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Newcastle Allotments Recipe Blog

Newcastle Allotments Working Group is collecting fruit and vegetable recipes. If you have an interesting and original recipe which uses allotment / garden produce, please post it here.





Baked Apples with Rhubarb Crumble
Serves 4

Ingredients:

600 g chopped rhubarb
4 medium cooking apples
juice and zest 1 orange
150g brown sugar
150g plain flour
1 teasp. baking powder
1 teasp. ground cinnamon
75g butter.

Method:
Preheat oven to gas mark 4 / 180 C / 350 F.

Simmer rhubarb, orange juice, cinnamon and half the sugar for 8-10 minutes in a pan. Allow to cool slightly.

Cut tops off apples, and carefully remove the core. Fill with the cooked rhubarb.

Sift together the flour and baking powder. Stir in the remaining sugar, and rub in the butter until the mixture resembles breadcrumbs. Sprinkle crumble mixture over the apples, and press down gently.

Place apples in buttered dish and bake for 35 - 40 mintes.

Optional: 75g chopped slivered almonds may be added to the crumble mixture.

Warmed Mixed Berries
Serves 4

This simple pudding takes minutes to make, but it is very impressive. If you serve it with cream, it will also be very rich!

Ingredients:

4 slices brioche
75g strawberries
75g blueberries
75g blackberries
75g raspberries
75g redcurrant or other sweet jelly (I have used elderberry jelly for this)
Juice of 1 lemon
1 - tablespoons brandy
icing sugar

Method:

Toast brioche lightly on both sides, and keep warm.
Melt the jelly in a small frying pan, and blend in the lemon juice and brandy.
Add berries, tossing gently until covered in syrup.
Pile the berries on the brioche, sprinkle with icing sugar and serve with cream or ice cream.

Sprouts roasted with garlic
Serves 3 - 4

A delicious and sophisticated alternative to plain boiled sprouts.

Ingredients:

450g brussels sprouts
2 fat cloves of garlic, crushed
40g butter
3 tablesp grated parmesan cheese.

Method:

Preheat oven to gas mark 4 / 350F / 180C
Parboil sprouts for 3 minutes; drain
Melt butter and mix in garlic - do not allow to cook.
Mix sprouts into garlic butter
Put in ovenproof dish and sprinkle with parmesan
Cover and bake for 20 - 25 minutes.

Cabbage with carrot and ginger
Serves 4

Another vegetable which is often just boiled, but can be made delicious with just a little effort.

Ingredients:

450g white cabbage, finely shredded
2 medium carrots, finely shredded
1 medium onion, finely chopped
1/4 inch root ginger, peeled and finely chopped or shredded. (You can use powdered ginger)
Knob of butter
Salt to taste

Method:

Melt butter butter in a good-size saucepan.
Add all ingredients and mix well. (I usually put a lid on the pan and give it a good shake)
Cook gently until vegetables are cooked to your taste.

Stir fried cabbage with bacon.
Serves 4
(If you are vegetarian, or don't eat bacon, just leave it out!)

Ingredients:

450g cabbage, finely shredded
200 g bacon, diced or cut into strips
1 medium onion, sliced
1 green pepper, sliced
1 fat clove garlic, crushed
2 tablesps olive or sunflower oil
1/4 inch root ginger, peeled and very finely chopped, or 1/4 teasp. powdered ginger
3 tablesps soy sauce
1 level teasp cornflour
4 tablesp water
Crushed black pepper to taste

Method:

Heat oil in a wok or large saucepan
Add vegetables and bacon, and stir fry for about 5 minutes, until cabbage begins to soften
Blend cornflour, ginger, soy sauce and water to a smooth paste and pour over the vegetables.
Cook until sauce thickens and coats vegetables.
Season with pepper to taste.

Burmese Cucumber Salad
Served as a side dish with curry in Burma, this savoury dish is excellent served with steak, chops or cold meats. Because the cucumbers are cooked, it will keep for several days in the 'fridge.

Ingredients:
3 large cucumbers
6 large onions, finely sliced
10 cloves garlic (!), finely sliced*
250 ml sesame oil, sunflower oil, or a mixture to taste
5-6 tablesps. white wine or cider vinegar
2 tablesp. sesame seeds
1 teasp. turmeric
1 teasp. sugar
1 teasp. salt
* If you are not accustomed to large quantities of garlic, reduvce the amount to your taste.

