Fruit

Slow cooker curried apple chutney (naturally gluten-free, dairy-free and vegan)

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Jar_of_homemade_slow_cooker_curried_apple_chutney
Sweet and spicy homemade chutney. Image: Kathryn Hawkins

Hello again. I hope you are keeping well and enjoying the colours of Autumn. It’s remained quite dry here in central Scotland and the trees are looking very colourful around and about. Everywhere I look, it really has been a bumper year fruit especially plums and apples in my garden. The old apple tree produced yet another bountiful crop of some 70kg! Now that the harvest is in, it’s enjoying a well earned rest I’m sure.

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A tree full of apples. Images: Kathryn Hawkins
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Harvest gathered, this year’s bumper crop of cooking apples. Images: Kathryn Hawkins

We did a lot of the apples away this year as there were far too many to cook up or freeze down. But I still have a box full to work through and one of the first things to make was some apple chutney. I made this batch in the slow cooker. It’s very easy to make and tastes delicious. One slight difference to this slow cooker recipe is that it uses less vinegar and sugar than traditional recipe so the chutney does need to be stored in the fridge.

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Curried apple chutney ingredients. Image: Kathryn Hawkins

Makes: approx. 1.2kg

Ingredients

  • 300g prepared red or white onions, chopped
  • 15g peeled root ginger, grated
  • 10g peeled garlic, grated
  • 750g prepared cooking apples, chopped
  • 125ml cider or white wine vinegar
  • 1tbsp medium curry powder
  • 100g sultanas
  • 200g Demerara sugar
  • 1 1/2 tsp salt

1. Put the onion, ginger, garlic and apples in the slow cooker. Pour over the vinegar, mix well, cover with the lid and cook on High for 4 hours.

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Apple chutney preparation. Images: Kathryn Hawkins

2. Stir in the remaining ingredients, cover and cook for 30 minutes longer to dissolve the sugar. After this time, remove the lid and if the mixture looks watery, leave the chutney to cook without the lid on for up to 2 hours, stirring occasionally, until thick and jam-like.

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The 4 stages of slow cooker chutney. Images: Kathryn Hawkins

3. Leave to cool completely then pack into clean jars, seal tightly and store in the fridge for up to 3 months. It’s ready to eat immediately and doesn’t need to mature. Great news for the impatient preserve-makers amongst us 🙂

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A spoonful of homemade chutney. Images: Kathryn Hawkins

This chutney makes a great alternative to mango chutney with and Indian meal as well as a delicious finishing touch to a sandwich.

That’s me for another month. Enjoy the rest of the season and I’ll see you again next month when winter will be upon us. Until then, take care and thanks for stopping by.

Slow cooker spiced green tomato chutney (naturally gluten-free; dairy-free; vegan)

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Jars_of_slow_cooker_spiced_green_tomato_chutney
Last of the Autumn produce preserved. Image: Kathryn Hawkins

Hello there. When I planned to make this chutney a couple of weeks ago, it was very much still Autumn. I picked off the last of the tomatoes and put the greenhouse to bed during a lovely sunny afternoon. I was going to call the chutney “End of Autumn”.

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Last of the greenhouse tomatoes, mid-November 2024. Images: Kathryn Hawkins

However, when I came to make the chutney last weekend, snow was falling very heavily and suddenly we were in winter. And so I thought “Change of Season” chutney would be more appropriate 🙂

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November snowy garden. Image: Kathryn Hawkins

I made the chutney in my slow cooker. It is ready to eat as soon as it cools and tastes delicious. I used up the last of this year’s apple harvest along with some black-skinned tomatoes that I had frozen down a few weeks ago. The spices I used give a mild curry flavour but you can change them if you prefer – cinnamon, cumin and coriander for a more earthy flavour would work well.

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Slow cooker chutney ingredients. Images: Kathryn Hawkins

If you haven’t made a preserve in your slow cooker before, the technique is slightly different in that you can’t boil the preserve down like you would in a saucepan on the stove. The chutney is also cooled before putting in jars, and as such needs to be kept in the fridge. It will however keep for a few weeks or can be frozen for longer term storage.

