw vegetables and herbs.'orne raw ones contain yoghurt, others arc

ABo rE : R ed w il /.tJvillega r:peifer:! fo rmaking p icHes w ithre d cO/allredundrobust flavoured

ingredients JIllh as redc ab ba ge a nd b eetro ot,o r red colol lred fntitss uc h a s b la c kb er rie s,

raspberries. cherries o rplnms. BlI_V th e b es tqua/iI]' villegar that

J ' O I l COli of ford

I i )

cooked with a 'mall amount of vinegar.No matter where the, are From or when

they are used, pickles, churueys and relishesare always an excellent extra ingredient rharwill complement or [Ill prove rhe flavour of anymain dish, be it a plain roast, a cuny. kebabs,tortillas or beef burgers. Their basicingredients are very si rni lar and mo T are based00 fresh, occasionally dried, vegetables andfruits with rhe addition of salt, vinegar, oil,sugar and spices in varying proportions.There are so many different combinations andpreparation methods that nearly every countrvin [he world has irs own characrerisric recipes.H0 hl .E l\J 1\ D E PRE S E R v E SThe best of these avoury preserves arehomemade but there is a lor more co homep rcserv Itlg than si m ply p reparing foo d tha t :i sgoo d [0 ea t. Preserv ing foods in our ownkitchens for the use of OU T family anti friendskeeps us in touch with rherraditions of pastcooks and gardeners, When working throughthe differen r stages of preparation, and maybeeven growing the basic ingredien ts in thegarden, think how many other cooks, downthrough so many centuries, have done exactlythe same rhing as you are doing now.

Preserving at home also puts u ill touchwith the year's natural cycle, something thatso many people livillg in cities have forgocrenabout, Living in centrally heated hall C8 andfla sand going [()shops that sell [he arnefrozen produce ali the year round, i f is easvto lose track of the passing seasons. But whenyou cake an intere t in preservi ng you willsoon learn which fruits and vegetables arebest at which times of the year, for even theimported ones ha e rheir seasons. Summertime will come comean tomatoes and sonfrui rs ruJ d win ter rime C 1 tIU S fm its and roots.This may not seem relevant rodav, but at onerime our Jives were governed by the solsticesand equinoxes, by the passing; of the seasonsand rhe phases of the moon. To recognize thewheel of the year is important for everyperson, no matter how you do it.

RiGHT: 1 seieaion o/"IJmegarJ tllld Jpia,d pick/I 'dfraits. Cl lOOSfpi t ' k i f jars Ihal (Ire both atttraaio

(111(1raaica] . Spic l 'J j () r dear picNI'J COJt bl ' tit'd illsmnt! pieces o f muslin so they c ar l b e lif te d out easily

ou r ! do n o t s po il the a p pe a ra n ce o j I hl ' pi ck le .


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J P R c 1 k R c e 9 J r c e n R h c e a n J i c h u t n c e y R n l h R t ( { J ) J r YV ' I E HAVE INHERITED A GRE T LEGACYOF RECIPES Af'iD ~IETHODS FOR J ' v j KING

PICKLES AND CH TNEYS.

THE FIRST P1CKLES WERE ~MDE

ABOUT TEN THOUSAND YEARS AGO AND

~'IETHODS AND JNGRED.lENTS j-IAVEBEEN

ThLPROVING EVER Sli'iCE.


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HISTORY

PICKLES, RELISHES andCHUTNEYS tn HISTORY

As SOON AS PEOPLE STARTED TO GROW AND FilRM THEIR OIVN FOOD, IT BECAMENECESSARY IV FIND J.I';:~YSOF PRESERViNG MIl' SURPLUS FOR THE LEAN TIMES, JlJVD ITllf,'lS PROBABLY AROUND J 0,000 YEARS AGO THAT ACIDS, SUGARS, SflL.T AND ALCOHOLWERE DISGOlIERED TO HAVE PRESERVING PROPERTIES. How THESE WORKED WAS NOT

UNDERSTOOD UNTIL THE END OF THE NINETEENTH CENTURY, BUT THF. FACT THAT THEYDID WAS ALL THA.T fltA1TERED IN THE EARLY YEARS OF CIViLiZATION. bfA1ERSTNG FOOD

IN ONE OR A MIXT 1( OF THESE BASIC 11'.rCREDJENTS, IS, ,lFTER DRYfNG, THE 1I10STA VCIENT ,11El"HOD WE HAIrE OF PRESERVING FRUIT AND VEGETfLBLES.

BELOW: Cabbagesh ave b een u sed fo r

p ic kle s sin ce R am o ntim es w hen a recipe

w as devised fo rp ic klil lg th e s ta lk s.

D u ring th e M ed ie va lp erio d, th e w ho le

c ab ba ge w as sh red dedand p ickled and went

under the name o f"pickled greens".

As soon as the fermentation process ofliquids was discovered, probablyaccidentally, acids and alcohol becameavailable, the acids at first being the result ofunsuccessful attempts to produce alcohol. Sourwine, or the equivalent, was probably the firstpickling medium. There was no sugar in thoseearly times but honey was the main luxurysweetening ingredient and it was soon foundthat food swamped in honey would beexceptionally well preserved. Salt was minedin some areas and produced by panning(evaporating sea water) around the coasts.

It is known that the ancient Egyptianspickled many food ingredients between 3000and 1000 BC. The Celts used vinegar andwere probably responsible for spreading its usethroughout Europe and into Britain. The

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Greeks made some pickles, but it was theRomans who became skilled in the processand developed recipes that formed the basis oflater knowledge. Many of their ingredientswere imported from all over the RomanEmpire: vegetables from Europe and fruitssuch as lemons, peaches and apricots fromAfrica, the Middle East and Spain. These were,used alongside home-grown herbs, roots andflowers.

Roman pickles were based on a brine ofvinegar and salt mixed with olive oil, on winemust (a by-product of wine fermentation) andsometimes on pure honey. They were sealed inlarge, cylindrical, earthenware jars and kept forconsiderable periods of time, sometimes evenburied in the garden to ensure an even, cooltemperature.

Roman vinegar was actually sour wine, andthe French origin of [he English name for it,"vin aigre", means just that. Sometimes yeast,dried figs, salt and honey were added to it tomake a preserving liquid. The same liquid wasalso watered down and used as a drink, thesame one that the lew Testament records asbeing used at Christ's crucifixion.

'1'''''0 Roman writers, Apicius and Columella,have left us recipes for a wide variety ofpickles including lettuce leaves, turnips,asparagus, fennel, onions, cabbage stalks and

R l CHT : In th e la te tlin etc en th cC1 l fu r~y bough tp ickles a nd ch u.tneys b eca me po pu la r a lo ng withbottled sauces and bottled fru its. A wide selea io n

co uld b e bo ugh t fro m gro cer's sh ops.


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HISTORY

ABOVE: Bombay , onthe M alaba r Co ast o fIndia , which , in thes ev e nt ee n th c e nt ur y ,b elo ng ed to th e E astIndia Company o f

England. From here ,sp ic es a nd o th er

ingredients f or p ic kl es ,sltch a s m ango es andti me s, w er e e xp o rte d.

plums. Columella wrote in the first centuryAD that "vinegar and hard brine are essentialfor making preserves", a statement that stillapplies to pickles today.

When the Roman Empire collapsed in thefifth century AD, sophistications such as foodpreservation and pickle making were in dangerof disappearing from the Western world.Fortunately, some preserves continued to bemade in the monasteries where the monksgrew their own food and constructed specialrooms for its preparation and pre ervation, Therest of the population were too preoccupiedwith obtaining and defending land to beconcerned with preserving vegetables.CULINARY A.RT RE EDIt was not until the eleventh centurv, whendomestic life began to quieten down again,that the more gentle of the culinary arts beganto be revived. fast large medieval houses hadtheir own garden and some had orchards, but.the range of vegetables grown was fairly mall,can isting mainly of cabbages, root crops, leeksand onions, plus a selection of herbs.

Cabbages, first mentioned a "pickledgreens" in a household list of 1290, appear tohave been a regular ingredient for pickling.Wine, vinegar and verjuice (the sour juice of

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crab apples and, in later years, unripe grapes)were the main pickling liquids. Fruit was stillpreserved by drying or in a honey syrup.

Pickles were, as they are now, recognizablech unks of vegetable preserved in a liquid.Finely chopped mixtures of vegetables cookedto a puree with preserving ingredients wererare, although a book written by Goodman ofParis in 1393 includes a recipe for somethingcalled "compost" which consists of walnuts,turnips, carrots, pears, pumpkins, peaches,fennel and Hamburg parsley roots simmeredwith a large mixture of pices in quantities ofwine. As it took four months to make it wasprobably not very popular, certainly not in theaverage manor house which grew onlyeveryday vegetables.The types of vegetables and fruits availableincreased during the sixteenth andseventeenth centuries as seafarers went fartherafield and returned with their botanicaldiscoveries. Mushrooms, which had beenviewed with suspicion during medieval times,became one of the most popular of picklingingredients along with walnuts, various wildplants, salad vegetables and flowers, the lattermaking attractive edible garnishes for salads.Great care was taken when pickling rosebuds,for example, to ensure that they kept their


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HISTORY

fi!10VE: A s tl 'i 11 g o fFesh o nio ns, one o f the

earliest ingredients tobepid:ted and stilt Justas important to da )! a s

it ever was

mangoes, chutney and ketchups. TheHindustani word "chatni", signifying a strong,sweet relish, was very soon Westernized andhas been. used ever since for the chick, stewedconcoctions of vinegar and vegetables.