Method:
Peel and deseed cucumbers, and cut into 3inch "chips"
Place in a pan, add 3 tablesp. vinegar and sufficient boiling water to just cover.
Simmer until cucumbers just turn transparent.
Drain, arrange on a serving dish and sprinkle with salt.

Put sesame seeds into dry frying pan, and roast over gentle heat until they turn golden. Warning: do not take your eyes off them - I guarantee that if you do they will turn from little white seeds to little lumps of charcoal in seconds!
Remove from pan, and set aside.
Put oil into pan and heat.
Add onions and garlic and fry until crisp*
Remove, and drain on kitchen paper
Into the pan add turmeric, sugar and salt, and cook, stirring constantly, for about 1-2 minutes.
Allow to cool slightly, then add 2 - 3 tablespoons vinegar to taste.
Pour dressing over cucumbers, garnish with onion and garlic mixture and sprinkle with toated sesame seeds.

Serve warm or cold.

* For crisp fried onions, cook slowly over a low heat.

This recipe may also be used for white cabbage, french beans or celery

Sri Lankan Cucumber Salad.
This recipe does not cook the cucumbers, so does not keep as well. Still a delicious dish.

Ingredients:

1 large cucumber, unpeeled, deseedsed and finely sliced.
3 - 4 tablesp. sour cream (or yoghurt)
1 heaped tablesp. sesame seeds
Salt and pepper

Method:

Roast sesame seeds in dry frying pan, as above.
Place sour cream in dish and season to taste with salt and pepper
Mix in cucumber slices
Sprinkle with sesame seeds.

Sri Lankan Cucumber and Coconut

Ingredients:

1 large cucumber, unpeeld, deseeded and finely sliced
30g coconut cream (this freezes very well, so the rest will not be wasted)
200ml milk
1 red or green chilli, or 1/4 red or green sweet pepper, deseeded and finely sliced
2 -3 shallots, or the equivalent in spring onions, finely sliced
Juice of 1 lemon
1/2 teasp. sugar
salt and pepper

Method:

Place cucumber, pepper and shallots in shallow dish
Put coconut cream into milk and dissolve gently over a low heat. Allow to cool, stirring occasionally.
Stir lemon juice into cooled coconut milk, and add sugar and salt to taste.
Pour dressing over vegetables, and mix thoroughly (don't be shy -use your hands!)
Sprinkle with black pepper.

Bugrit Wine
I doubt you'll grow an actual "bugrit" on your allotment; the name of the wine refers to its chief ingredient.

Ingredients:

3lb any fruit jam which has failed to set

1 gallon (4.5 litres) boiling water

8 oz raisins or sultantas, minced or finely chopped

11/2 lb sugar

1 teasp. Pectinol or Pektolase

1 teasp. grape tannin

1 yeast nutrient tablet

1 teasp brewer's yeast

2 teasp. citric acid

1 Camden tablet

Method:

Put jam into sterile plastic container and pour over boiling water. Allow to cool

Add Pectinol / Pektolase and citric acid. Leave to stand for 24 hours.

Add minced fruit, sugar, grape tannin, brewer's yeast and yeast nutrient tablet. Stir well until sugar is dissolved.

Cover and leave for 5 days, stirring every day.

Strain into sterile fermentation jar through muslin or a nylon sieve. Fit a fermentation lack and leave until air stops bubbling (about 3 weeks)

When fermentation has ceased and the wine is clear, rack into a sterile jar, add the Camden tablet and store for 6 -9 months.

Bottle and drink.

Anytime Chutney

This could just as easily be called "Anything Chutney", as it is made from the dried fruits we all seem to have hanging about in our kitchen cupboard.

675g mixed dried fruits of any sort (if including prunes, remember to stone them) evenly chopped

1.3 kg cooking apples, weighed after peeling, coring and chopping.

450g onions

675g soft brown sugar

6 fat cloves garlic, peeled and crushed

50g root ginger peeled and finely chopped

2-4 died or fresh chillies (optional)

850 mls white wine or cider vinegar.