Makes: approx. 1kg

Ingredients

  • 400g green tomatoes, chopped
  • 2 medium onions, peeled and chopped (about 180g prepared weight)
  • 2 garlic cloves, peeled and chopped
  • 2 sticks celery, trimmed and chopped (about 110g prepared weight)
  • 2 large cooking apples, peeled and chopped (about 300g prepared weight)
  • 2 bay leaves
  • 100ml cider vinegar
  • 75g sultanas or chopped dried apricots
  • 2tsp garam masala
  • 1tsp each nigella seeds, turmeric and salt
  • 150g demerara or light brown sugar (or you can use granulated white sugar)

1. Put all the vegetables in the slow cooker with the bay leaves and mix well. Pour over the vinegar, cover with the lid and cook on High for 4 hours.

2. Add the remaining ingredients, mix well, re-cover and cook for 30 minutes to dissolve the sugar.

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Slow cooking and seasoning chutney. Images: Kathryn Hawkins

3. Remove the lid, stir well and cook uncovered for a further 2 hours, stirring occasionally until reduced down and jam-like.

4. Switch off the cooker and leave the chutney to cool completely. Discard the bay leaves and spoon into clean jars. Seal, label and store in the fridge for up to 3 months. Once opened, use within a month. Alternatively, freeze the chutney in containers and defrost when required.

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Reducing the chutney down ready for storing. Images: Kathryn Hawkins
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A sweet and spicy spoonful. Image: Kathryn Hawkins

That’s me for another month. I have one more post before Christmas, so until then take care and keep warm 🙂

Making Victoria plum jam, and a recipe for almondy plum pudding (gluten-free; dairy-free; vegan)

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Homemade_Scottish_Victoria_plum_jam_September_2024
Just jammy. Image: Kathryn Hawkins

Hello again. The sunshine here in central Scotland last weekend helped ripen off the Victoria plums on the small tree in the garden. And this year, I managed to get them picked before the wasps moved in:)

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This year’s Victoria plum harvest. Images: Kathryn Hawkins

Not a bad haul, and there are still a few left on the tree for later in the month. I’ll admit that plums are not my favourite fruit but they do make a lovely jam, and are also delicious flavoured and baked with almonds. Hence, my two recipes this week.

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Simply plum jam. Images: Kathryn Hawkins

The jam recipe is very straightforward, just 2 ingredients, fruit and sugar. Victoria plums, if not too ripe, set well without needing to add lemon juice to the mix. If the plums are very ripe, then add 1tbsp juice per 500g fruit.

Makes: approx. 1.5kg

Ingredients

  • 1kg ripe Victoria plums
  • Approx. 850g granulated sugar

1. Wash the plums then cut them in half and prise out the stones. Put the stones to one side, and weigh the prepared fruit and make a note. You should use the same amount of sugar to fruit. If the plums are too firm to cut cleanly in half, you can cook them whole and then remove the stones once the fruit has softened – it is worth counting the whole plums before you cook them so that you know how many stones to fish for!

2. Put the stones on a piece of muslin. Gather up the sides and then bash with a rolling pin to crush the stones. Tie the muslin tightly to secure the crushed stones inside. You don’t have to do this, but I think the jam has better flavour and setting qualities if you add the stones.

3. Put the plums in a large saucepan. If they are ripe, you don’t need to add any water. If they are firm, add about 100ml. Heat until steaming, add the muslin bag, then cover with a lid and cook gently until very soft. If you’ve cooked whole plums, now is the time to do a little stone fishing.

4. Add the quantity of sugar to match the weight of the prepared fruit, and stir until dissolved, then raise the heat and boil rapidly until setting point is reached – around 104 to 105°C on a jam thermometer. Squeeze out the juices from muslin bag and discard, and stir the jam to distribute the fruit pieces before packing into clean jars and sealing whilst hot.

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Making plum jam. Images: Kathryn Hawkins
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Easy peasy jam pot covers. Images: Kathryn Hawkins

For a simple finishing touch, if you are thinking about gifting some of your jam, I often cut out rounds of paper napkin to cover the jar lids. Use a saucer or plate a few centimetres larger than the lid and draw round using a pencil. Secure the covers in place with a small rubber band and then tie with string or ribbon. Don’t forget the label.

