SUMMER FRUITS IN PICKLES

New Zealand Listener, Volume 26, Issue 662, 14 March 1952, Page 16

SUMMER FRUITS IN PICKLES

T is not only for bottling and preserving, or for making jams and jellies, that we need plenty of summer fruits. We like to make sweet chutneys and appetising sauces to use all through the year as accompaniments to cold meats and curries, grills and rissoles,\ as well as for adding just the finishing touch to stews or casserole dishes. Chutney is excellent in sandwiches too, mixed with a little mashed cheese, or hard-boiled egg, or even with minced lamb or liver. Pear, Plum and Apple Chutney Two pounds pears, 1 lb. apples, 2 Ib. plums, 1 Ib. dates, 1 lb. chopped raisins, 1 Ib. onions or shallots, 142 lb.. brown sugar or treacle (treacle is best), 1% Ib. ‘salt, % teaspoon cayenne, 1 packet spice, 2 oz. ground ginger. Mince or chop finely all fruit and onions; add seasonings. Add 114 quarts, vinegar and boil slowly for 2 hours: Thin with more vinegar if necessary. Tomato and Date Chutney Six pounds ripe tomatoes, 3 Ib. dates, 4% lb. onions, 4% Ib. preserved ginger, 1 1b. brown ‘sugar, 2 oz. salt, %% oz. cayenne pepper, % oz. garlic, 5 pints vinegar. Skin and slice tomatoes, stone and chop dates, cut onions and ginger finely, and boil all 4 hours. Fresh Fig Chutney One and a half pouhds fresh figs, 3 oz. raisins, 2. oz. preserved ginger, ¥/ Ib. onions, 3 oz. dates, 6 oz. brown sugar, ¥2 teaspoon salt, 1% teaspoon cayenne, 1 pint vinegar. Cut figs into rings and dates and ginger into cubes. Boil vinegar and sugar, pour this on to all other ingredients, and leave all night. Next day boil till thick and dark (about 3 hours). Pickled Figs Six pounds figs, 3 lb. sugar, 1 quart vinegar, 1 tablespoon mixed spices (allspice, mace, cinnamon, etc.). Stick 2 or 3 cloves into each fig, but do not peel figs. Boil vinegar, sugar and spices. When boiling, skim, then put in figs. Boil slowly till figs can be pierced with a straw. Put fruit into hot jars. Boil syrup 5 minutes, pour over figs, and seal while hot. Maharajah’s Chutney Two pounds firmepeaches, 1 Ib. seeded raisins, 42 Ib. preserved ginger, % lb. peel, 1 Ib. onions, 2 oz. garlic, 1 Ib. brown ‘sugar, 2 teaspoons cayenne, 1 tablespoon curry powder, 2 oz. salt. Chop all ingredients finely, add 1 quart vinegar, and boil 1 hour. Tomato Relish Twelve medium tomatoes, 6 onions, 1 lb. white sugar, 1 pint vinegar, 1 tablespoon salt, 1% tablespoon mustard, 2 tablespoon curry powder. Boil all 1 hour, then thicken with 3 tablespoons flour. Tomato, Mint and Apple Chutney Two pounds tomatoes, 2 Ib. sour apples, 2 Ib. onions, 2 cups mint leaves, 2 cups sugar, 4 cups vinegar, 2 tablemustard, 2 teaspoons salt, 2 chillies, 2 cups raisins. Put all through mincer, with basin underneath to catch any liquid. Bring vinegar to boil, add sugar and mustard mixed with a little of the vinegar. Boil 5 minutes. Let it

cool, then add minced ingredients and mix thoroughly. Leave till next day, stir and bottle. Ready in a fortnight. Peach and Plum Chutney Slice and stone 2 lb. peaches and 2 Ib. plums. Have ripe, but firm fruit. Put in layers in a dish, sprinkle each layer with a little pepper and salt, leave 24 hours. Drain, put fruit in pan with 4 cups vinegar, 42 lb. brown sugar, 3 oz. preserved ginger, 2 oz. cloves and ¥2 lb. onions cut finely. Boil slowly till peaches are tender. Strain through sieve, fill small jars and make airtight. Fruit Chutney Three pounds apples,.2 Ib. peaches or apricots, 2 Ib. each onions and tomatoes, 4 lb. brown sugar, 1 lb. sultanas, 2 tablespoons salt, 1 tablespoon ground ginger, cayenne pepper to taste, 4% oz. ground mace, ¥ gallon vinegar. Slice finely, and cover with sugar and vinegar. Leave overnight. Next day boil 3 hours; add juice of 2 lemons about 1 hour before ready. Sweet Piccalilli Two pounds green tomatoes, 2 Ib. onions, 2 Ib. green beans, 1 medium cauliflower, 6 small cucumbers, 5 pints vinegar, 2 cups sugar, 1 cup flour, 4 tablespoons mustard, 1 tablespoon turmeric. Wipe vegetables, and cut: up neatly. Cut up cauliflower stalks and put in, break cauliflower into little flowerettes. Put all in brine of 1 small cup salt to 4 large cups water, cover, and leave 48 hours. Bring to scalding point in brine. Strain carefully. Put on 4 pints vinegar and bring to boil. Mix up sugar, mustard and flour, with the remaining pint of vinegar, and add. Cook 10 minutes more.