Western cooks very soon copied thechutneys and Indian style pickles. One of thefirst of these new-style recipes was what wenow know as Piccalilli, 'which first appeared ina cookery book of 1694 under the heading"To pickle lila, an Indian pickle". Becausemangoes were imported inca Britain alreadypickled, the name mango was as often used forthe pickles as for the fruit itself. From JohnEvelyn onwards, recipe writers "made amango" of a variety of vegetables and fruits.Evelyn's recipe, a "Mango of Cucumbers", israther like a typically English cucumber pickleof the time with a little mustard added.Marrows, melons, peaches, plums and evenapples were all in their time made intomangoes.

Throughout the eighteenth century, plainmeats served with an increasing variety ofpickles and chutneys replaced the old stylemeals of mears in sauces. More fruits were putinto pickles than before, among themredcurrants, grapes and barberries. Tornatoeswere used for the first time. Finally acceptedas a vegetable they were made into a sourpickle with garlic, ginger and vinegar.

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Wine vinegar, when it could be obtained,was the favourite liquid for pickling, alongwith wine itself and grape juice which had justbegun to ferment but not yet become wine.The quality of the malt vinegar availablecommercially WaS very poor and many cooks incountry houses made their own.

By this time, Europeans had pushed westinto America, settled and established farmsand gardens. Farmhouses on the east coast hadspecial buildings for dairying, pickling andpreserving. They also had big root cellarswhere all kinds of vegetables and fruit, such aspotatoes, squash, pumpkin and apples, werestored. Down amongst the fresh produce weredried corn and beans and jars of pickles.EIGHTEENTH-CENTURY RECIPESIn Britain, more cookery books were appearingand most included special sections onpreserving and pickling. Hannah Glasse's 1774book contained modern-sounding recipes foronions, beetroot, red cabbage and gherkinsalongside the Elizabethan descendants ofconcoctions for asparagus, fennel, artichokehearts, radish pods and samphire. Her mainpickling liquid is wine vinegar which suggeststhat towards the end of the eighteenth century,pickles became more pungent and vinegary,more, in fact, as they are today. She also usedlarge quantities of the savoury spices such asmustard seed and ginger, and horseradish, buthad no recipes for chutney.

No matter what the pickling process, thecolour of vegetables immersed in vinegar orbri ne for a certain length of time will alwaysfade slightly. The attempt to prevent thishappening led [Q the eighteenth-centuryvogue for using copper" salts after it wasdiscovered that if they were added to thevinegar, vegetables kept their green colour.

SE OF COPPER PANSUsing copper pans, which reacted with thevinegar, had the same effect and theseprocesses were often specifically called for incookery books. The habit was eventuallycalled i.nto disrepute by Elizabeth Raffald whopublished The ExperimcedEtlgtish Housekeeper in1782. She informed her readers that usingartificial greening methods was "poison to agreat degree" and advocated the strictadherence to "following strictly the direction


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of your receipts for any kind of pickles ...greened only by pouring your vinegar hot uponthem, and it will keep a long time.' Sheincluded over thirty pickle recipes in her book(cucumbers, walnuts, mushrooms, barberries,nastur t iums, elder shoots and radish pods werestill popular, as were cauliflowers, beetroot andgrapes), bur there were still none for chutney.THE lINETEE TH c r TURYloving on into the nineteenth century, T he

Co ok s O ra cle , published in 1 8 2 2 , made somee cellent suggestions for making pickles, mostof which are still relevant today. Theinstructions for spiced vinegar and the adviceon the types of jars that should be used (notglazed earthenware or the lead will leach out)could, with only a few changes, be put into amodern cookery book. The actual recipes arefor walnuts, gherkins, beetroot, onions, redcabbage, cauliflower and Piccalilli , a very muchrefined and modernized list compared withElizabeth Raffald's recipes forty years earlier.

Later in the nineteenth century, theVictorian recipe writers Eliza Acton and {rsBeeton gave one recipe each for "CherneySauce". Both recipes were said to have comefrom India, Mrs Beeton's specifically fromBengal, and both were based on apples andraisins although Eliza Acton's also containedtomatoes, which were becoming increasinglypopular for ketchups and sauces. eitherrecipe was actually a cooked chutney, though.Eliza Acton's ingredients were pounded in amortar, mixed with spices and vinegar andbottled uncooked. Mrs Beeton's werechopped, mixed with vast quantities of salt andspices, put into a jar and covered with vinegar.After a month both "chetneys" were strainedand bottled, with the vinegar being reservedseparately as an addition to cooked sauces.Eliza Acton recommended using a "goodgenuine vinegar, French or English", or a goodquality home-made one.

In the late nineteenth century, quite avariety of commercially made pickles becameavailable, the most popular eventually beingbeetroot, onions, red cabbage and walnuts.

Households, however, had begun to maketheir own chutneys and relishes based on theoriginal Indian recipes. In Victorian times itbecame the norm, when it could be afforded,to have hot roa t meat on Sundays and to save

HiSTORY

enough to be eaten cold on several of thefollowing days. Plain cold meat is notnecessarily very appetizing which is wbychutneys and relishes became so appealing.Making chutney - chopping the ingredients,and stewing them with vinegar and spices -was in a way a less precise process thanpickling. Chutneys could also be made ofmixtures of ripe ingredients. Consequently,they became increasingly popular in ordinaryhouseholds, especially in country districtswhere there were often surpl Lise of vegetablesthroughout the summer.

Because the ingredients of a chutney veryoften depended upon availability at the timeof making, there were few, Or perhaps even noclassic recipes. As a result, very few chutneyrecipes were ever written down. You are morelikely to find favourite recipes in yourgrandmother's hand-written recipe book thanyou are in a published work of the time.Chutney making was a very personal thing.You could Jearn a basic method and then goyour own way.

Chutneys keep wen, they are easily pottedand are often sold at country bazaars and onmarket stalls. For the past t:wo hundred years,alongside jam, they have been the mainstay ofthe country cook's store cupboard. Relisheswere often quickly made on the spur of themoment, again, using anyingredient that seemedappropriate and available.They kept for only a shorttime and then wereforgotten. The oldcookery books contain norelish recipes at all. Thehistory of picklesstretches back overthousands of years whilechutneys and relishes arerelatively modernupstarts. All together,however, these tastypreserves have come toepitomize the countrystore, the thrifty use ofsurplus vegetables andfruits for times of shortageand tile magic of creatingnew, wonderful flavoursto enhance ordinary foods.

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BELOW: In t he e ar lypar t o f t h e twen ti et hc en tu r y c ommer c ia ll yp r epa red p ic kl esb e came a va il a bl e.H. J. Heinz wasone o f th e le ad in gmanufaaxrers.

Pickles in PatternsJuS[ on e c ;mm l, Ieof ,mi! ormiry

in fooi p r e p a r a t i r mEXAMINE d,,...I)o~.fI-.,j HI!I"I r...I . ' o aThnllXlt;~ CCd.t..""-W""l(Jl~lM: u~~o:I .W: : uI' u . .( . .m . . . . . . . . a~"~"I.~I"IpIoftd. . . . ' ' ' ''N_ Io ol ~L -a !JW = j u. I: ohuw. aM_~nir!otmp.ulJ:l"- v. . . " ' " , " ' U , h r . o n.put. 1I111l1111;t,alillbu'"~ .. -"f'ld;atb t' cW i Tc nm . . .. L..... u.. ....... . . . . . x . . , ...r" ___n..,.....::.i


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itW(())lJ lJryJ I l > Jre s e JrW e s fJro Jrn:ll

c O t Jr J) ll1L illlJ thc e WV C O > Jr l iJEVERY COUNTRY HAS ITS OWN FAVOURITE

SAVOURY PRESERVES. TBEY CAJ"i liE 100 NO INSf-lOP.,

ON JvJARKET STALLS AND IN HOr.. ,IE LARDERS THE

WORLD OVER. Sm,'IE ARE TRADITIONALLY EATE1\'

WITH BREAD, OTHERS WITH MEAT OR RICE DISHES.

ALL DO THAT EXTRA ZEST AND CHARA TER

TO WHATEVER THEY RE SERVED WITH.


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A R 0 UN D THE III 0 R L D

BELOw: The cmberg ine,01 " egg plant, is a

f requent i1zg red ien tin Middle Easternp ic kles, eith er a /o ne o r

with meaures o fpeppers, cucumbers,

cauii f lowet; baby 011i01Hand a rtith o ke h ea rts .

SAVOURY PRESERVES fromAROUND the WORLD

PICKLES, CHUTNEYS fiND REUSHES ARE FOUND JILL OVR THE WORLD.THEY RANGE FROM THE HUMBLE, HOME-MADE APPLE GHUTNEl'S SOLD sr ENGLISH

VILLACE FETES TO THE EXOT7C SHREDDED GREENS PRESERVED IN RfCE WINE THAT YOUNflY FIND GflRNfSHfNC CHIJVE.5'E DISHES OF MEAT; FISH OR RiCE. THERE ses : MANGOCHUTNEYS IN THE CARIBBEAN, SHARP DILL PICKLES IN EAST EUROPE, PICKLED RED

ONION SLICES IN ))!lE;XICO AND QUiCKLY!I1ilDli. YOGHURT RELISHES IN INDIA.ALL ENHANCE OR COA1PLEJllENT THE MAIN DISHES THAT THEY ACCOMPANY.

A1ANY ARE ONLY EIfER MADE fN THE HOME.

Is not known for surewho first discoveredhow to preserve surplus foods in this way,but certainly it was a practice already wellknown in the Middle East by 3000 Be.Methods of preparation in the region havechanged very little over the centuries andtoday many grocer's shops have large jars filledwith a wide variety of colourful pickledingredients that the proprietor or his familyhave prepared. Pickles are also sold from thejar by street vendors, to be eaten instantly withflat Arab bread which is dipped in the vinegar.When the jar is empty, [he vinegar is sold foruse at home as a basis for sauces and (Q livenup rice dishes.