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Plum pudding perfection. Image: Kathryn Hawkins

My second plummy recipe is also very easy to make. You’ll need 850g plums and a dish about 1.7l in capacity. The bake will serve about 6 people.

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Victoria plums, ripe and ready for pudding. Images: Kathryn Hawkins
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How to make almond plum pudding. Images: Kathryn Hawkins

1. Wash and stone the plums as for jam, but discard the stones this time. Put two thirds of the prepared fruit in the dish and put to one side while you make the topping.

2. Mix 3tbsp ground flax seed with 135ml water and leave for a few minutes until thickened.

3. Whisk together 155g lightly salted, soft plant butter with 155g caster sugar, 155g ground almonds, 30g gluten-free plain flour and 1tsp almond extract until well blended and creamy. Stir in the flax egg and whisk to make a smooth cake batter.

4. Spoon over the plums in the dish and smooth the top. Push the remaining plums into the mixture on top and sprinkle with a few flaked almonds. Pop the dish on a baking tray and bake in a preheated oven at 180°C, 160°C fan, gas 4, for about 1hour 15 minutes until firm to the touch and golden. Best served hot with custard.

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Ready for custard. Images: Kathryn Hawkins

If you have any leftover jam, add a layer in the bottom of the dish for extra sweetness.

Until next time, enjoy the autumn colours and I’ll hope to see you again in a couple of weeks or so.

It’s beginning to feel a bit like Autumn….

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Scottish_garden_plum_and_pear_trees_ August_2024
A promising harvest awaits. Image: Kathryn Hawkins

Hello again. It certainly feels like the season is beginning to change here in central Scotland. The daylight hours are shortening and there is a distinct nip in the early morning and late evening air.

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Ripening orchard fruit. Images: Kathryn Hawkins

Really happy to see so much fruit on the pear, apple and plum trees this year. It must have been all the rain we have had. Not long to wait until the picking starts 🙂 I have already harvested a few potatoes, and a few greenhouse tomatoes and French beans. Such a treat, and there is plenty more to come.

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Garden and greenhouse treasures. Images: Kathryn Hawkins

Around the garden, there are still some signs of Summer like the orange lupin flowering for the third time, and such a large bloom. Usually the second and third flowers are small, but this one is a real beauty.

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Late Summer flowering Crocosmia and a late blooming Lupin. Images: Kathryn Hawkins
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Lovely Lacecap Hydrangea. Images: Kathryn Hawkins

And the bees are still very busy, especially around the Echinops and Golden Rod.

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Busy bees in the sunshine. Images: Kathryn Hawkins

But you know the season is changing when the first Autumn crocus emerges in a darker corner of the garden, and the late flowering heathers are in full flower.

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Delicate lilac crocus blooms. Images: Kathryn Hawkins
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Scottish Autumn heathers. Images: Kathryn Hawkins

A few nights ago, as the daylight was fading, a new visitor came up the driveway and started tucking into the fallen sunflower seeds from the bird feeder. He/she stood on their hindlegs to reach a few seeds caught on the stone wall. You’ll see it is quite a chunky fellow, and is obviously finding enough food to keep its strength up:) The other image is of a magnificent Peacock butterfly absorbing the warmth from the sandstone wall outside my office the other day. What a beauty.

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Night and day time visitors. Images: Kathryn Hawkins

My final images this month are of the Rowan tree in the back garden which has been quite bereft of berries for several years. This year it is laden, and so much so that they are beginning to fall to the ground before the birds have started to eat them!

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Ripe Rowan berries. Images: Kathryn Hawkins

That’s me for another month. See you in September! Thanks and best wishes until then.

Lemon crusted berry loaf cake (gluten-free; dairy-free; vegan)

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Gluten-free_dairy-free_vegan_lemon_crusted_Salal_berry_loaf_cake
Very lemony berry cake. Image: Kathryn Hawkins

It’s that wonderful time of the year when the garden begins to yield produce thick and fast. My latest pickings are from the many Salal (Gaultheria shallon) bushes around the garden which have provided a very abundant crop of berries this year. Too many for me to deal with, so I’m happy to say that the birds are enjoying a feast as well.

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This year’s Salal berry harvest. Images: Kathryn Hawkins

The berries are quite challenging to pick individually as they often go to mush in your fingers when they are very ripe. Last year I found a better way of dealing with the problem. Harvest them on their stalks – they grow in clusters so it is easy to snip off the stems with the berries attached.

