Homemade with love Tried and tested jams and preserves from the members of the Country Women’s Association of Victoria
HANDED DOWN THROUGH GENERATIONS OF THE COUNTRY WOMEN’S ASSOCIATION OF VICTORIA, THESE SWEET AND SAVOURY DELIGHTS ARE SURE TO BECOME BELOVED FAVOURITES AT YOUR OWN FAMILY TABLE
ANY BERRY JAM Makes 4-5 small jars
1kg berries (we used raspberries) 1.5kg sugar
1 tsp tartaric acid
1. Place berries and sugar in a large pot. Bring to boil, then boil exactly 5 minutes. Add tartaric acid. Boil exactly 5 minutes.
2. Pour into warm, sterilised jars and seal. Jam will keep for up to 2 years. Once opened, store in the fridge. >
SERVE ONION JAM WITH CHEESE, THIN SLICES OF PEAR AND NUTS AS A SCRUMPTIOUS APPETISER
ONION JAM
Makes about 6 x 375g jars
1kg brown onions 2 tbsp olive oil 1kg sugar 75g mustard seeds 400ml red wine vinegar 300ml sweet chilli sauce
1. Peel onions, cut in half and slice thinly. Sauté onion in the olive oil in a large saucepan over low heat for about 10 minutes, until soft.
2. Add sugar and stir until dissolved. Add mustard seeds, vinegar and sweet chilli sauce.
3. Boil about 30 minutes, until reduced and thickened.
4. Pour into warm, sterilised jars and seal. Jam will keep for up to 12 months. Once opened, store in the fridge.
CHERRY JAM
Makes about 8 x 375g jars (See page 135)
2.5kg stoned cherries
(reserve stones)
185ml lemon juice 1.5kg sugar
1. Tie cherry stones in a muslin bag and put into a large saucepan with cherries and lemon juice.
2. Bring to the boil. Reduce heat and simmer until cherries are tender (about ½ hour). Remove bag of cherry stones.
3. Add sugar to the cherries and cook over a low heat, stirring constantly, until sugar is dissolved. Bring to the boil and boil rapidly until jam reaches setting point. Remove scum from the top of the jam. Allow jam to cool completely in the saucepan, then pour into warm, sterilised jars and seal.
Jam will keep for up to 2 years. Once opened, store in the fridge.
LESTER’S FIVE-FRUIT MARMALADE
Makes about 10 x 375g jars
6 small tangelos or mandarins 6 limes
4 large Lisbon lemons
6 Meyer lemons
1 large orange 2.5L water 2.5kg sugar
1. Wash all the fruit.
2. Cut tangelo peels into 5mm squares and roughly chop flesh. Cut limes in half and slice into thin semi-circles. Zest Lisbon lemons, then juice them. Thinly slice Meyer lemon peels into 1mm shreds, then juice them. Coarsely julienne the peel of the orange, then juice orange.
3. Place all fruit, peels and juice in a boiler, very large saucepan or a small stockpot, taking care that no pips go in. Cover with water and let stand overnight.
4. Next day, gently boil for up to 1 hour, until the fruit is tender.
Slowly add sugar, stirring constantly until dissolved.
5. Boil rapidly for 20–30 minutes, until setting point is reached. 6. Pour into warm, sterilised jars and seal immediately. After a minute, undo the lid slightly to release pressure from the jar, before finally tightening. Marmalade will keep for up to 2 years. >
DECANT CHUTNEY INTO A BEAUTIFUL BOWL WHEN HOSTING GUESTS FOR A SPECIAL OCCASION
MY GRANDMOTHER’S TOMATO CHUTNEY
Makes about 12 x 375g jars
3.5kg ripe tomatoes
1kg brown onions
1kg Granny Smith apples 500g sultanas
6 cups (1.5L) white vinegar
125g salt
50g ground ginger ½ tsp cayenne pepper 4½ cups (1kg) sugar
1. Peel and chop tomatoes, onions and apples.
2. Place in a pan with sultanas, vinegar, salt, ginger and cayenne pepper. Bring to the boil, then simmer for 2½ hours.
3. Add the sugar and stir until the sugar dissolves. Bring to the boil, then simmer, uncovered, for about 30 minutes, until the desired consistency is reached.
4. Bottle into warm, sterilised jars and seal. The chutney will keep for up to 2 years.
TIP: This chutney makes a nice quantity, without having to stand overnight.
NECTARINE & PEACH CHUTNEY
Makes about 6 x 375g jars
750g peaches
750g nectarines
2¾ cups brown sugar
2 cups white vinegar
3 tbsp grated fresh ginger 1 garlic clove, finely chopped
2½ tsp ground cinnamon 2 tsp ground cloves
1¼ tsp salt
¼ tsp ground black pepper 2 medium onions, diced 1 green capsicum, diced
1. Wash peaches and nectarines. Remove stones and chop the fruit. 2. Mix together sugar, vinegar, ginger, garlic, cinnamon, cloves, salt and pepper in a large saucepan. Slowly bring to the boil, stirring constantly. Stir in the peaches, nectarines and the chopped onion and capsicum. Return to the boil.
3. Reduce heat and simmer over a medium heat for 1 hour or until thick, stirring frequently.
4. Pour into warm, sterilised jars and cover with two layers of baking paper and one layer of foil. Tie securely with string.
The chutney will keep for up to 2 years.
TIP: This is delicious with cold meat, or cheese and biscuits.