The an of pickle making is usually learnedat home and many families pride themselves

on their well-stocked store-cupboard, crammed with rows ofjars in which every conceivablevegetable has been immersed inpickling liquid to be served eitheras an accompaniment, as a snackwith bread, or in place of a salad.These fiddle Eastern pickles aremade in a fairly standard way. Theraw or slightly cooked vegetablesor fruits, which are sometimessalted first, are packed intosterilized jars then covered with acold liquid. This may be purevinegar and salt, a mixture ofvinegar and salt water in varyingproportions, or a good quality oil.Great care is taken to dislodge any

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air bubbles from the jars which are then tightlysealed. It is a simple process but very effectiveand (he strength and saltiness of the liquiddetermines the ultimate flavour and keepingqualities of the pickle. In the main, themixture of the vinegar with water makesMiddle Eastern pickles milder than thosemade with pure vinegar in Western countries.Herbs such as dill, garlic, hot chilli peppersand a variety of spices can all be added forextra flavour.The most popular vegetables for MiddleEastern pickles are sweet peppers and hotpeppers, aubergines, either whole or sliced,cucumbers, cauliflowers, turnips, baby onions,okra and artichoke hearts. These can be usedsingly or in mixtures known as t i tvash. FromIran comes To rsh i .-ye ha f te -b i jar, a mixture ofherbs, leeks and spinach in a salted vinegarflavoured with chilli peppers, peppercorns,oregano and garlic.

A popular savoury preserve in Israel isZehug, a hot relish made with fresh chillipeppers, garlic, coriander seeds and groundcumin. It originated in Yemen where it wasserved with beef casserole dishes on theSabbath. Another Jewish relish, this timeoriginating in eastern Europe, is Chmne (page121), a mixture of horseradish and beetrootthat is served with salt beef.

There are also many Middle Eastern fruitpickles. Lemons in oil, whole dried peachesand apricots, cherries on the stem and wholegrapes are favourites, Pickled orange rinds anddates are often minced then mixed with


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tamarind and sumac to make a kind ofuncooked chutney.

India, too, has a cuisine which valuescontrasting accompaniments and probably noother country in the world makes as good useof so many mixtures of spices as can be found[here. It is, of course, the home of chutney ~cooked, 'keeping" and fresh chutneys.

Some cooked chutneys are made in a similarway to British chutneys, in which fruit andpices are simmered together for an hour ormore. For some chutneys, ingredients such asmango or pumpkin are pureed raw thencooked with the spices and vinegar for a short.time only before being either bottled andtored for a long period or placed in therefrigerator for about a week only. Theingredients and preparation method determinethe keeping time. Some keeping chutneys arenot cooked at all. One Kashrniri chutney, forexample, is made of brown sugar and vinegarmixed with large quantities of minced greenginger, garlic, mustard seed and hot peppersplu saffron and cayenne pepper. These areall mixed together, bottled and left for a monthbefore opening, resulting in a very spicy,pungenr mixture, similar in texture to awell-cooked chutney, and with long keepingqualities.

Fresh chutneys are made just before ervingusing a wide range of fruits, vegetables, herbs,pices and often yoghurt. In the West, theyprobably would be regarded as relishes. Thosewith a yoghurt base are sometimes calledambals or raitas. Someingredients in freshchutneys are pureed andorne finely chopped andthere is always a goodflavouring of herbs andpices. Some freshchutneys are not hot at alland are eaten to tone down[be spiciness of a curry.Others have a certainamount of heat which isvery often derived fromfre h ingredients such asreen or red chilli peppers

or ginger. This gives a freshra -re to complement richdi he of meat orvegetables.

Indian pickles are very spicy, wi th a certaindegree of heat, and range from sweet to sour.Garlic, limes, cauliflower and aubergines arecommon ingredients and the preparation ofteninvolves long rnarination in spices and salt. Forsome pickles, no other ingredients are added;some are covered in oil and afew in brine.

Ilany pickles andkeeping chutneys can bebought ready prepared inIndia, but the very narure of[he fresh chutneys meanschat they are always speciallyprepared for every mealusing ingredients that are inseason and readily available.Consequently, every familyhas its own unique recipeswhich are passed down fromone generation to the next.

Across India's border intoChina, very few pickles aremade in the home although awide range of vegetables arepickled commercially. Although the Chineseenjoy eating pickles, there are very fewavailable recipes. Two are included in thisbook a simplified version of pickled springgreens (page 57) which comes from Kweichow,and a mixture of winter vegetables in brine(page 121), sometimes called pow tsai, which isprobably the one most often made in Chinesehomes. Other pickles enjoyed by the Chinese

are Szechuan hot pickle,made from cabbage orkohlrabi, and snow pickle,made from mustard greens.These two are usuallybought ready made in cans.There is also a winterpickle of salted cabbagewhich can be bought in jars.Further east, in japan,pickles are served withnearly every meal and,because their preparation isso imple, mo t are made inthe home when needed.

AROUND THE WORLD

ABOVE: Ju st o ne o fth e m any va rie ties o fInd ia n m ango ch utneyth at h av e b een a va ila bleo ver th e years. Mangoc hu tn ey h as b ee npopular in th e W ests in ce th e seoenteeru/;cm tm y and th e mangofru it h a s g io e its nam eto o th er im ita tio np ic kle s a nd c hu tn ey s.

LEFT: C ab ba ges and lo ng w inter ra dish es, o r m oo li, b eingstored 01 1 th e w ittd o~ iJ )le dg e o fa h o use in B eijin g.


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AROUND THE WORLD

ABOVE: A p ile o f h ot d illiesit ' T h ail an d. C ltillie s a reu sed in ho t p ickles a ndrelishes ill manJ l PCttts

o f th e w o rl d.

A popular way of ending a meal is to serve asmall portion of plain rice accompanied by tinyportions of pickle. Salt or soy sauce are oftenused as a single pickling ingredient. Slicedcabbage or white radish can, for example, besprinkled with either or both ingredients andleft for a few days umil the juices have drainedfrom the vegetable to form a natural picklingliquid. The Relish of Red and White Radishes(page 57) is made according to this method.Crisp and light, it is ideal for a quickly madepickle. Cucumber is treated in the same wayas radishes. Pickles made like this will onlykeep for up to a week in the refrigerator.Another typical Japanese ingredient is kombu,a dried seaweed which is first stewed, thenchopped and mixed with vinegar, soy sauce,sugar, rice wine and sesame seeds to makea relish.

The simple pickling method used inJapan is also used in Korea, where the resultis known as kimchee. Cabbage, white radish,cucumber and turnip are favourite ingredients,and garlic cloves are pickled whole in amixture of soy sauce, rice vinegar, sugar andalt. These pickles are made ,l[ home andeveryone has their own favourite ingredients.

From Indonesia and other parts of South-East Asia come sambals or sarnbols. These arequickly made spicy relishes that are servedwith rice and hot curries. They are all made athome to accompany the favourite dishes of thehousehold. Dried, hot chilli peppers areground with peanuts and tamarind paste,tomatoes are pureed in oil with cayennepepper and lime juice; fresh chilli peppers arepounded with garlic, peanuts, soy sauce, limejuice, tamarind and sugar. In Ceylon a coconutsambal, made by mixing freshly grated coconutwith chilli powder, browned onions, lemonjuice and salt, is popular. Seeni sambal, alsofrom Ceylon, is hot, rich and made frombrowned onions, lemon grass, curry leavescinnamon, tamarind, fresh chilli peppers,coconut milk and dried prawns. There arepickles, too, from the same areas, usually madeby mixing the main ingredient, such as freshpineapple or cooked aubergine' with vinegar,sugar, salt and spices ..These are eaten within aweek of preparation

And so to Europe, where, if one were askedwhat was the most pickled vegetable, the replymight well be the cucumber. There are

24

countless recipes for pickled cucumbers,mainly for the small ones which are sometimescalled gherkins or (in France) cornichons, butalso for the large variety, sliced or d iced. InEast Europe, dill pickles, small cucumbers invinegar with sprigs of dill and peppercorns, arethe favourite. In Scandinavia they areflavoured with blackcurrant leaves andhorseradish and in France with thyme,tarragon and bay. Baby cucumbers are notwidely available fresh in Britain bur tinypickled gherkins bought in jars are popularwith cold meats.

Cabbage is the only vegetable ingredient ofGerman sauerkraut, a fermented pickle whichtakes several weeks to perfect. It is availablecommercially in tins and jars bur many cooksstill prefer to make their own. In Britain, plainred cabbage has been a popular candidate forpickling for over a hundred years. Its richcolour and crunchy texture make it anexcellent accompaniment to cold meats. Alsopopular in Britain are pickled beetroot andpickled baby onions, made with a simple brineof spiced malt vinegar. With bread and cheese,pickled onions make a "ploughman's lunch"and they are always sold alongside fish fried inbatter.

Cauliflower usually appears in mixedpickles in Europe, particularly Italy andFrance, and it is an essential ingredient inPiccalilli (page 99). Teamed with broccoli, itmakes a light, delicate springtime pickle.SOUTHERN EUROPEPeppers, tomatoes and aubergines are the sun-kissed ingredients of southern Europe. Theyare often preserved in olive oil flavoured withgarlic, tomato puree and warm spices such aspaprika. Olives themselves are pickled in brineboth commercially and in the home. Greenolives are picked when under-ripe whereasblack ones have become fully ripe on the tree.Garlic slivers, coriander seeds, and sprigs ofherbs such as thyme or tarragon are all used toflavour olives.