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Preparing berries for the freezer. Images: Kathryn Hawkins

Wash and dry the berries well, then lay on trays and place in the freezer until you are ready to deal with them. Once frozen solid, they pull away easily from the stems and the berries can then be packed and returned to the freezer for future use.

If you want to use them fresh though, you’ll have to persevere and pull them gently from the stems after washing and drying them.

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Zesty, fruity loaf cake. Image: Kathryn Hawkins

My recipe this week uses the berries fresh, but you don’t need that many for the mixture. I did try it with frozen and it worked fine, but the texture was a little wet for my taste. Blueberries would make a good substitute if you prefer. This is one of those cakes that gets better the longer you leave it. The flavours become more fruity and the texture is denser and richer. Store in an airtight container for up to a week if you can leave it alone. The initial crunchiness of the lemon sugar top will disappear on storing, but it is replaced by a sticky lemony crust instead. It freezes fine as well 🙂

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A berry nice slice. Image: Kathryn Hawkins

Serves: 8

Ingredients

  • 1tbsp ground linseed
  • Juice and rind 1 unwaxed lemon
  • 185ml plant milk (I use a barista-style oat milk)
  • 115g plant butter, softened
  • 150g caster sugar
  • 175g gluten-free plain flour blend
  • 50g ground almonds
  • ¼tsp xanthan gum (optional, but the cake is very crumbly without it)
  • ¾tsp bicarbonate of soda (baking soda)
  • 80g fresh Salal berries, washed
  • 75g granulated sugar

1. Preheat the oven to 180°C, 160°C fan oven, Gas Mark 4. Line a 1kg loaf tin. Mix the linseed with 3tbsp cold water and put to one side to thicken. Mix 2½tsp lemon juice into the milk and leave for a few minutes at room temperature to thicken.

2. Whisk the butter and caster sugar together until creamy and well blended then gently whisk in the linseed and milk mixtures – don’t panic, the batter will look very lumpy!

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Making the loaf cake batter. Images: Kathryn Hawkins

3. Add the lemon zest, flour, almonds, xanthan gum and baking soda, and mix well until the batter is smooth and creamy. Gently stir in the berries.

4. Transfer the mixture to the loaf tin, smooth the top and bake for about 1hr 15 minutes until risen and firm to the touch.

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Adding the berries. Images: Kathryn Hawkins

5. While the cake is in the oven, prepare the lemon topping by simply mixing 2tbsp lemon juice with the granulated sugar.

6. When the cake is cooked, place the tin on a wire rack and skewer the cake in a few places. Spoon over the lemon sugar evenly to form a crust and leave the cake to cool in the tin.

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Making the lemon sugar crust. Images: Kathryn Hawkins

As the cake cools, the sugar sets in a crusty layer on top whilst the juices soak into the cake. Delish. I served my cake decorated with a few (washed) Salal leaves for a splash of colour – just for show, these are not edible.

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Freshly sliced loaf cake. Image: Kathryn Hawkins

Thanks for stopping by. I hope to see you again soon. Best wishes and happy baking 🙂

Just peachy pancakes and jam (gluten-free; dairy-free; vegan)

~ My virtually free-from kitchen ~ 2 Comments
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Just peachy pancakes. Image: Kathryn Hawkins

Hello there. I have 2 recipes for you this month: light fluffy pancakes served with a homemade fresh peach jam, inspired by acquiring some homegrown fresh peaches last July. My then neighbour, asked me in to water his burgeoning garden and greenhouse whilst he was away on holiday, and in return I was able to enjoy the pick of the crop. How lucky was I when I discovered the greenhouse peach tree bearing fruit that was ripening so fast the peaches were literally falling from the tree.

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Greenhouse white peach tree. Images: Kathryn Hawkins

I gathered up the crop and made peach jam for the very first time. Delicious it was too, and, by the way, I did give him a pot when he returned 🙂 The peaches were a very sweet and juicy white variety which peeled very easily without any intervention. I made some this year with firmer, yellow-fleshed peaches and dipped them in boiling water for a few seconds to loosen and then peel away the skins. You can also use a vegetable peeler to do this if preferred. You do need to peel peaches and nectarines for jam making because the skins become very tough when boiled with sugar.

