GOOSEBERRIES AND PLUMS

New Zealand Listener, Volume 16, Issue 395, 17 January 1947, Page 22

GOOSEBERRIES AND PLUMS

HE gooseberries have been in season some time now, but are still going strong. Different kinds of plums are coming in all the time, so let us consider some recipes-not only jams, although they are important. . New Gooseberry Jam Two pounds of gooseberries, cut up into three or four pieces. Put these into a pan with 2 cups of water, 4 cups of sugar slightly warmed, and the juice and pulp of 2 nice lemons, Bring to the bail, stirring often, and boil for about 2 hours, or until it will set when tested. Strain before bottling, and cover when cold. Mock Strawberry Jam Boil 6lbs. of sugar and 5 cups of water for 10 minutes. Add 3lbs, of gooseberries, and boil about 114 hours, or until it will set. Take off the stove, let it stand for about half an ‘hour, then add % small bottle of vanilla essence. Bottle. Plum and Raspberry (or Black Currant) Jam Four pounds of plums; 3lbs. of raspberries (or black currants); and.2 pints of water. Boil these till soft, and then rub through a colander. Bring to ‘the. boil, and add slowly 7lbs. of sugar, and boil till it will set when tested-about 35 minutes. Damson Jam Without Stones Boil 8ibs. damsons in a pan with a very little water till tender. Strain them through a coarse sieve to remove the stones, then add to the pulp 6lbs. of sugar. Stir. Bring to the boil, and boil till a little will set when tested. Bottle at once. ox Plum and Banana Jam _ This is a different flavour from plum jam altogether, and is lovely. Nine pounds of plums; 8lbs, of sugar; 2 cups of water; 20z. of butter; and 1 dozen’ bananas mashed well. Make the plum jam as. usual, with the butter in, and twenty minutes before the jam is cooked, add the well mashed bananas, and stir in well. Plum Filling Nice for school lunches. Three pounds of plums (Blue Diamond are _ good); 3lbs. of sugar; 1lb. of chopped walnuts; and lib. raisins. Boil for- 45 minutes, then add the rind and juice of 1 orange and 1 lemon. Boil again about 15 minutes, Gooseberry and Apple Fluff _ One pound of gooseberries; Wb. iy: ing apples; sugar to taste; 1 pint of milk; 2 eggs; Y2oz. gelatine, moistened with a little water; and vanilla flavouring. Trim-and wipe the gooseberries, put them in a saucepan with a little water, and cook till tender. Add sugar to taste, and leave till cold. Peel and slice the apples, stew them,,and push

through a ‘sieve. Put the gooseberries in the bottom of a glass dish, and pour over them the stewed apple. Separate the whites from the yolks of the eggs. Beat up the yolks with the milk and stir over a slow fire until thick. Add the gelatine, and sugar to taste, then fold the whisked egg whites into the mix. ture, and add a little vanilla. Pour oyer the fruit and allow to set. Plum Mousse _ Stew about a dozen large plums with very little water and sugar to taste. When cooked, rub through a coarse sieve. There should be a half pint of good rich pulp. Make a custard with a breakfast cup of rich milk and the yolks ‘of 2 eggs, a little sugar; when cold beat it into the plum pulp. Have ready a dessertspoon of gelatine dissolved in about 2 tablespoons of, the

plum juice! and stir this into the mix‘ture. Taste to see if it is sweet enough. Whisk up about half a teacup of tream or top milk, and stir in lightly. Leave the mixture until beginning to set, and then fold in the. 2 egg whites beaten stiff, Leave to set in a wetted mould. Fresh Plum Pudding Cook about 144lbs. of fresh red plums in about a teacup of water; adding a couple of tablespoons of sugar. When soft, remove the stones. Line a- pudding basin or mould neatly with slices of stale bread-cut these into wedge-like pieces and fit them neatly round the sides, and ‘a round piece of bread at the bottom. Carefully soak this lining with some of the plum juice. Now put in a layer, of the soft plums, and then a layer of thin bread, and so on, until the basin is fall, finishing with a layer of bread. Cover with a ‘saucer or plate which fits tightly, and put a weight on top. Leave till cold. Turn out of basin and serve with a good custard or mock cream, Gooseberry Sauce Two large cups of ‘gooseberries; 1 large cup of water; 1 tablespoon of butter; 1 tablespoon of sugar; pepper and salt, and a little nutmeg. Cook the gooseberrics and water together till soft. Put through sieve, and return to pan. Stir in butter (continued‘on next page)