1 he Europeans also specialize in makingsweet pickles with seasonal fruits. In Italy,mixtures of fruits such as melon, grapes andcherries are made into a mustard pickle. Pears,quinces, plums, apricots and peaches are putinto vinegar sweetened with sugar or honey.Cherries are pickled whole on the stem and


16/86

en clernentines and other small, sweet citrusits can be pickled whole, complete withir skins. Fruit pickles are generally servedth cold meats.Very special to Britain, because of hertorical relationship with India, are chutneys.the quickly prepared, fresh chutneys, but

xtures of fruits and vegetables, nearly alwaysluding onions, simmered for a great lengthtime with vinegar, sugar, dried fruits and

to the consistency of jam. Tomatoes,ubarb, apples and marrows are other popularThere are very few relishes as such inrope. Possibly the closest thing is Britain'sne sauce, which is served with roast lamb. Itnsists simply of chopped mint mixed withegar and a little ugar and is similar to thesh herb chutneys of lnd ia ,From Europe, as we have seen, pickles andutneys travelled to the United States.cumbers with dill rapidly became popular asa form of Piccalilli which came to be called

read and Butter pickles". Cherries, greenppers, mushrooms, olives, peaches andne plums soon found their way into thekle jar, and it was not long before newredients were discovered and utilized, suchblueberries, water melon rind andeetcorn. Chutneys also found their way toerica via England directly from Indiaough the spice trade.ERICAN RELISI-IESe relish - the quickly prepared sweet-sharpxture of vegetables which so oftenompanies barbecued foods - has proved totruly American. Corn relish, pepper relish

and tomato relish have become d e r ig u eu rwhenever burgers or steaks are grilled,whether outdoors or in. They accompanysausages, cold meats and vegetarian foods andthey have travelled back to Europe in theirnew guise to become just as popular there.

American relishes were much influenced bythe Mexican salsas, mixtures of choppedtomatoes, onions and sweet or hot peppers thatare used to top a tostada or e12chi /Jado. One suchMexican relish is the "Pico de Gallo" (roo ter'sbeak), made with tomatoes, spring onions,radishes, coriander leaves, chilli peppers andlime juice. The recipe for pickled red onionlices (page 100) is based on a Mexican onewhich is served with chicken and seafood.It is not far from South America to the

Caribbean, where mangoes, pawpaws andother exotic fruits are plentiful. Mangoes inparticular are made inro chutney, influencedby the Indian chutneys brought by thecolonials of the eighteenth and nineteenthcenturies. Mangoes are used when they arehard and under-ripe. They are simmered withsultanas, cashew nuts, ginger, garlic, hot redpeppers, brown sugar and malt vinegar in StKitts, and with tamarind and allspice inJamaica. Quickly made relishes of pureed orfinely chopped ripe mangoes and pawpawsmixed with lime juice and chilli peppers alsocome from the Caribbean.

Wherever you go in the world, you will finda pickle, a chutney or a relish to complementyour meal and ro tantalize your taste buds. Allhave been made using fresh, local produce andall show the character of the eating habits ofthe local people.

L E F 7 : ' F re sh lim esand lem ons are u sed tom ake delic io us, zestypickles and relishesi n I ndi ct .

BELOW: Swee tco r '12 andonion , waiting to bema.t/e into com 1~eiish,whidt i s p o p u la r in th eUn it ed S ta te s.


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EVERYTHING THAT YOU NEED

AROUND YOUR OWN KITCHEN.

TO MAKE PICKLES, CHUTNEYS AND RELISHES

CAl'! BE FOUND IN YOUR LOCAL SHOPS AND

CHOOSE vVHt\TEVER FRUITS AND VEGETi\BLES

ARE IN SEASON AND COMBINE THEiv] WITH SALT,

SUGAR Al'\lD VINEGAR, USING NOTHING MORE

COw.IPLICATED BYWAYOF EQUTPl\'fENT THAN

A NO! -CORROSIVE AUCEPA1'\i.


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INGREDIENTS

INGREDIENTSGOOD QUALIIY VEGETABLES, FRESH AND DRiED FRUIT AND HERBS ARE THE BASIC

INGREDIENTS FOR ALL PlCKLES, CHUnVEYS AND RELISHES. THEY ARE COM_BliVED IVITHVINEGAR, SALI; SUGAR AND SPICES n v \ljIRYfNG PROPORTIONS AND fN A j!ilRJETY OF Will'S

TO ACHIEVE THE DESIRED END RESULT.

FRESH FR [T A.ID VEGETABLESAlthough pickles and chutneys are anexcellent way co make use of seasonalproduce, they should never be regarded as away of salvaging ageing or slightly below paringredients. Fresh fruit and vegetables shouldalways be of the best possible quality and anymouldy or diseased fruit should becompleletely discarded.

l~or pickling, vegetables must be young,cri p, firm and without blemish, and they needto be prepared as soon as possible after buyingor harvesting so that their crispness will bemai main ed_ Fruit for pickling should be onlyJUSt ripe, so that it will remain firm and retainits shape, even if simmered in the picklingliquid.

The same rules apply to vegetables whenmaking chutney, although tomatoes should beripe rather than hard and under-ripe, andfruits, such as apricots or peaches, are better ifthey are ripe and beginning to soften. Lowergrade fruits can be used for chutneys, sincethey are cooked to a puree. You can use, forexample, small pears or irregularly shapedapples, provided they are sound, without fearof the end result being spoiled.

Young, crisp vegetables, fruit in excellentcond ition and sprigs of freshly picked herbsare the essential ingredients for relishes, Theyare made in a variety of way, orne beinglightly cooked and others being constructedfrom cornplerely raw ingredients.DRIED FRUITSDried fruits are often included in chutneys toadd flavour and texture as well as to replacesome of the sugar. Larger dried fruits, such asapricots and dates, are usually chopped orminced and smaller ones, such as raisins andultanas, are used whole. Buy seedless fruits ofthe best quality.

Whole dried fruits are also pickled and

added to relishes. Raisins and sultanas can beput into vegetable pickles and in the MiddleEast complete dried peaches and apricots arepickled on their own.

As a preservative, vinegar works bypenetrating and replacing the natural liquidsin food, so inhibiting the growth of micro-organ; ms which would cause the food to spoilor "go off'.

Vinegar is a sharp-tasting liquid consistingof dilute acetic acid produced as a result of thefermentation of carbohydrates into alcohol,followed by oxidation. The source ofcarbohydrates for the original fermentationmay be fruit sugars, as used to produce wine orcider vinegars, or malted barley, as in maltvinegar.Whichever vinegar you choose to use, musthave a minimum acetic acid content of 5 percent. All ready-bottled vinegars meet this

OPPOSITE .-A mixtureof blttt01t and oystermushrooms. These, asalt vegetables should befor pickling; a re inperfea condition.BELOW .-Dried fruitsam often added todtutrleys for bothsweetness and f taoour:There is a wide oarietyto choosefrom.

29


19/86

INGREDIENTS

F L A I N & S P I C E D .ABOVE: A 1920s

advertisement forpure malt vinegar:Nalt vinegar has aroous:flavour and

dark colour. Thespiced oariety is stillavailable/or quickand easypickling.

requirement. ntil recently, many countrystores sold a product known as "barrelledvinegar' , which was excellent for saladdressings bur did not come up to strength as apickling acid. Ifyour local shop still stocksthis, keep it for table use only.

Malt vinegar is the cheapest form ofvinegar. It is dark brown incolour, has a robustflavour and i frequently used for chutneysand for all pickles where colour is not animportant criterion. It is the favoured vinegarin Britain for pickling onions and eggs, its darkcolour complementing the pale-colouredingredients.

Distilling rna]! vinegar produces a clear,smoother-flavoured Jiquid that costs onlymarginally more than the original malt vinegar.Distilled malt vinegar enhances the colour ofpickled vegetable and can help to maintain alighter colour when making certain chutney .

Both ordinary and distilled malt vinegar canbe bought ready spiced for pickling. Althoughthese can be great time savers, their use canmean a 1 0 s of control over the final flavour of

30

the pickle, so care is needed.Wine vinegars are made from fresh wines.

White wine vinegar is usually slightly yellowor brown in colour, rather like a pale whitewine, and has a fine, subtle flavour. It isexcellent for pickling delicately flavouredingred ient such as mushrooms or asparagus. Itcan also be used in chutneys and relishes. Redwine vinegar is red to rose in colour,depending on the brand, and more richlyflavoured [han white wine v.inegar. It is usefulfor pickling red ingredients such as redcabbage, beetroot or red onions Orwhenmaking chutneys or relishes with red fruitssuch as plums or redcurrants ..

Cider vinegar is produced from cider. It isdarker in colour than white wine vinegar andhas a distinctive cidery flavour. It is good forapple chutneys and relishes.SALTAs parr of [he pickling process and whenmaking some relishes, vegetables are salted -either sprinkled with salt or immersed in brine


20/86

a salt water solution). This draws water out ofhe vegetables which can then be replaced byinegar. Salting also slightly toughens theegetables, which helps to retain their crispexture and improves the keeping qualities ofpickle.Any non-iodized salt is suitable for pickling.void iodized table salt which may darken theolours of Some fruits and vegetables. Mostooking salts are non-iodized. So, too, areoarse sea salts, which are particularly suitableor this use but may be expensive. Salt sold inlocks is ideal. To separate the grains of chisype of salt, rub a block on a grater or rub two

together,

ugar acts as both a flavourer and aIt is an indispensable ingredient

n chutneys. Vegetables and fruits can beickled in a sweetened vinegar syrup. Andome relishes call for the addition of a littleThe type of sugar used very much affects

he end result. As granulated sugar forms aolourless syrup, it is often used for picklesequiring a clear visual effect. It is also usefulor light-coloured chutneys. However, a longooking of any type of sugar will prod uce aark colour, for a light-coloured chutney it isise to add the sugar towards the end of theooking time.Brown sugars contribute colour and flavour,

nd generally the very dark, soft sugars, havehe richest taste. Brown sugars are often usedn chutneys and relishes. Demerara sugar,hich produces a light golden-coloured syrup,an be used for pickling.LTERNATIVE SWEETENERSoney black treacle, molasses and goldenyrup can all replace some of the sugar contentchutneys and relishes. They win always add

olour and flavour. Honey makes a deliciousickling syrup for whole fruits such as apricots,herrie and plums. se the same weight asou would sugar. Dried fruits can also be useds a sweetener in chutneys, replacing some ofe sugar content.

ost pickles, chutneys and relishes areavoured with spices.