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Just peachy jam. Image: Kathryn Hawkins

Pancakes make the perfect base to enjoy homemade jam, so I am combining the jam and pancake recipes below in case you want to make either or both.

Makes: approx. 1.125kg jam and 12 pancakes

Ingredients

For the jam:

  • 1kg peaches
  • 6tbsp lemon juice
  • 800g granulated sugar (I used 200g demerara sugar and 600g white sugar)

For the pancakes:

  • 175ml plant-based milk
  • 2½tsp lemon juice
  • 150g gluten-free blended self raising flour
  • 30g cornflour (cornstarch)
  • ½tsp bicarbonate of soda (baking soda)
  • 50g plant-based butter, melted
  • 1tbsp maple syrup
  • A little vegetable oil for frying

1. For the jam, wash, skin and chop the peaches. If the peaches are very ripe, then will break up easily. If the peaches are firm, cut them into small pieces. Put the stones to one side and place the peach flesh in a bowl. Mix in the lemon juice.

2. Put the stones on a square of muslin, twist the edges together to contain the stones within, and bash hard with a rolling pin to smash them open. Tie the muslin securely.

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Peach and peach stone preparation. Images: Kathryn Hawkins

3. Transfer the peach and lemon mixture to a saucepan, and heat until steaming and hot, then simmer gently to soften the fruit. If the peaches are very ripe and soft, they will require little or no cooking.

3. Add the sugar and stir until dissolved, then raise the heat, add the bag of crushed stones and boil rapidly until setting point is reached – between 104° and 105.5°C.

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Making peach jam. Images: Kathryn Hawkins

4. Discard the stones and leave the jam to stand for a few minutes to thicken slightly, the stir to distribute the fruit pieces and spoon into clean jars and seal straight away. Cool, then label. The jam is ready to eat but will keep for several months if stored correctly.

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Jammy spoonful. Image: Kathryn Hawkins

To make the pancakes:

1.First make a buttermilk. Mix the milk and lemon juice together and leave to stand for a for a few minutes until it thickens slightly.

2. Sift the flour, cornflour and bicarbonate of soda into a bowl and make a well in the centre. Add the melted butter, maple syrup and buttermilk and gently mix everything together to make a thick batter. Note: as soon as you mix the liquid into the dry ingredients, the raising agents get to work and produce air bubbles. You need to get the batter cooked as quickly as possible in order to make fluffy pancakes.

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Making the pancake batter. Images: Kathryn Hawkins

3. Working quickly, brush a large frying pan or flat griddle pan lightly with oil and heat until hot. Use a tablespoon measure to spoon 2 spoonfuls of batter on to the hot pan to make a thick pool. Add further pools depending on how much space you have in the pan. Cook over a medium heat for about 2 minutes, turn over and cook for a further 1-2 minutes until lightly golden and puffed. Either transfer to a dish, cover and keep warm, or cool on a wire rack, whilst you cook the remaining batter.

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Cooking pancakes. Images: Kathryn Hawkins

Serve warm or cold with your favourite toppings. The pancakes will keep for a few days in a sealed container and can be toasted or quickly pan-fried to heat through. They also freeze well.

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Perfect peachy pancake portion. Image: Kathryn Hawkins

Until next time, happy cooking, and I look forward to sharing another post with you soon 🙂

Aromatic and spiced, slow-cooker quince (naturally gluten-free; dairy-free; vegan)

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Gold_serving_bowl_of_freshly_cooked_slow-cooker_spiced_quince
Slow-cooker spiced quince. Image: Kathryn Hawkins

Hello again. It’s officially the time of year when the slow-cooker is permanently on the work top in my kitchen. With daylight hours becoming fewer and the temperature getting lower and lower, in my mind, “comfort food” is an important aid to get me through the next few months.

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Golden quince. Image: Kathryn Hawkins

I’ve been saving these beautiful quince for a few weeks, making sure they are perfectly ripe for maximum flavour and aroma before I cook them. I chose a selection of my favourite aromatics to add to a sugar syrup: rose water, lemon, vanilla and cinnamon, all perfect companions for this fabulous autumn fruit.