Method:

Put all ingredients into a large preserving pan and bring to the boil, stirring constantly

Simmer over medium heat, stirring regularly, until thick with no vinegar floating on top. (about 45 minutes)

Spoon into cooled streilised jars and seal with vinegar-proof tops.

Store for 6-8 weeks before using.

Pumpkin Chutney
Simply adjust the quantities to accomodate the size of your pumpkin. If you've grown a real giant, you could be handing out pumpkin chutney until the neighbours are sick of the sight of you.

Ingredients:

675g pumpkin, peeled, deseeded and cut into 1" chunks
450g cooking apples, weighed after peeling and coring, and roughly chopped
350g onions, chopped
175g sultanas
450g sugar, brown or granulated
2 tablesp. salt
50g root ginger, peeled and minced (or 2 teasp. ground ginger)
1/2 teasp. freshly ground black pepper
*2 teasp. ground allspice
6 fat cloves garlic, peeled and crushed
575ml cider vinegar (you can use malt vinegar if you prefer)
50g stem ginger preserved in syrup
3 fresh red chillies, seeded and finely chopped (optional)
2 tablesp. mustard seed (optional)

Method:

Put all ingredients except sugar and preserved ginger into large preserving pan and mix throughly
Bring to the boil. Reduce heat and simmer until contents are soft, stirring occasionally (about 45 minutes)
Add sugar and stir until dissolved
Continue to simmer until chutney is thick and no liquid floats on surface (about 1 - 1 1/2 hours)
Add stem ginger and stir well.
Spoon into cool sterilised jars and cover with vinegar-proof lids.
Store for 8 weks before use.

If you prefer, use whole spices tied in a muslin bag. Remove bag before potting chutney.

Peach Chutney
Well, some people grow peaches!

Ingredients:

2 lb peaches, weighed after peeling and stoning, and chopped into 1/8ths
1 lb red onions, chopped or sliced
1 lb demerara sugar
4oz sultanas
2 fat cloves garlic, peeled and crushed
1 orange, very finely sliced or shredded - leave skin on
2 oz preserved ginger in syrup
2 teasp. mustrad seeds
1 teasp. ground cinnamon
1/4 teasp. all spice 1 tablesp. salt
250ml cider vinegar
1 -2 red chilli peppers (optional)

Put all ingredients in large preserving pan and mix thoroughly.
Bring to the boil, then simmer on a low heat stirring occassionally* until chutney is thick and there is no liquid on the surface. (* stir gently, trying to keep the peach chunks as intact as possible).
Spoon into cooled sterilised jars and cover with vinegar-proof lids.
Store for 6-8 weeks before eating.

Courgette Chutney

Ingredients

2lb courgettes, trimmed and sliced
3lb tomatoes, peeled and roughly chopped
1 1/2 lb onions
1 lb brown sugar
4 oz sultanas, chopped
3 cloves garlic, crushed
1 pint malt vinegar
1 teasp salt
1 1/2 tablesp. mustard seed
1 tablesp. paprika
1 teasp. cayenne pepper

Method

Put courgettes, tomatoes, onion and garlic along with half the vinegar into a large preserving pan
Bring to the boil, then simmer uncovered until vegetables are soft. (about 30 minutes)
Add remaining ingredients and the rest of the vinegar and simmer gently until thick, stirring occasionally (about 3/4 - 1 hour)
Spoon into colled strilised jars and cover with vinegar-proof lids.
Keep for 6-8 weeks before using.

Aunty Katy's Lazy Chutney
No cooking required, and it is claimed to keep as well as cooked chutney. The method is rather similar to making mincemeat.

Ingredients:

1 lb cooking apples, weighed after peeling and coring.

1lb onions

1lb raisins

1lb sultanas

1lb sugar

1 pint white vinegar (malt, pickling or cider)

1 teasp. salt

Pinch freshly-ground black pepper

Method

Mince together all the fruit, and stir in the sugar, salt and pepper.
Pour vinegar over the mixture and leave for 24 hours, stirring occasionally.
Spoon into sterilised jars and seal with vinegar-proof lids.

Plum Chutney
Use cooking plums, or under-ripe dessert plums to give the best flavour. If the plums are too hard to remove the stones, use them whole and remove the stones after cooking. In this case use 2 1/2 lbs.