INGRE.IJfENTS

For pickles, whole spices are used to flavourthe vinegar. They can be either u ed loose ortied up in a small piece of muslin [Q allow easyremoval. A muslin bag is the best method formaking a sweetened vinegar syrup, forinstance, where the fruits are generallysimmered in the syrup along with the spices.Whole spices such as dried chilli peppers,cloves or cinnamon sticks are often put intothe pickle jars with the vegetables where theywill continue imparting their flavour to thepickle for as long as it is kept.In chutneys, which cook down to thick

purees, spices are generally used ground.Recently bought ground spices give the be tflavour; any [hat are older than six monthsshould not be used.Fresh ginger, chilli peppers and garlic are allconsidered as spices. Fresh ginger can bebought in the piece, peeled, thinly sliced andused in the same way as whole spices forflavouring vinegar. Chilli peppers can be coredand seeded then cut in half for flavouringvinegar or finely chopped for including inchutneys. Whole garlic cloves will flavourpickling vinegar and can be put into the jarswith the vegetables. For chutneys, garlic iseither crushed or finely chopped.B ELOI1': A se le ctio n o ffresh ingredimts,waiting to bepickled

31


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EQUIPMENT

EQUIPMENT(;;;;;;1

J110ST OF THE EQUfP,11ENT T HAT YOU NEED TO MilKE PTCKLES, CHUTNJ:.YSiN D RELISHES CAN BE FOUND [IV ANY WELL-STOCKED KiTCHElV.

CHOPP!. .o AND MJNCINGChopping boards and good, sharp vegetableknives are essential. For chutney ingredients,which have to be chopped into very smallpieces, a food processor is ideaL Itwill saveconsiderable time when preparing a largequantity of ingredients. Dried fruits do notchop easily in a food processor bur they can beminced, along with other ingredients such asonions, using either a hand or an electricmincer,SAL TIN GAl D 1 \J AR I NAT T GSalting, soaking in vinegar and marinating arenormal processes in making pickles, chutneyand relishes, As the acid in salt and vinegarsreacts with certain metals and can permeateabsorptive materials, large bowls made of non-reactive and non-absorptive materials areessential. Dissolved metals can taint or evenpoison the food and although a surface thatbecomes permeated with vinegar or brine willnot damage food in anyway, the bowl may notafterward be suitable for any other purpose.Strengthened glass, such as Pyrex, is the mostsuitable material. Plastic bowls may be usedprovided the surface is non-absorptive. Glazedearthenware is not suitable since the salt orvinegar may damage the glaze.

To cover brined or marinating ingredientsuse plastic wrap.

For stirring [he salting or marinatinsingredients choose metal spoons which willnot react or corrode. Stainless steelimplements are the be t.COOKlNGSpecial preserving pans or saucepans are ideal.Although expensive [Q buy they will last alifetime if properly cared for. If possiblechoose ones made of stainless steel or goodquality aluminium.Ifordinary saucepan are to be used, they

should be made from a non-reactive material,such as stainless steel aluminium or enamel.

32

Tho re with a high quality non-stick finish arealso suitable. Make sure chat the coatings ofenamel or non-stick pans are not chipped.Iron, brass and copper pans are not suitable.Their metals will react with vinegar, taintingthe food and even, as in the case of copper,making it slightly poisonous.

Saucepans should be big enough [Qaccommodate all the ingredients to abouttwo-thirds full. Chutneys and vinegar syrupsare very sticky and are difficult co clean off ahob should they boil over the edge of asaucepan thar is too small.

Large, stainless steel Of wooden spoons areideal for stirring ingredients while cooking. Ifyou prefer using wooden spoons, keep specialones for making vinegar-based preserves as thevinegar permeates them and may taint otherfoods that you subsequently prepare withthem.A large, perforated spoon, preferably

stainless steel, is neces ary when makingpickles that have to be removed from a liquidbefore being put into jars. A stainless steelladle will also be useful,

Any straining, for example of spiced vinegar,should be done through a heatproof nylonsieve.BOTTLINGAn adequate supply of jars is, of course,essential. The most convenient size of jar isone that holds 350ml/12fl oz/11/2 cups,generally referred to as a SOOg/llb jar since ithold by weight 500g/llb of jam, marmalade orhoney.

Purpose-made preserving jars, with eitherspring-clip Of screw tops, are excellent for allpickles, chutneys and relishes but are notessential. If your preserves are for home use,and you make them often, it is well worthkeeping a supply of these jars, If,however,you give your produce away, using these jarswill prove expensive.

Strong, glass jars fitted with plastic screw


22/86

EQUIPillENl'

oof5U

ps (such as coffee jars) or plastic-coatedetal screw tops (such as peanut butter jars)re good substitutes. It is crucial not to allowny metal to come inro contact with vinegar-ased preserves as the metal will corrode andffect the tlavour. Even when using plastic-

cops , it is a good idea to place a d ise oferesin or waxed paper in the lid as well.hutneys can be covered with waxed paperiscs before the screw tops are put on. Presshese down well, making sure that no airubbles are trapped underneath.Simple jam-pot covers - waxed paper discs

nd an outer covering of plastic film orransparent cellulose - can be used forhutneys but are only completely effective ifhe chutney is stored in a dry, cool, well-entilated place for no longer than six months.fter this time, the vinegar may stan tovaporate and the chutney will dry out.Some bottling jars are sealed with corks.

hese must be tight fitting and replaced forach bottling with new corks that have been

briefly boiled. They are then covered withgreaseproof paper and tied down with tring.

All jars should be thoroughly cI aned andsterilized before use. To do this, wash and drythem then lay them on their sides in a verylow oven ( lOODC/20QDF/low gas) and leavethem for about 15 minutes. Before embarkingon the final stage of pickle or chutney making,sterilize ufficienr jars ready for bottling, Thiswill save last minute panics. Use the jarsstraight from the oven if the recipe calls forwarm or hot jars but allow them [Q cool,without leaving them for too long, if the recipecalls for cold ones.

Transfer pickles, chutneys or relishes to jarsusing a stainless steel ladle. A stainless steel orplastic jam funnel, with a wide outlet to fit intothe tops of mo t preserving jars, is useful.

Sticky-backed labels on which to write thetype of pickle or chutney and the date madeare essential. Plain ones are quite adequate forhome use, but decorative ones will smarten upany produce earmarked as gifts.

33

ABOilE: it non-corros ioepan, shmp knives,wooden spoons,per/orated SP0011S andladles,jars, lids andlabels: all that isneededJor successfulpickle and chutneymaking.


23/86

.


24/86

.METHODS

RIGHT: Shreddilzgc a bbag e f o r p ic kl in g. A

sho .rpk11. if e wi l lp re se rv e th e te xtu reand shape o f any

v eg eta b le . C u t yo~trvegetables I J V a z i y so th e

p ic kle w ill l o okattract ive in the/ar .

METHODS for MAKINGPICKLES, RELISHES and CHUTNEYS

WITHIN THEiR. CATEGORIES, CHUTNEYS AND PICKLES USUALLY INVOLVE FAiRLYSTANDARD METHODS OF PREPARATION AS OU7VNED BELOW .. RELiSHES ARE A LITTLEiVlORE Dfl1RSE LN THEIR METHODS OF PREP.A.R.1T!ON. THESE ARE GUfDELINES ONLY,

AND INDIVIDUAL RECIPES SHOULD ALWAYS BE FOLLOWED.

V E GET AB L E PIC KL E SPickles are usually made from raw vegetablesthat are packed into jars and covered withvinegar. The final flavour and texture of apickle are determined by how they are treatedand what other ingredients are added. Thestages in making a vegetable pickle, plus a fewvariations and alternatives, are broadly asfollows.Initial preparation Some vegetables, suchas onions or tomatoes, are peeled or skinned.Large vegetables are sliced or cut into evenlysized pieces. Small ones, such as baby onionsand small cucumbers, are left whole. Others,such as beetroot, may have to be cooked

before pickling.Brining To reduce the water content ofvegetables, which would otherwise dilute thepickling liquid, [hey are often salted, either bydry-salting or brining, Individual recipes dovary, and cooked or blanched vegetables maynot need to be salted.

To dry-salt vegetables, they are firstpeeled and/or chopped to size. They are [henlayered in a bowl with salt, covered and leftfor 12-24 hours.

To brine vegetables, they are completelyimmersed in a strong salt and water solution.Many recipes give precise proportions, but agood guide is 250g/8oz/11/4 cups of sale to

36


25/86

2.41itres/4pt/1O cups of water. A plate placedover the vegetables will hold them under theliquid. The bowl is then covered and thevegetables left for 12-24 hours.

After salting and brining, the vegetables aredrained and usually rinsed with cold water andpaned dry with kitchen paper.

Preparing vinegar Vinegar for pickling isusually flavoured with spices before beingpoured over the vegetables. Ideally,preparation of the vinegar starts as soon as thesalting process of the vegetables begins.

