THE ORCHARD TRIO

THE POTAGER HAS A MIND OF ITS OWN WHEN IT COMES TO THE FRUIT AND VEGETABLES IT WILL OR WON’T PRODUCE FOR US!

Fruity Pear Chutney

Ingredients

1kg ripe pears (about 6)

150g soft prunes, chopped

150g raisins

150g dried cranberries

200g shallots, peeled and finely sliced

2 apples, peeled, cored and sliced

300g soft brown sugar

Each year brings gluts or dearths of different crops and this year is no exception. Last Summer, we had so many tomatoes, we were constantly picking them (or giving them away) and finding a myriad of different ways to tackle them and I still have some left over in the freezer. This year both the tomatoes and courgettes are a disappointment and I’ve even had to resort to buying them whilst the rhubarb crop remains fairly consistent. A lovely surprise is that our kiwis are fruiting for the first time, and the fig tree is covered in hopeful green buds – I feel fig jam is on the horizon this year and if you’ve never made kiwi jam, give it a try!

We came to France from mid Kent, the “Garden of England” which is renowned for its bountiful orchards, producing prolific crops of apples and pears. Until last year, we owned a house in Normandy, set in an ancient apple orchard, and I have spent many happy late summer days there, preserving damsons, blackberries and tackling as many of the apples as I could. However, even though we have at least a dozen apple and pear trees here at Château Mareuil, in the 8 years we’ve lived here, they have produced very little, certainly never enough to think about how to preserve them – but is all this about to change? Maybe yes, the crops are looking plentiful, the early apple fallers are sweet and juicy, and a neighbour with plentiful damsons has said we can have as many as we wish, so it looks like I’m going to have to deal with a glut after all.

1 cinnamon stick

600ml cider vinegar

Method

1. Peel, core and chop the pears into chunks. Place them in a preserving pan or large saucepan along with the prunes, raisins, cranberries, shallots, apples, sugar and cinnamon stick. Pour in half the cider vinegar, season and slowly bring to a simmer, stirring until the sugar has dissolved. Cook for about 25 minutes, until tender.

2. Pour in the rest of the cider vinegar and cook for a further 30 minutes, stirring often, until thickened, if it’s still a bit runny, carry on cooking for a further 10-15 minutes.

TIP - A good test to see if it’s done is to draw your wooden spoon through the chutney and if it’s ready, it will leave a clear wake for a couple of seconds before the mixture levels again.

3. Pour the hot chutney carefully into warm, sterilised jars and seal. Cool and label – best left to mature for at least 3 months before eating.

Preserved Pears

Ingredients

8-10 pears (not too ripe)

300g white sugar

2 litres water

2 star anise

4 cardamom pods

1 stick cinnamon

2 storage jars (Kilner jars work well)

Method

1. Peel, core, and quarter the pears. Add them to a bowl of cold water to which you have added some lemon juice to stop the fruit browning.

2. In a large saucepan, add the sugar, water, and spices. Bring to the boil. Transfer the pear quarters from their lemon solution to the boiling sugar water. Let them come to the boil again and cook for 5 minutes.

3. Pack your jars with the pears. Pour the remaining strained syrup over them to cover, leaving ½-inch of headroom from the tops of the jars. Wipe the rims with a paper towel. Secure the lids.

4. LONG-TERM STORAGE

If planning for long-term shelf storage (up to a year), fill the jars as above but before sealing them put them in a roasting tin with 3 inches of water for 20 minutes in a hot oven.

5. Very carefully, close immediately on removing from the oven.

Plum or Damson Jam

Ingredients

2kg plums or damsons *

2kg sugar

*Choose firm plums, discarding any bruised or damaged ones, overripe fruit will not have enough pectin to set the jam.

Equipment

Sugar thermometer **

**Either use a sugar thermometer which gives a ‘jam’ temperature, or pop a couple of saucers in the fridge before you start for the ‘wrinkle’ test (see Step 4). I usually combine both methods just to be sure!

