Recipe for Raspberry Curd and Beetroot Chutney

As requested by a few visitors to my blog here are the two recipes I said I would post.

Raspberry Curd

makes 350g

* 250 g raspberries
* 170 g caster sugar
* 50 g butter, preferably unsalted, cut into cubes
* 2 eggs beaten

1. Place the raspberries in a pan and cook gently for 5 to 10 minutes, squashing the fruits with a spoon to release their juices.
2. Push the fruit through a sieve, collecting the puree in a bowl.
3. Place the bowl over a pan of simmering water (or use a double boiler) and add all the other ingredients, pouring the beaten eggs through a sieve onto the puree.
4. Stir with a wooden spoon until everything is well blended. Continue cooking, stirring constantly until the curd is thick enough to coat the back of a spoon - this should take about 20 - 30 minutes.
5. Pour the curd into small, hot sterilised jars, and seal.

This recipe was in the 'Grow your Own' magazine and taken from the 'Fruits of The Earth' cookbook. It didn't however say how long it keeps of if it should be kept in the fridge. So I contacted the author of the book , Gloria Nicol, by e-mail, and she very kindly replied saying that it should keep for at least 6 weeks in the fridge UNOPENED, and 2 weeks in the fridge after opening. It only made 2 smallish jars, which I prefer as it gets eaten before it has a chance to go off. believe me it's delicious I'm on my second jar. yummy stirred into plain yogurt.

Beetroot Chutney

This is a light fresh-tasting chutney that's really easy to make- delicious in a cheese sandwich or with a ploughman's and great with cooked meats or jacket potatoes. ( the recipes words not mine, but I agree! )

Sorry but this is in lbs & ozs, luckily my scales are too.

* 3lbs cooked beetroot - - peeled and chopped into small pieces
* 1. 1/2 lbs apples - - - - peeled and roughly chopped into small pieces
* 2 large onions ( red or white) -peeled and roughly chopped
* 1 tsp salt
* 1/2 lb demerera sugar
* 1/2 tsp ground ginger
* 1 pint malt vinegar
* squeeze of lemon juice

1. Mix all the ingredients together in a preserving pan or a large saucepan.
2. Bring to the boil and simmer gently, stirring occasionally for 45 mins
3. Put into warm sterilised jars whilst chutney is still hot and cover with lids.
4. Allow to cool and then label and store in a cool dark area. It will keep for several months, but once opened refrigerate.

Happy cooking and eating.

By the way I received my book ' Fruits of the Earth' from Amazon the other day it's really lovely with plenty of nice recipes (and photographs) to cover most kind of preserving, so very handy for us veg and fruit growers. Also you may be interested to know that the author Gloria Nicol also has a blog and website that sells 'Vintage' things and here is the link - http://www.laundryetc.co.uk/ (blog) http://www.thelaundry.co.uk/ (website)

I hope you find the recipes easy to follow, I know I did.

PS just thought I would add this Baked Beetroot recipe as well.

BAKED BEETROOT AND GARLIC

1) Place the beetroot's into double thickness of foil, make sure there is enough foil to bring up to seal the beetroots.
( unless they are very large leave whole and don't peel them at this stage)

2) Crush 4 garlic cloves ( again don't peel just give them a bash to crush them, so they are still whole but the taste is released) add them to the beetroot.

3) Add about a tablespoon of virgin olive oil and tablespoon of balsamic vinegar to the beetroot spoon it over the beetroot & garlic. seal the foil tightly so the beetroot almost steams in the oven.

4) Bake at around 190 for about an hour ( depending on size and number of beetroots) test with a sharp knife to see if the beetroot is cooked, if not leave for longer.

5) When cooked allow to cool and take the skin off the beetroots with a sharp knife and cut into either slices or chunks.

delicious as a baked veg with the dinner or left to go cold and have it with salad or in a cheese sandwich.

I kept mine in a kilner jar in the fridge for a week I left the juices and garlic in the jar as well.