The desired quantity of vinegar is pouredinto a non-reactive saucepan and tbe requiredspices for the recipe are added. There areusually about 3 tablespoons of spices to each1.21itres/2pt/S cups of vinegar. The vinegar isset over a medium heat, brought to the boil,covered and simmered for 10 minutes. Thepan is then removed from the heat and thevinegar left, still covered, until it is quite cold.Cooling takes about 2 hours, depending on theurrounding temperature, The vinegar can bestrained immediately it has cooled or left for aslong as ~te vegetables are being salted, whichwill result in a slightly more strongly spicedflavour. The spiced vinegar is strained througha nylon sieve into a jug for easy pouring overthe pickles. The spices are discarded.

To make a milder pickle, wine can be usedto replace a proportion of the vinegar.

Preparing oil Oil can be used instead ofvinegar for pickling. To flavour oil, whole.pices, for example coriander seeds, herbprigs or garlic cloves, are added to it. It isthen covered and left in a warm- place for upto 12 hours.

Bottling When the vegetables are readythey are packed into sterilized jars; warm onesif the vinegar is hot, cold if the vinegar is cold.

To flavour the pickle after it is bottled,dried chilli peppers, slices of ginger, herbsprigs, whole spices or peeled garlic cloves canbe pushed into the jars with the vegetables.

The vinegar is then poured over thevegetables to completely cover them. Any airbubbles must be dispelled by shaking ortapping the jar. If the vinegar is cold, the jarsare sealed immediately. If it is hot, it isallowed to cool completely before the jars arecovered to prevent condensation, which woulddilute the vinegar, from forming.

The jars are then labelled with the date

and type of pickle.Storing Pickles are stored in a cool, dry

place. They need to be kept for at least oneweek before opening to allow the flavours tofully penetrate the vegetables. Most vegetablepickles maintain their crispness for up to fourmonths.

Fruit is usually pickled in a syrup made fromvinegar and sugar or honey.

Initial. preparation Small fruits, such asapricots, cherries or plums, are usually leftwhole. Pricking them in several places with afork enables the vinegar syrup to penetratemore easily. The fruits are then packed intowarm, sterilized jars.

Larger fruits, such as pears or peaches, arepeeled. Fruits with a core (pears or quince,for example), are quartered and the core cutaway. Stoned fruits (peaches or nectarines, forexample) are halved and the stone removed.The halves are either left intact or sliced.

Preparing the syrup and bottling Thevinegar and sugar are stirred together into anon-reactive saucepan over a low heat untilthe sugar has dissolved. Whole spices toflavour the syrup are added at this point. Theycan be either 100 e or tied up in a small pieceof muslin for easy removal. The syrup is boiled

37

METHODS

AB017E: R em ov ing seed sfrom a honeydewm elo n. A fter th is, c utth e m elo n into w ed gesand c ut th e tind frome ac h w ed ge , b efo ree ve nl y d ic in g th e f l es h.


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METHODS

co release the flavours of the spices into it.If the syrup is to cover whole fruits, it is

boiled until it thickens and then is pouredover the fruits. For pickling sliced fruits, thesyrup is boiled briefly, the beat lowered andthe prepared fruits added and simmeredgently until they are cooked through but stillfirm. They are lifted Out using a perforatedspoon and packed into warm, sterilized jars.The syrup is then boiled until it thickens andis poured over the fruits.

In each case, the spices from the syrup maybe either put into the jars with the fruits orremoved. Additional spices, such as wholecloves, dried chilli peppers or pieces ofcinnamon stick, can also be pur into the jars atthis stage.

The pickle is allowed to cool completelybefore being covered and sealed. The jars arelabelled with the date aod type of pickle.

Storing Fruit pickles are kept for at leastone week before being opened to allow theflavours time to penetrate the fruit. Most fruitpickles will keep for up to a year if scored in acool, dry place.CHUTNEYSChutneys are usually made with a mixture offruits and vegetables.Initial preparation All fruits and

vegetables are finely chopped or minced. Afterbeing checked over, and peeled or skinned,they can be chopped by hand or in a foodproces or. A mincer is useful for tougheringredients like dates or figs.

Dried fruits may be softened by soaking invinegar for up [Q 12 hours in ad vance, beforethe preparation of (he fresh ingredients takesplace.

Some recipes caU for vegetables to be saltedor brined in a similar way to pickle ingredients.

Cooking In simple chutney recipes, all theingredients are usually pur together in asaucepan or preserving pan, brought to the boilover a medium heat and gently simmered toform a thick puree with (he consistency of jam.But some recipes do vary slightly.

Sugar produces a darker colour whencooked for a long time. If a pale colouredchutney irequired, white sugar is added afterthe re t of the ingredients have cooked down.

In some recipes, all or half of the vinegar isreserved until halfway through the cool ing time.

38

At the beginning of the COOKingtime, achutney will need to be stirred only aboutevery ten minutes. However, towards the endof the cooking time, as the chutney becomesthicker, it will need frequent stirring toprevent it from sticking to the bottom of thepan. The time that. chutneys take [Q thickenvaries from one to three hours. When they arethick, bubbling and a spoon dragged throughthe centre leaves an impression that lasts for afew seconds, they are ready. The chutney isremoved from the heat at this point and leftuntil it has stopped bubbling.

Bottling As soon as the chutney hasstopped bubbling, it is ladled into warm,sterilized jars. Between each ladleful thechutney is pusbed down and any pockets of airare dislodged. Any drips or stickiness arewiped off the jar or rim with a clean, dampcloth. The chutney is covered and sealedimmediately. The jars are labelled with thetype of chutney and the date.

Storing Chutneys improve and mellow withkeeping so they are left for at Least one month,preferably longer, before being opened. [anychutneys will keep, unopened, for LIpto twoyears and maybe more if stored in a cool, dark,dry cupboard. After this time, the level ofchutney in the jar may begin C O shrink as thevinegar evaporates and the contents dry out.RELISHESThere are many different ways of making arelish. Some are a mixture of fresh ingred ients,mixed together to be served immediately.Others are made in a way that is something ofa cross between pickle and ch urneyprocedures, as described below.Initial preparation Vegetables and fruits

for relishes are usually finely chopped andoften lightly dry-salted or brined.

Cooking All the ingredients are put into apreserving pan or saucepan and cooked for 5-45 minutes. Some relishes are thickened byadding a mixture of flour or cornflour andvinegar to the pan. After thickening, the relishis cooked for a further 2-5 minutes.

Bottling Cooked relishes for keeping arepur into warm, sterilized jars and sealedimmediately. They are labelled with the dateand type of relish.

Storing Bottled relishes will keep for up tosix months if stored in a cool, dry place.


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RECIPES


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BRING A BREATH Of fRESH SPRING AIR

INTO YOUR LARDER BY IvlAKING SAVOURY

PRESERVES WITH BOTf-! HOME-GROWN

USE YO R IMAGINATION AND F(NO

At 0 nvlPORTED FR ITS.

VEGETABLE SUCH AS Lf.EKS, SPRING GREENS

A m DRIED BEANS THAT YO HAVE NEVERTHOUGHT TO PRESERVE BEFORE.


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SPRINC

ABOVE: Cucumbers ,o n ce o ttl) 1 a s umm erv eg et ab le , a r e 1WW

gro wn th ro ugho ut theyea r a nd are ex ceilen:

in th e sp ring. S incee ar ly tim es , th er -e h a vep ro ba blJ I b een m o rer ec ip es f o r p ic kl ed

c uc u.m b er " th an f or a n') ,o t he r s in gl e v eg et ab le .

SPRINGIN SPRING, THE AIR JS CLEAR AND FRESH, NEW LIFE BURSTS DUT OF THE GROUND liND

YOU HAV SWEPT AllT,1Y ALL THE COBWEBS IN THE HOUSE. Now IT IS TIMA' FORSOMETHlNG NEW IN THE LARDER, SOME BRAND NEW SAVOURY PRESERVES FOR SPRING.

BUT WHAT PRODUCE ts THERE TO CHOOSE FROM.?

Taditionally, springtime was still a verylean time of year, perhaps even themost precarious as the old sayingmakes clear: "March will tell, April will cry butMay will prove whether you live or die." Whatit meant was that with winter stores runninglow, there was really very little fresh produceto be had. The next season's crops were in theground, but still only a few centimetres high.We hardly notice this today, now that food isjetted al l over the world and cheats theseasons, bur if you were to look at thevegetable garden in spring, what would youfind?

Definitely leeks. Why else were theychosen as one of the emblems for St David'sDay, 1st ifarch (the other emblem is adaffodil)? Leeks withstand all the bad weatherthat winter can throw at them and actuallygrow in girth throughout the colder monthswithout becoming tougher. With their greentops standing up from the ground like flags,they are the cook's promise of spring. Likeonions, leeks are an excellent antidote to thecommon cold and many country peoplebelieved that eating leeks daily at this time ofyear would keep you healthy for a year.Another old saying goes:"Eat leeks in 1ide [March] and rarnsons [wildgarlic] in May, And all the year after physiciansmay play."Ifyou grow leeks yourself, you will know

just how much dirt clings to them when theyare pulled up. Wash them well under runningwater both before trimming and cutting tolength and after. There is nothing worse than agritty leek, whether in a stew or a pickle. Evenif you buy your leeks ready trimmed andwashed, wash them again under cold runningwater after chopping to length, JUSt in case. Ifyou need to store leeks at all, wash them, leavethem whole and put them in a polythene bagin the refrigerator for up to three days. If they

44

are left unrefrigerated, they rend to dry up.Unlike onions, leeks are best cooked before

pickling so that they become really succulentafter being steeped in the vinegar. They makean excellent accompaniment to all cold mealsand are particularly good with pasta (page 55).