Method

1. Weigh the fruit before you begin, then halve the plums or damsons, removing the stones. If the stones are difficult to remove, you can skim them off the surface of the cooked jam later.

2. Place the fruit in a large saucepan or preserving pan and heat gently until they soften, you can add a spoonful of water or so to help them along.

3. Add the same weight of sugar as fruit – I typically find that 2 kgs of fruit (and therefore 2kg of sugar) is a manageable quantity to cook in one go. Heat gently, stirring to dissolve –it’s important to make sure that all of the sugar is dissolved because you don’t want gritty crystals in the finished jam.

4. Increase the heat and boil for another 10 minutes or so until it starts to look

ByBelindaPrince

Belinda, the ‘Accidental Chatelaine’ loves to cook at any opportunity and is delighted to be able to share that love with you www.chateaumareuil.com ready/reaches temperature, then test by dropping a little onto one of your cold saucers. You can pop it back in the fridge for a couple of minutes, then if it wrinkles when you push it to one side with your finger, it’s ready to pot.

5. Pour very carefully into warm, sterilised jars, seal and label when cold.

Apple & Damson/Plum Cheese

Also known as Fruit Cheese or Fruit Paste. It has a smooth, firm, and sliceable texture similar to cheese, hence the name. Delicious with cheese, paté or cold meats.

Ingredients

1kg damsons (or small plums)

500g apples (ideally cookers)

1 vanilla pod (optional)

800g white sugar or preserving sugar

Oil for greasing

Caster sugar (Sucre en poudre) for dusting

Method

1. Pop the damsons or plums into a preserving pan or large saucepan. Quarter the apples (there is no need to peel or remove the pips) and add to the pan with the vanilla pod, split in half, if using. Half cover the fruit with 600ml water and bring to a gentle simmer. Cook, partially covered for 30 minutes.

2. Pass the fruit through a sieve or Mouli, in batches, into a large bowl. Stir the pulp with a wooden spoon to help it through this process. Discard the residue. Scrape the seeds from the vanilla pod into the sieved fruit, if using and discard the pod.

3. Measure the purée into a jug, you should have about 1.2 ltrs. Add the sugar (100g to every 150ml of purée) and heat very gently until the sugar dissolves. Bring to a gentle simmer and cook for about 1 ¼ hours, stirring regularly – don’t go away and leave it as it burns easily! It’s ready when your wooden spoon leaves a clear wake. Remove from the heat.

4. Oil a deep baking tray, about 26 x 17cm and line with baking paper. Pour in the purée, cool, then chill for 12 hours until set.

5. Cut into 18 squares. To store, dust with caster sugar, leave to dry, then layer up between baking paper in an airtight container. Store in a cool place for up to 6 months.

Apple Sauce

Ingredients

24 apples, peeled, cored and chopped

750ml water

200g cup white sugar

1tsp ground cinnamon

Method

1. Combine the apples, water, sugar, and cinnamon in a saucepan; cover and cook over medium heat until the apples are soft, about 15 to 20 minutes.

2. Allow the apple mixture to cool, then mash with a fork or potato masher until it is the consistency you like.

3. At this point, you can use it within a few days, or pop into freezer bags and freeze for up to a year.

Freezer Apples or Pears

Freezing apples and pears is a great way to preserve the freshness and flavour of these fruits for later use. They can be frozen to be used in cooking, baking, smoothies, and other dishes. If you have room in your freezer (I rarely do), it’s worth freezing apples and pears to enjoy all year long.

Method

1. Peel and core the apples and/or pears, then cut into 1/2cm slices

2. Make a lemon juice bath to soak the cut slices in.

3. Soak for 5 minutes (to prevent browning), remove and strain.

4. In a single layer, arrange the apple slices on a baking sheet.

5. Freeze for several hours, or overnight.

6. Once completely frozen, you can transfer the apple slices to a freezer bag, or other container, storing them for up to a year.