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Fresh qunice and flavourings. Images: Kathryn Hawkins

This is a very straightforward recipe for the slow-cooker. Once the quince are prepared it’s just a case of making the syrup to pour over. When the cooking is done, I reduced the cooking juices down to make a more intensely flavoured syrup to pour back over the fruit. If you don’t have quince, try using slightly under-ripe pears instead.

Serves: 4-6

Ingredients

  • 750g ripe quince
  • 1 unwaxed lemon
  • 1 cinnamon stick, split
  • 1 vanilla pod, split
  • 50g caster sugar
  • 2tbsp carob or maple syrup
  • Rosewater to taste
  • Pistachios and pomegranate seeds to sprinkle

1.Using a vegetable peeler, carefully peel away the outer lemon zest without taking too much white pith. Set aside. Cut the lemon in half and extract the juice. Place in a large bowl along with the squeezed out lemon shells. Top up with cold water.

2.Peel the quince thinly. Cut into quarters and slice out the core. As soon as you prepare each quarter, push it down into the lemony water to help prevent discolouration.

3.When all the fruit is prepared, drain well, discard the lemon shells and place the quince in the slow-cooker dish. Add the reserved lemon zest, cinnamon and vanilla.

4.Put the sugar in a saucepan with 400ml water. Heat gently to dissolve, then bring to the boil and cook for 5 minutes. Pour over the fruit, place the lid on top and cook on High for 2 hours, turning the fruit halfway through, until tender.

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Slow-cooker spiced quince preparation. Images: Kathryn Hawkins

5. Turn off the power and leave to cool for 2 hours before draining the fruit and straining the cooking liquid into a saucepan. Put the fruit in a heat proof dish and cover with foil.

6. Add the maple or carob syrup to the cooking juices, bring to the boil and simmer for 7-8 minutes until syrupy. Cool for 10 minutes. Add a few drops of rosewater to taste then pour over the fruit and leave to cool completely.

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Making the syrup. Images: Kathryn Hawkins

7. Cover and chill until ready to eat. Serve at room temperature for maximum flavour. Sprinkle with pistachios and pomegranate seeds for crunch. The quince freezes well in the syrup for later enjoyment.

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Sweet, spiced deliciousness. Image: Kathryn Hawkins

I hope you enjoy the recipe and I look forward to welcoming you back to my next post in a couple of weeks time. Thanks for stopping by 🙂

My hedgerow harvest and a recipe for Hedgerow preserve (naturally gluten-free; dairy-free; vegan)

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My hedgerow harvest. Image: Kathryn Hawkins

Hello again. It’s been a busy couple of weeks since my last post. The season is subtly shifting from late summer to early autumn. There is a bit of a nip in the air first thing in the morning and some of the leaves on the trees are beginning to turn. Out and about, the hedges are full of ripening fruit, and I have been out foraging a couple of times this month. Two weeks ago I went on a recce for brambles (blackberries), and was happily surprised to see that so many were ripe and ready. Thank goodness I went prepared with a large container (just in case), and came home with 2.7kg of the glistening berries which I have now frozen 🙂

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Scottish brambles. Images: Kathryn Hawkins

Whilst on my walk, I had noticed that there were also sloes and elderberries, although not quite ripe. I gave it a week and went back. The birds had eaten a few elderberries, and I think another forager had found the sloes, but I still managed a container-full as well as a few more brambles.

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Blackberries, dewberries, sloes and elderberries. Images: Kathryn Hawkins

Always wash wild fruit well before using. Brambles and sloes need little preparation, but elderberries can be a little fiddly to remove from their fine stems. I find a fork is quite useful to help prise them away.

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Freshly washed and prepared wild fruit. Images: Kathryn Hawkins

All of these hedgerow fruits will freeze fine in case you are unable to use them immediately. Lay them out on lined trays and freeze until solid, then pack them into bags or containers, seal, label and store until ready to cook.

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My hedgerow harvest preserve. Image: Kathryn Hawkins

My preserve recipe can be adapted to use any combination and quantity of wild berries you have picked. Sloes have a bitter/sour flavour whilst brambles and elderberries are sweeter and juicier. I ended up with about 700g prepared fruits in total, 200g of which were sloes, and this gave a good balance of sharp and sweet, with a deliciously rich and intense flavour overall.