Broccoli is another spring garden favourite.As every plant seems to bear heads at thesame time, to be able [Q turn them into apickle is a great advantage. Most homegardeners grow what is known as "sproutingbroccoli", which produces an abundance ofsmall heads on side shoots. This is occasionallyavailable in the shops bur, since it is also soldwith a large number of edible leaves attachedit is rather a waste to buy it simply for theheads. Instead, choose the larger-headedbroccoli known as calabrese, which is alsoavailable at this time of year, and cut it intosmall florets. Both types of broccoli will keepin a polythene bag in the refrigerator for up rothree days.

Although cauliflower is available al l year, itis particularly flavoursome in spring when thehardy, overwintered varieties are ready forharvest. The crisp stems and crumbly texturedflorets of cauliflower have made the vegetablea favourite pickling ingredient for severalcenturies. Elizabeth Raffald's ExperiencedEngl is h Hou s eke ep e l;w r it te n in 1782, includestwo recipes, one of which requires the saltedcauliflowers to be laid out in the sun "till theyare quite dry like scraps of leather" before thevinegar is poured over them. In Indiacauliflower stems are pickled and in theMiddle East cauliflower is pickled with dill orradishes. In the West a favourite cauliflowerpickle has long been Piccalilli. However, as theother vegetable ingredients are not generally

RIGHT: S pring is tra ditio ?Za /~ y th e tim e w hen a nabundance o f fruits b eco me av aila ble, a nd the la ser

m o nth s o f th e sea so n a re e sp ec ia lly p len tifu l.


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ABO IrE: Rhubarb is awo ndeJ ju i stand-by int h e s p ri ng . It grows

p1viijito.i/j1 i 1 7 . countrygar de ns a ?1. dis readilya va ila ble in th e sh ops.It makes a del ic ious

c h ut ne y e sp e ci al !: )1whm co mbined with

dried fruits.

available in the spring to go with it, this isproperly an autumn recipe.Choose cauliflowers that have large, firm,

very white heads. Ifyou need to store thembefore turning them into a preserve, keepthem in the chiller drawer at the bottom of therefrigerator for up to three days.

Spring greens, those hardy, dark greencabbages with no heart, are anothersuccessfully overwintered vegetable. It isunusual to find them in pickles in the West,but one of the few Chinese pickle recipes callsfor their use (page 57).

It is unlikely that any present-day cook.would run out of fresh vegetables to make intopickles, but in the eighteenth and nineteenthcenturies cooks had to rely on driedvegetables, particularly beans, to see themthrough lean times. Kidney beans, inparticular, were a popular pickle ingredient,and today chickpeas feature in Middle Easternrecipes (page 53).

Today, not only do we have efficient meansof transporting vegetables bur we are capable

46

of producing them out of their once acceptedseason. In the northern hemisphere,cucumbers are produced in glasshouses nearlyall the year round and are particularlyabundant in mid- to late spring. Although thesweet, firm, outdoor-grown cucumbers are notavailable in spring, these are often hard to findanyway, so, for the purposes of this book, 1 amregarding glasshouse cucumbers as animportant supplement to the supply of freshfoods in spring. Of course, you can wait untilthe su mmer [0 use the recipes if you wish.

There are almost more recipes for pickledcucumbers than for any other single vegetable.They come from every century and from awide variety of countries. In East Europeancountries they are pickled with dill, in Indiathey are mixed with yoghurt and fresh coconutto make a refreshing sambal and in Korea theyare stuffed with white radish, fresh ginger andspring onions to make a pickle called"kirnchee" .The white radish, sometimes called mooli,

can be made into pickles and relishes on itsown or with other ingredients (page 56). InJapan, where it is known as daikon, it is madeinto a relish with soy sauce. Closer co home,small, round, red radishes with a fresher, lessmusty taste than the white, become availablein mid-spring. Use them alone or incombination with the white radish to make aninteresting mix of flavours (see page 57).

For spring chutney recipes, you will have tolook to tbe available fruits. The earliestsuitable fruit to arrive, often as early asFebruary, is rhubarb. Never regarded as aluxury fruit, rhubarb is a wonderful countrytandby, a val uable ingredient for fruit fools,pies and crumbles when there is no other freshfruit to be had and so prolific that most peoplegive it away by the kilo. When cooked, itreduces down to a thick, textured puree,which makes it an ideal chutney ingredient. Infact, the edible part of the plant being thestalk, rhubarb is actually a vegetable and theslight vegetable quality about its flavourmakes it blend well with onions and spices.Because of its very sharp flavour, chutneysmust include plenty of dried fruits and sugar.Raisins are its natural companion, contributingsweetness and a mellow flavour to rhubarb's


31/86

sharp pungency.Fresh rhubarb should have a shiny, almost

translucent quality and should be crisp and notfloppy. It can be stored for up to three days ina pclythene bag in the refrigerator but, likemost ingredients, it is best used as soon afterbuying or picking as possible. Always discardthe leaves as these are poisonous and trimaway the end of the stalk. Otherwise, rhubarbonly has to be chopped.EARLY FLAVOURSWhen home-grown fruits are scarce, you cancum to more exotic ones. Melons, grown allover the world, are available all through theyear, but you can really appreciate them inspring. There are many varieties, but thehoneydew is the one you are most likely tofind at this time of the year. It is usuallypickled in a sweet-sharp solution of sweetenedvinegar (page 58). Melon is best teamed withmild spices, such as cloves cinnamon andmace, and a dark brown sugar is the bestweetener. In chutneys, melon is often treatedlike mango and there arevarious eighteenth-centuryrecipes for "Melon, tomake like mangoes", usinggarlic and pepper,cinnamon and mustardeed.Bu t why use a

ubstitute when you canuse the real thing? Themost prolific of fruits,mangoes grow all over theworld and are available allrh rough the year. In the1670s, members of theEast India Company foundmangoes in India wherethey were eaten fresh aswell as being processedinto chutneys and pickles.s the fruits could notithstand long seaourneys, the Companybegan exporting jars ofickled mangoes to Britainwhere they were eitherused as they were orturned into more elaboratehutneys with other

SPRING

ingredients. The name for the fruit very soonbecame synonymous with the pickle and manyrecipes were entitled "To make a ian go" andused either the original fruit or substitutes.

!lango chutney is very special. The fleshsoftens and stays intact and blends easily withsugar, spices and vinegar without losing itsoriginal flavour, There are mango chutneysfrom India, from tile Caribbean (page 60) andfrom South Africa as well as from the countrykitchens of Britain and orth America. Thereare also what are sometimes called "freshchutneys", mango flesh mashed and mixedwith yoghurt and lime juice as anaccompaniment to spicy foods (page 60).

Pawpaws are not as sweetly juicy asmangoes, but their flesh is soft and rich and,either ripe or unripe, makes a good relish(page 60).

As you can see, even an unpromising seasoncan offer a choice of food for preserves, fromhumble rhubarb to exotic mangoes. So clearout your winter larder and make way for anew supply.

BELOW: M elons o f a l!types are a va ilab le inspring. U se th em likemangoes ill chut'lZCj'orpu t them into sw eet,s pic e d v in eg a r:

47


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SPill N G

CARlBBEAN MA GOCH TNEY

Very dark in colour, this is a rich, hot and fruity chutney thattill maintains the fresh quality of the mango. Leave it fortWOweeks before opening. Once opened, it will keep for up[Qone month. Unopened, it will keep for up to two years.

FILLS ABOUT FIVE SOOG/ lLB JARS6 u nd er -r ip e m an go es1 tb sp sa lt60g' 20z dried tamarina2S0g . 80z r aisin s, so a ke d fo r

12/LOurs750m ! l'1t ma lt v inegar60g 20z fr esh g in ge r r oo t,p eeled a nd gr ated

Z/t-esh re d 01- g re en c h il lipe p jm""S , c 017 Jd,s eed ed andf in e~ y c h o pp ed

2 elopes g ar lic , c ra sh ed37Sg 120z dm -k musco uado

sugar

Peel and dice the mangoes. Put them into a bowl, mix in thesalt, and leave them for 2 hours. Do not drain them.Put thetamarind into a bowl, pour 6 tablespoons of boiling waterover it and leave for 30 minutes, Rub it through a sieve.

Put the raisins into a preserving pan or non-reactivesaucepan, pour in the vinegar and add the mangoe , thetamarind pulp, ginger, chilli peppers, garLic and sugar. Bring[Qthe boil and simmer for about 1 hour, or until the mixtureis thick. The mangoes should be tender but still .in recog-nizable pieces.

Spoon the hot chutney into warm, sterilized jars and sealimmediately.


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SPRING

RHUBARB and ORANGECHUTNEY

This is a bitter-sweet chutney with a distinct orange flavourthat goes well with cold meats. Leave it for one monthbefore using and, once opened, eat it within one month.L'nopened, it will keep for up to three years.HULS A BO UT F IV E SOOG/lLB J A R S./ o ra n ge s, s cm b be d1.5kg . 3lb rhu barb , cho pp ed

in to 2.5cm . lin length s- I o nio ns (a bo lit 500g lib ),fille/y chopped

iO Og lib raisins

900ml 10 pt malt tnnegar7 50 g l'h lb ligh t m usc ou ado

sugar1 tsp ground maceIISp ground cinnamonJ tsp g ro u nd a lls pic e

Thinly pare away the orange part of the rind and cut it intomall, thin strips. Cut away and discard the white pith.Finely chop the flesh, re erving as much juice as possibJeand discarding as many pips as you can.

Put oranges and their rinds into a pre erving pan or non-reactive saucepan. Add all the remaining ingredients. Bringthem to the boil and simmer for about 2 Y z hours, or until themixture is thick and dark.


