Recipes

Most Alric Avenue allotment holders grow fruit and vegetables to take home and eat. But not all of us are inspired when we unpack our bags in the kitchen and sometimes we get bored with cooking the same dishes, especially if we've been so successful that we have a glut of something.

Do you have any special recipes that you can share with other plot holders? Have you found interesting ways to cook any unusual fruit and vegetables that you've grown?

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Chris offers this one for using up a glut of tomatoes. Makes a really interesting jam/chutney with a really spicy flavour. Keeps well if refridgerated once open.

TOMATO JAM
Ingredients
3lb 4oz tomatoes of any sort
2 star anise
5 cardomom pods
2-3 tsp coriander seed
1 tsp juniper berries
5 cloves
1 tsp black peppercorns
1 vanilla pod
1 orange
1 lemon
10.5 oz white sugar
Salt

Method

Halve the tomatoes and scrape out the seeds, roughly chop and put in a large, heavy based pan.
Gently dry roast all the spices together in a frying pan (no oil) until they begin to pop. Then grind quite fine in a pestle & mortar.
Split the vanilla pod and add to the tomatoes and then add the rest of the spices. Add the zest and juice of the orange and lemon, then the sugar and salt, stir on a gentle heat until the sugar dissolves.
Bring to the boil and simmer for about 30 minutes until it has reduced by about one third and thickened. Test for setting - a drop on a cold plate in the fridge.

Pour into sterilised jars, cover and label.

Keep in the fridge after opening but stores well if unopened.

NOTE: add a cooking apple to help with setting if you are having problems

To dig one's own spade into one's own earth!
Has life anything better to offer than this?
Beverley Nichols