Cookery Elisabeth Luard

RAID YOUR APPLE STORE

As autumn closes in, it’s a good time to tidy up the store cupboard, sort out the freezer and repurpose what’s lurking in the back of the fridge.

My paternal grandmother, an Edinburgh Scot who let nothing go to waste, was of the opinion that, if in doubt, you should use your nose. Her autumn tidy-up in preparation for restocking the larder amalgamated the contents of all opened jamjars, regardless of furry little hats, giving the whole lot a good boil-up and repotting.

Unfinished jars of marmalade were treated similarly but with the inclusion of a slug of whisky. Last year’s left-over chutney was stirred into the new batch to deepen the flavour.

Chores saved for grandchildren included wrapping apples in neat squares of newspaper and arranging them on slatted shelves in the attic.

When the attic air began to smell cidery, the grandchildren were sent up the pull-down ladder to sniff out the baddies and take them to the kitchen to be turned into chutney or apple jelly, flavoured with thyme, sage or mint, to be eaten with the Christmas cold-cuts.

Apple and ginger chutney

Chutney is easy-going and forgiving. But it’s the devil of a sticker in the later stages – so choose a rainy afternoon when you’re home, and keep stirring regularly. If you forget and it burns on the base, don’t scrape or stir; just tip it all into a clean pan. Only what’s left behind will taste burnt. Makes about 4 jars

1.5kg apples, cored, peeled and chunked 100g fresh ginger root, roughly chopped (no need to scrape) 2 medium onions, skinned and finely chopped 100g sultanas and/or diced dried apricots 1 tbsp salt 1 tsp powdered cloves 350ml cider vinegar or malt vinegar 500g dark brown sugar

Dump everything, except the vinegar and sugar, into a roomy preserving pan, bring to the boil, turn down the heat, lid and simmer for 30-40 minutes, until the apple is soft and the onions tender.

Add the vinegar and sugar, and stir until the crystals have dissolved. Bring back to the boil, lid loosely and cook for another 1½ hours, stirring regularly, until the mixture is thick and rich.

Ladle into sterilised jars and lid tightly. Good in a week; better in a month.

Apple and chilli jelly

Brogdale apple orchard, the national varietal archive in Kent, is in financial trouble as a result of lockdown. The season runs till November – so there’s still time to collect supplies. Herbs can be used as flavouring instead of chilli.

2kg apples (any variety) About 2kg granulated sugar 1-2 fresh red chillies, deseeded and finely chopped

Wipe and roughly chop the apples – skin, core, pips and all – and drop into a roomy pan with enough water to cover. Bring to boil and cook until the fruit is mushy. Strain through a cloth or tip into a jelly bag – don’t press or squeeze the pulp.

Measure the juice and return it to the pan with its own volume of sugar. Bring all gently back to the boil, stirring till the crystals dissolve. Turn down the heat and simmer for 30-40 minutes, till the mixture jells when you put a drop on a cold plate. Stir in the chopped chilli and reboil for a minute or two. Ladle into hot jars and lid tightly. Store in the fridge. Ready immediately.