Anybody here likes to make Jams, Jellies and Preserves? I do. I like to cook too. This year, we have had a super crop of Mangoes, Limes, Figs and Starfruit. As usually, the Banana plants ptoduce too much. After eating all I could I decided to preserve the crop. So far, I have made : Mango Jam, Mango, Starfruit and Apple Jam with a hint of Ginger, Mango Jam with Lime rind, Starfruit Jam, Mango and Banana Jam Cuban Oregano and Rosemary Jelly The jams will be super with my breakfast Kefir and when we make thin pancakes. The jelly should go well with Roast Leg of Lamb.
I make mango chutney from my mango crop. I love mangoes but not a huge fan of the mango jams. T--it's very easy, you throw all the ingredients in a pot and cook for awhile. After they thicken you cool everything, then reheat and jar. The canning process is easy but requires a few tools to make it easier.
So something like this? http://www.food.com/recipe/mango-jam-368367 Interesting. I always thought you needed to add pectin to jell up a jam or jelly...T
As Gator says - easy. Peel, boil gently with sugar, Lime juice and a little bit off water until flesh falls off, remove seeds, add Pectine, mash up with a hand blender, boil a few more minutes. Ladle into clean jars, put on tops, tighten Boil for 10 minutes in a waterbath to sterilize. Without Pectine it runs, with it, it sets. It is messy, specially when I do it. If you have fully ripe Mangoes you do not need that much sugar.
Ok, I thought you need pectin. exas peaches are numerous and super delicious, thanks, I assume to our wet spring, so I'll need to try this.Thank you...T
A runny jam is fine in Youghurt, but a pain on pancakes, crepes or bread. Easier if it is a little bit thicker or fully set. I used Sure Jell Premium Fruit Pectin
I love Peach Jam with bits of the fruit in! I am not sure, but I think you should remove the stones before you cook. Something in the back of my head tells me that. Bitter flavour maybe?
Not sure. But you can taste a seed. Cyanide = bitter Almond taste. If your Peaches are easily destoned do it, as it creates less mess later on.
But you still need to add Lime or Lemon Juice, unless you can buy Citric Acid. It is a natural preservative. In Sweden we used Citric Acid, but we can not buy it here, so squeezing a bunch of our local Limes is a must!
Pectin depends on the fruit. I have one tree of mangoes that doesn't need it and my other does. Cooling off the chutney and then reheating really helps jell it up.
most seeds have Cyanide... apple seeds are the highest that i'm aware of... but you need alot to produce leathal dose.
That was my understanding. I'm gonna try to make peach jam tonight, if life/work do not conspire against it. Got peaches getting sweet and ripe, pectin purchased, now all I need it time and peace & quiet! T
No! Part of the reason I do the cooking is that my wife is a full contact chef! Even for the simplest meal, she leaves a sink full of dishes! And, you can guess whose job it is to clean them. Does anyone know if blanching peaches makes them easier to peel? Kind of like you do for tomatoes. Thanks...T
Inspired by this thread & awesome Texas peaches, a crazy good bargain at $0.99/lb, I tried my hand at fresh peach jam. After action report: blanch peaches for 3 min in boiling water then shock in ice water for similar length of time. Score a cross in peach bottom before doing this; makes peeling a breeze. I only used a cup of sugar for about 9 peaches, as the fruit was sweet already & I don't like things too sweet. I pureed six peaches, cubed other three. Squirted in fresh lime juice. Added ~ 2 tbs of pectin near end. Taste was what I wanted. Jam didn't set as much as I hoped. May need to boil fruit more vigorously or not puree fruit too finely next time. Or, add more pectin. On toast for breakfast, see pic below; added some & oatmeal to yogurt for lunch; and, made a peach vinaigrette for tonight's salad...T
Looks yummy!!!!! Wonder of it is possible to soak cut up Mangoes or Peaches in Vinegar? So the Vinegar gets the flavor? All commercial flavoured Vinegars have flavourings in them. I think I will try it and see if it works.
Thanks, Dr. Jan. It was good taste-wise. The consistency was off, but that'll give me something to work on for next time. As for the vinegar question, what you are referring to is called an infused vinegar. I have tried infusing olive oil and vinegar. It's kind of like making tea - heat up liquid, steep your herbs, filter out solids, put in a bottle. I did rosemary infused olive oil once, and I forget what I tried to infuse in vinegar. This is a typical recipe: Do-it-Yourself: Infused Vinegar | Williams-Sonoma Taste This is more specifically about fruit-infused vinegars. Happy cooking! Early Fall Project: Fruit-Infused Vinegar | The Kitchn T
Many thanks! Good idea infusing oil. I love Rosemary, and have a bush in the garden, so I will try that first!
Not sure if Olive oil is sensible to Infuse. The delicate flavor of mild Olive oil will disappear, and the more rustic/peppery flavor of the more Artisan Olive oils might interact in a negative way. I will try it using a basic Vegetable oil, and also try infusing Coconut Oil. I love experimenting in the kitchen. I have it after my grandfather. He invented a dish, and also introduced Italian Pasta in todays Czech Republic when he came home after the wars.
Good point on olive oil. Perhaps rather than infusing a fine extra virgin olive oil, perhaps something lower quality? Never tried infusing a flavor neutral oil. I got my cooking "gene" from my grandma...Y
use Canola oil if you are going to make infused oils or a very cheap olive oil - not extra virgin, as the olive flavor will conflict with your infusion. if you are going to do herbs, toast them first then add in the oil while the pan is warm, and heat to about 200F, for 5 min, then let cool. strain and bottle. Over Christmas, i bought a couple Perigord Truffles and did a bunch of butter and oil, so i have a huge bottle of great smelling truffle oil.