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Packed full of flavour and colour. Image: Kathryn Hawkins

The yield of preserve in this recipe is slightly lower than for other jams because I removed the seeds. Brambles do tend to be very seedy, and sloes are impossible to pit before cooking, so sieving (or straining) seemed like the logical thing to do. Alternatively, you could make a jelly by straining the cooked fruit through muslin. This would result in an equally delicious preserve, but with a much smaller yield. I’ll probably make a jelly with some of my freezer brambles later in the year and mix them with some apples from the tree in the garden. Delish.

Makes: approx. 700g

Ingredients

  • 700g prepared hedgerow berries and fruit, washed
  • Approx. 400g granulated sugar
  • 2tbsp lemon juice

1. First cook the sloes. Place in a saucepan with 250ml water. Bring to the boil, cover and simmer for 6-7 minutes until softened.

2. Stir in the berries, bring back to the boil, re-cover and cook gently for 10 minutes until everything is very soft and juicy.

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Cooking the fruit. Images: Kathryn Hawkins

3. Put a large nylon sieve (strainer) over a large bowl or jug and carefully pour in the cooked fruit and juices. Leave to strain for 30 minutes then use the back of a spoon to push and press the pulp against the side of the sieve to squeeze out as much juice as possible. Do this until you end up with a dryish pulpy mass of seeds and fibres in the sieve. Discard.

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Getting rid of the seeds. Images: Kathryn Hawkins

4. Measure the juices – I ended up with 500ml. You will need 400g sugar per 500ml juice. Pour into a saucepan and heat gently to warm through, then add the sugar and lemon juice. Stir until dissolved.

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Cooking the pulp. Images: Kathryn Hawkins

5. Bring to the boil and cook for several minutes until the correct level of set is achieved – between 104°C and 105.5°C on a sugar thermometer. I cooked my preserve to the higher temperature and ended up with a very firm set – almost like a fruit cheese. For something more spreadable, cook to the lower temperature.

6. Spoon the hot mixture into sterilised jars and seal immediately. Leave until cold then label and store in the usual way.

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For the storecupboard. Image: Kathryn Hawkins

Because I achieved such a firm set, I melted the leftover preserve with a little more water and when it cooled, it was much more spreadable. It made a delicious topping for toasted crumpets. This preserve also makes an excellent accompaniment to serve with grilled, roasted and barbecued food.

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Tangy, tasty and freshly made, hedgerow preserve. Images: Kathryn Hawkins

Until next time, I hope you have a good few days, and I look forward to posting again in a couple of weeks. Thanks for stopping by 🙂

Chilled rhubarb and custard risotto (gluten-free; dairy-free;vegan)

~ My virtually free-from kitchen ~ 2 Comments
4_serving_glasses_of_gluten-free_dairy_free_vegan_chilled_rhubarb_and_custard_risotto
Chilled rhubarb and rice risotto decorated with edible flowers.
Image: Kathryn Hawkins

Hello again. The garden fruit and veg supply is beginning to mount up. This week I picked some more rhubarb stems and made them into a compote to eat with a creamy rice dessert. At this time of year, I prefer to serve this combo cold, but in Autumn/Winter, the same rice mix makes a comforting winter pudding to serve with any fresh or cooked fruit you like.

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Freshly pulled rhubarb and sweet risotto ingredients. Images: Kathryn Hawkins

It’s a simple enough recipe for the rice mixture, but it takes a little bit of time to cook through, so allow plenty of time to make it. It’s well worth the wait 🙂 I flavour my rice with vanilla but cinnamon or ginger would also work. And, of course, if you’re not vegan, the recipe works just as well with dairy products.

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Creamy, sweet risotto, chilled and ready to serve. Image: Kathryn Hawkins

Serves: 4

Ingredients

  • 275g prepared fresh rhubarb
  • 50g caster sugar
  • 500ml plant-based milk (I use oat milk)
  • 100ml plant-based double cream (for a less rich version, replace the cream with extra milk)
  • 1 vanilla pod, split
  • 15g plant-based butter
  • 150g risotto (arborio) rice
  • 250ml free-from custard

1. Chop the rhubarb into lengths about 4cm long and place in a pan. Add 2tbsp water, sprinkle with 25g sugar and heat until steaming. Cover with a lid and cook gently for 6-8 minutes until tender but still holding shape. Leave to cool.