INDIAN RHUBARBCHUTNEY

Keep this hot, sweet and spicy chutney for three weeks be-fore using and, once opened, eat it within a month. ]1-opened, it will keep for up to two years.F IL LS A B OU T T HR E E SOOG/lLB J A R S900ml 1hp t m alt v inegar500g lib granu la ted sugarl.5 kg 31 b r h.L tb arb , c h o pp ed

into 2 .5 C 1 71 J il l piecesJ 0 d ov es g ar lic , c ru sh edJ ts p c a yenne p epp er

2tsp g ro und gin ge rJ tb sp m usta rd p ow der'h mameg , Jreshf:y grated60g 2 0z Jla ke d b la nc he d

a lmonds

Pour the vinegar into a preserving pan or non-reactivesaucepan, add the sugar and set over a low heat. Stir untilthe sugar has dissolved. Add the rhubarb and cook gently for2 0 minutes, or until it has cooked to a puree.

Acid all [he remaining ingredients co[be saucepan. Sim-mer gently, stirring occasionally, for about 2 hours, or untilthe chutney is thick and dark.


49


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SPRING

LEMON and GRAPEFRUITCHUTNEY

The rich dark brown of this unusual bitter-sweet chutney isflecked with mustard seeds and lighter pieces of citrus fruit.Leave the chutney for one month before using and, onceopened, eat it within one month, Unopened, it will keep forup to two years.fiLLS ABOUT FIVE !'O O G / I LB JARS8 lemons2 grapifmit8 o nio ns (a bo ut 1g 2Ib ),/ine!y chopped

2tbsp salt

250g . 80:


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SPRING

PICKLEDCUCUMBERS

Slightly salty and flavoured with herbs these crisp cucum-ber slices should be left for two weeks before using. Onceopened, they must be eaten within a week. Unopened, theywill keep for up to three months.F IL LS A B OU T F IV E 5 0 0 G /1 L B JA RS4 la rge o r 8smal l asasmbers125g 40z sa lt, p lu s 1b sp6tb sp c ho pp ed fre sh d ill 07 -fennel

2tsp dill o r fennel seeds

2 ts p c or ia nd er s ee ds2 ts p b la c k p ep p er co r ns900m l J 'I2p t wh ite w ine

vmegar

Wipe then thinly slice the cucumbers, without peelingthem. In a large bowl, dissolve the 125g140z of salt in 1.2litres/Zpt of water then put in the cucumber and leave for 2hour .

Pour the vinegar into a non-reactive saucepan with theremaining 1 tablespoon of salt. Bring to the boil then re-move from the heat and allow to cool.

Drain the cucumber slices in a colander and rinse themwell under coldwater. Layer them with the chopped freshdill or fennel and the seeds and peppercorns in cold,sterilized jars. Pour in the vinegar and seal immediately.

CAULIFLOWER and BROCCOLIPICKLE

Florets of cauliflower and broccoli make crunchy pickles, inthis case, hot and spicy. Leave the pickle for at least threedays before using. Once opened, it should be eaten withinone week. Unopened, it will keep for u.p to three months.F IL LS A B OU T T HR E E SOOG f lL B JA RS900m l l'12p t wh ite w ine

tnnegar2ts p c or ia nd er s ee ds2tsp cu min seeds2 d r-ie d r ed c hilli p ep pe rs

1piece fr es h g in ge r r oo t,bruised

1s ma ll fir m c au lif lo w er2 Imge finn heads b ro cco li, o r

catabrese (a bo ut 7 50 gJ 'I2lb)

Pour the vinegar into a non-reactive saucepan, add thecoriander and cumin seeds, the chilli peppers and the gingerroot and bring to the boil. Cover and simmer for lO minutes.Remove the pan from [he heat. Allow the vinegar to coolcompletely then strain it.

Cut the cauliflower and broccoli into small florets. Bringa pan of water to the boil, put in the cauliflower and broccoliand cook [hem for 1 minute. Drain them in a colander andrun cold water through [hem. Allow [hem to cool.

Pack the cauliflower and broccoli into cold, sterilized jarsand pour the vinegar over them. Seal immediately.

52


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SPRING

HOT SPICED CHICKPEAS

ABOUT TWO 500G/I LB JARSX 42Sg lSo z c ans ch ickpeasb sp tom a to p u re ec lo v es g ar lic , c ru sh edsp g round p a p ri ka

0 ts p ca yenn e p e p pe r150m! IJIp tolive oil450 m/ % pt w hite w in evznegar

Drain the chickpeas and pack them into cold, sterilized jars.Put the tomato puree, crushed garlic, paprika andcayenne pepper into a bowl and gradually work in the oliveoil, 1 tablespoon at a time, to make a smooth paste.

Gradually beat in the vinegar. You can use a hand mixeror, alternatively, put all the ingredients together in a foodprocessor and work until smooth.

Pour the mixture over the chickpeas and sealimmediately.

n interesting addition to the range of spring preserves inhe larder, this hot, tomato-flavoured pickle is Middleastern in origin and ridiculously easy to make. Serve it asgarnish co salad dishes. Do not use for at least one week.nce opened, the chickpeas should be eaten within a fe vvays. Unopened, they will keep for up to two months.

53


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SPRfNG

A PICKLE O/LEEKS andPINE KERNELS

A winter vegetable that overlaps into spring, leeks make asucculent pickle mixed with pine kernels and flavouredwith sweet spices. Leave the pickle for at least one weekbefore using and, once opened, eat within two weeks, Un-opened, the picklewill keep for up [Q four months.FILLSABOUT FOUR AND A HALF 500G/ ILB JARS900ml l'1zptwhite wine 2 chips nutmeg (the small

vwegar slivers left over when a1 cinnamon stick whole nut has teen2tsp allspice berries fmh/), grated)2 blades mace 8 large leeks (about 2kg 41b

total weight)J 25g/4oz pine kernels

POUT the vinegar into a non-reactive saucepan and add thecinnamon, allspice berries, mace and nutmeg. Bring them tothe boil, cover and simmer for 10 minutes. Remove thesaucepan from the heat. Allow the vinegar to cool com-pletely and strain it.

Wash the leeks well, cut them into 2.Scm/l in lengthsand wash them again. Bring a pan of water to the boil. Putin the leeks and cook them for about 7 minutes, or untilthey are just tender. Drain and allow them to cool.

Pack the leeks into cold, sterilized jars, sprinkling pinekernels in between. Pour the cold vinegar over them andseal immediately.

55


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SPRING

MOOLI and CUCUMBERRAlTA

In India, long white radishes are known as mooli. 'Mixedwith cucumber and a gently spiced yoghurt they make a re-freshing relish to accompany curry. The relish sbould beserved as soon as possible after it is made as it will not keep.MAKESABOUT400G/140ZI small white radish o r ino o li

( abou t ZOOg . 70z)y , : l ar ge c u cumb er6tbsp narura! J'Qghzt1tltsp g ro un d tu rm eri;

1 tsp g ro un d c oria nd er'lttsp cayenn pepper30g. 10z stdtanas,fi lZely

chopped

Finely grate the white radish and finely chopthe cucumber. Mix them togetherin a bowl.Stif in the yogh lift, turmeric,coriander, pepper and sultanas.

Mix well and serve.ABorE: M ooh and Cucumber Raitaand Relish o f Red ct11d j,j ' h it e Radi shes


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RELISH of RED andWHITE RADISHES

Radishes grow fast and abundantly in spring and this crisp,light relish, good with curries and rice dishes, makes ex-cellent use of them. The relish is ready to eat as soon as ithas been prepared but it can be safely kept in the refriger-ator, covered, for up to one week.MAKES ABOUT 300G/IO OZ1 small white radish 01' mooIi

(about 200g 7oz)20 rozmd red radishes4 spring 01l01/.S, chopped

2 doves gadi , crushedItsp saltJ tsp granulated sugar'/;tspCa)le7meepper

Cur the wbite radish into lcm/Yzin cubes and thinly slice thered radishes. Put all the radishes into a bowl and mix in theonion, garlic, salt, sugar and cayenne pepper.

Transfer the mixture to a jar and cover with a piece ofthin cotton material secured with an elastic band. Leave for3 days at room temperature, occasionally pushing theradishes beneath the liquid that will collect.

Replace the catron cover with a lid and place the relishin the refrigerator for 1 hour.

SPRfNG

CHI TESE PICKLEDGREENS

Very light, salty and hot, and with sweetness from thesherry, this pickle keeps the fresh flavour of the greens.Used sparingly, it is an excellent accompaniment forChinese rice dishes. Although the preparation spans severaldays, the method itself is very easy. Leave the pickle for sixweeks before using. Once opened, use it within two weeks.Unopened, it will keep for up [0six months.FILLS ABOUT TWO 500G/' LB JARS3 heads open green t'abbage

hearts or spring greens(about 1kg 21b totalweight)

6 doves garlic

3tbsp salt2tbsp dry sherry1tbsp t'hiiJipowder2tsp caster sugar450ml %pt medium shenJI

Preheat the oven to lS0DC/300F/gas mark 2.Finely shred the greens and crush the garlic. Put them

together into a casserole and cover. Place in the preheatedoven and cook for 30 minutes. Remove the casserole andleave the vegetables to stand, covered, for 2 hours.

Sprinkle the vegetables with 1 tablespoon of the salt andthe dry sherry. Cover again and leave to stand for 3 days atroom temperature.

Ilix in the remaining salt, the chilli powder and sugar,then pack the pickle into cold, sterilized jars. Pour in themedium sherry and seal immediately.


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SPRING

MELON and MUSTARDPICKLE

Sweet melon cubes in a savoury mustard sauce make thisbright yellow pickle rather intriguing. Keep it for at leasttWOdays before using and, once opened, eat it within twoweeks. Unopened, it will keep for up to six months.FI

pickles chutneys and relishes cookbook

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