PEACHES AND NECTARINES

New Zealand Listener, Volume 22, Issue 555, 10 February 1950, Page 22

PEACHES AND NECTARINES

E are certainly having .a feast of fruit this year. Be sure to preserve plenty, sO that we may go on enjoying it long after the short fruit season is over. Do not try to. preserve over-ripe fruit, but let it be mature. Any bruised fruit can be used for pulping, first cutting away the bruised or damaged parts, but always remember that it must not be over-ripe. One or two half-bad pieces may spoil a whole batch. Pulping Fruit This is a good way of dealihg with extra fruit which may come to you when you haven’t time-or sugar-to make it into jam. You need not use any sugar when pulping fruit unless you like, although many people like to add just a little, or honey. To pulp fruit,\ have it cut up and use only sufficient water to stop it from burning. Soft berry fruits and tomatoes should be crushed against | the side of the. pan to draw sufficient | juice to start cooking, then no water is ' needed. Peaches, being harder, need a little water, and it is always a,good idea | to butter the bottom of the pan in jam"making as well as pulping. When the fruit is thoroughly boiled and pulpy, fill hot ‘sterilised jars to overflowing with the boiling pulp, one at a time, sealing each immediately, Just run a knife round the inside of the jar before sealing to get out any air bubbles. Peach Jam Three pounds peaches, 3 pints water, 5 lb.\ sugar, juice of a lemon, and 1, tablespoon butter. Cut up peaches and boil in water till soft. Add sugar and butter, and lemon juice. Boil very hard, | stirring frequently, till a lovely golden colour and will set. About 45 minutes. Not too stiff. These proportions of fruit and water may be used for apricots and nectarines, Nectarine Jam Six pounds stoned nectarines, 41 1b. sugar, 2 cups water, juice 2 lemons, 1 dessertspoon butter, and kernels of about % of the fruit. Wash but do not peel fruit, remove stones, cut into pieces. Put into pan with water, butter, lemon juice and kernels. Boil till soft. Add warmed sugar in portions of about 1 Ib. at a time. Boil, stirring well. Should take about 1 hour. Test before taking up. Peach Cake ¥ . Two tablespoonsgbutter, 1 egg beaten slightly, % teaspoon salt, 4% cup milk, Y cup sugar, 1 and 2-3rds cups flour, 2 teaspoons baking powder, sliced peaches, either ripe or preserved. Cream butter and sugar, add egg, mix well. Sift flour, salt and baking powder, add ‘alternately with milk. Mix only till ingredients are blended. Pour into greased 6-inch pan. Arrange drained peaches on top, Crumble 2 tablespoons flour, 42 teaspoon butter, % cup sugar, 1 teaspoon

-cinnamon together, and sprinkle on top. Bake 35 minutes’ in a moderately hot oven, Easy Peach Melba. Into individual dishes put squares of stale sponge cake (about 3 inches). Upon each square put a half peach, hqllow side up. The peach may be raw and ripe, or preserved or stewed. Fill the cavity with strawberries, raspberries, blackberries or currants. Pour over all a rich custard, covering it completely. Put a strawberry (or other decoration) on top. For a good custard heat a pint of milk, keeping out a little to moisten a flat dessertspoon of custard powder or cornflour. Beat up 2 eggs with a little sugar. Stir the custard powder into the hot milk, cook for a minute or two, then ‘pour it over the beaten eggs. Stir smooth, return to saucepan, and heat without actually boilirig until it thickens smoothly, stirring gently all the time. Bottling Peaches Prepare peaches ,(or nectarines) by skinning as described in the peach salad recipe, and halving or slicing. Have ready a pan of boiling syrup--2 cups water to 1 cup’sugar boiled for 5 minutes. Stir this well as it comes to the boil, to see that the sugar is properly dissolved. Have ready also .sufficient clean jars, either heated in the oven or brought to the boil in a pan of water. Have also the seal-tops in hot water; or a bowl of hot water ready to dip the porosan skin which is also ready cut into necessary $izes. Now, drop the fruit into the boiling syrup and simmer slowly till quite tender, Take out one jar at a time, fill with fruit and quite cover with syrup; seal immediately and stand out of a draught. Run a knife round inside quickly, before sealing, to get out air bubbles. Peach Salad / Peel the peaches by putting thenr into boiling water for about a minute, then plunging them into cold water. The skins should slip off easily. Cut the peaches in halves, and put each half. into a cup‘shaped lettiice leaf, filling the stone cavity with a Spoonful of cream cheese, piled high. ‘Top with a walnut half and a stoned prune; put a, big dab of thick mayonnaise each side, and surround with thin slices of cucumber. Pickled Peaches These are excellent with ham, or any ‘cold meat, Wash firm half-ripe peaches, rub off as much fluff as possible. Boil 1 pint vinegar, 1 teaspoon cinnamon, 114 cups sugar and a few cloves for 10 minutes. Add peaches to syrup and boil till tender, but not too soft. Lift out peaches, and fill jars. Pour boiling syrup over, Put a few cloves in each jar. Tie down, Peach and Tomato Chutney Four pounds peaches, 1 tablespoon salt, 2 lb. tomatoes, ¥2 teaspoon cayqnne pepper, 2 Ib. apples, 2 tablespoons peppercorns, 2 Ib. onions,» 1° teaspoon cloves, 2 lb. brown sugar, 1 large bottle vinegar. Tie peppercorns and cloves in small bag. Peel fruit and cut up small. Boil, all together about 2 hours, or till well pulped. "This is mot a hot chutney, sO more cayenne may be added to taste.