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Cooking the rhubarb. Images: Kathryn Hawkins

2. For the risotto, put the milk and cream in a saucepan with the vanilla pod and heat until very hot. Reduce the heat to low and keep the mixture hot.

3. In another saucepan, melt the butter. Add the rice and mix well until coated in the butter. Add a ladleful of the hot creamy milk and stir until thoroughly absorbed.

4. Keep adding the creamy milk, ladle by ladle, stirring in between, until each batch is absorbed, and the rice is just tender – this may take anywhere between 30 to 50 minutes depending on how quickly the rice absorbs the liquid. Don’t be tempted to raise the heat too much as the liquid may evaporate before being absorbed.

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How to make sweet and creamy vegan risotto. Images: Kathryn Hawkins

5. Once the rice is tender, thick and creamy, transfer to a heatproof bowl and stir in the sugar. Cover with a layer of greaseproof paper to prevent a skin forming and leave to cool completely, then mix in the custard.

6. To assemble, divide the rhubarb between 4 x 225g dessert glasses and spoon the rice mixture on top. Chill until ready to serve.

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Completing the dish. Images: Kathryn Hawkins

Let the desserts stand at room temperature for 20 to 30 minutes before serving to allow the flavours to develop. Decorate with edible flowers if liked.

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Creamy vanilla rice and fresh rhubarb compote. Image: Kathryn Hawkins

Thanks for stopping by. That’s me for this week. I hope to see you again soon 🙂

Take 3 – fruit ice cream (vegan; dairy-free; gluten-free)

~ My virtually free-from kitchen ~ Leave a comment
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Super cool and refreshing. Image: Kathryn Hawkins

Hello again. It’s been super-warm here in the UK for several days now, so, it feels the right time to publish an easy ice cream recipe. Of course, this will mean that the weather is guaranteed to break, but hey ho, we do need some rain 🙂

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Fruity scoop. Image: Kathryn Hawkins

This ice cream really is very easy to make. Just 3 ingredients. No ice cream machine required although you can of course use one if you prefer. You will need to use a bit of elbow-grease to beat the mixture twice, but that’s the only effort necessary.

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Take 3: fruit, cream and condensed milk. Image: Kathryn Hawkins

You can make the ice cream with any fruit. I happened to have a lot of physalis (Cape gooseberries) when I made up this batch. Fruits like gooseberries, blackberries, cherries, apricots, plums, blackcurrants and other currants will need to be cooked into a pulp for best results, but other softer fruits like raspberries, blueberries, strawberries, peach and mango can just be blitzed in a blender. Whether you sieve to remove seeds is up to you. I prefer the added texture from seeds and skins and use the pulp as it is.

Serves: 4-6

Ingredients

  • 300g ripe fruit for cooking such as physalis, gooseberries, blackberries, black or red currants OR 250ml-275ml unsweetened fresh fruit purée
  • 370g can plant-based condensed milk
  • 400ml plant-based double cream

1. To prepare fruit for cooking, place in a saucepan with 2tbsp water, heat until steaming, then cover and simmer for 5-7 minutes until soft. Leave to cool them blitz with a blender until smooth. Sieve if preferred.

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Making cooked fruit purée. Images: Kathryn Hawkins

2. Pour the fruit purée into a freezer-proof container and mix in the condensed milk.

3. Whip the cream until softly peaking then fold into the mixture, stirring well until combined.

4. Freeze for about 2hr until the mixture is soft and slushy. Beat well to break up the mixture and return to the freezer for a further 45-60 minutes until it has firmed up again. Beat once more, then keep in the freezer until ready to serve.

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Preparing the ice cream. Images: Kathryn Hawkins

And that’s it. If your freezer is particularly cold, you may need to let the ice cream stand at room temperature for a few minutes before scooping. For longer term storing, pop a lid on the container, and keep in the freezer for up to 3 months.

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3 ingredient fruit ice cream. Image: Kathryn Hawkins

I’ll be out in the garden again for my next post at the end of the month. See you then and thanks for stopping by 🙂