Ingredients:
2 lb plums, weighed when stoned*
1lb cooking apples, weighed when peeled and cored and cut into small dice
1lb onions, peeled and chopped
1lb brown sugar (light)
12 oz sultanas
2 fat cloves garlic, peeled and finely chopped
1 pint white vinegar (malt or cider)
1 teasp. ground ginger
1 teasp. cinnamon
1 teasp. allspice
1/4 teasp. cayenne pepper
10 green peppercorns
1 teasp. salt, or to taste.

Method:
Put the plums, apples, onions and garlic into a large preserving pan with the spices and half the vinegar.
Simmer gentlu until soft, stirring occasionally.
Remove plum stones, if necessary.
Add sultanas, sugar and remaining vinegar, and stir over a low heat until the sugar has dissolved
Raise heat and boil steadily until mixture has the consistency of thick jam.
Add salt to taste.
Spoon into sterilised jars and seal with vinegar-proof lids.

Blackcurrant Syrup

Ingredients

2kg blackcurrants (no need to "top and tail")
2 litres water
1/2 kilo granulated sugar per pint of fruit syrup (see method)

Method
Bring water to the boil and add the blackcurrants.
Boil for 15 minutes.
Put all into jelly bag and allow to drain for 12 - 24 hours into a large container.
(Do not be tempted to squeeze, prod, poke or otherwise interfere with the jelly bag. This will result in a cloudy syrup)
Measure the quantity of juice obtained.
Pour juice into large pan and bring to the boil.
Add 1/2 kilo sugar for each litre of juice measured, and stir constantly until it is dissolved
Boil for a further 10 minutes
Allow to cool a little, and pour into warm sterilised bottles.
Seal tightly with cork or air-proof lid.

To use, simply dilute with appropriate quantity of water.

This recipe may also be used to make redcurrant syrup, but use only 1 1/2 litres water per 2 kilo. berries.

Don't forget to put the residue from the jelly bag onto the compost heap.

Blackcurrant vinegar - uncooked
This is a rich-tasting vinegar which can be added to gravy or sauces for rich or fatty meats such as venison, pork, goose and duck. It is also a soothing remedy for colds and sore throats when diluted with hot water and sipped like tea.

This recipe contains no sugar, and the resulting vinegar must be stored in the fridge and used within 4 weeks. To have a constant supply, simply freeze the blackcurrants, and make a new batch regularly.

Ingredients:
600ml / 1 pint red wine vinegar, less 2 tablesps.
2 tablesps very good balsamic vinegar or sherry vinegar
1/2lb blackcurrants.

Method:
Mix the vinegars.
Place fruit in glass or china bowl, and crush.
Leave for 3-4 days, stirring frequently each day
Strain through a jelly bag or fine nylon sieve (remember, no prodding, poking, squeezing or squashing!)
Pour into cold sterilised bottles and seal.

Blackcurrant vinegar - cooked
This recipe contains sugar, and therefore has better keeping qualities. It also gives a very interesting sweet-sour flavour, and the resultant vinegars make a refreshing cold drink when diluted with water or soda water and served with lots of ice.

Ingredients:
1lb blackcurrants
1 pint vinegar as above
1/2 - 1lb granulated sugar per pint of juice (see method)

Method:
Crush fruit in mixing bowl, add vinegar and leave for 3 days, stirring frequently.
Strain as above, and measure the yield.
For every pint of juice add 1/2 - 1lb sugar, depending upon how sweet you want the resulting vinegar.
Pour into suacepan and heat gently, stirring constantly until sugar is dissolved.
Boil rapidly for 10 minutes.
Allow to cool a little, then pour into warm sterilised bottles or kilner jars and seal.

Other Fruit Vinegars
The same methods can be used to make vinegars from other soft fruits.

Raspberries - use good quality white wine vinegar + sherry vinegar

Blackberries - use a mixture of cider vinegar + red or white wine vinegar

Elderberry - best made using the cooking method. Use red wine vinegar or a mixture of red wine vinegar + sherry vinegar.

Strawberry - makes a wonderfully refreshing cold summer drink. Use at least 1lb fruit for the uncooked method, and you can increase the fruit in the cooked method by 1/2. Use white wine vinegar + a little sherry vinegar.