Preserving the Harvest

At the height of summer we had such a bounty of vegetables we were giving it away. Now that the days are closing in, and there's a chill in the air, the plants have slowed down considerably. In hindsight we ought to have been preserving much of the surplus, but there is still plenty. The scullery is now lined with jars of chutney (recipe at the bottom of this post), picalilli (I love this stuff as the vegetables don't require cooking so many of the goodness is retained) and pickles (mainly cucumber with beetroot to follow). It would be thrilling if we could preserve enough of our own food to see us through the winter until spring, but I think that we may well be spending money on veg at the local shop!

There are still a number of things that we can harvest during the autumn and winter. Salad leaves are still growing for the time being, and hardy oriental salad will last well into the winter. I have opted for a mixed bag of orientals which include mizuna, mibuna, pak choi, etc. Toms are ripening on the vine. Radishes are still thriving, and perpetual spinach will grow year round. Kale will also be available throughout the winter. The annual herbs have all gone to seed but I have bunches of foliage cut and dried, and I'll collect the seeds too. Perennial herbs of course last year round ... rosemary and sage, and parsley planted this summer will overwinter too.

Chutney
1kg of mixed seasonal vegetables, such as pumpkin, squash, courgette, marrow
1kg green tomatoes
500g cooking apples
500g onions
500g brown sugar
600ml white wine vinegar (or 50/50 white wine vinegar/apple cider vinegar)
2.5cm fresh ginger (fresh ginger can be kept in the freezer and grated as required)
10 cloves
2 tsp black peppercorns
1 tsp coriander seeds
1 chilli (optional)

I don't bother with a spice bag, I just throw it all in together into a large pot and simmer gently for 2 hours. Ladle into sterilised jars. Do your best to refrain from opening the first jar for at least three weeks. Delicious in a ham or cheese sandwich, or give a homemade curry a twist by adding a few dollops of your chutney.

I do wonder how much benefit there is left in a chutney after boiling it for 2 hours, and I'm toying with the idea of trying a batch cooked for just a half hour and then thickened (rather than reduced) with corn flour.

Available via the Sallygardens Bookshop, there is a River Cottage Chutney in the River Cottage Cookbook (only one chutney recipe in this book), a delectable Chargrilled Green Tomatoe Chutney in Preserved (again only one chutney recipe in this publication), and a myriad of good old fashioned preserves in the solidly reliable Mrs Beeton.

Comments

[Babystepper]

My Mother-In-Law used to can jars and jars of cherry juice, along with the actual cherries. She would add them to juices and drinks throughout the winter.

[carolyn]

Snap we have been making chutney over at Willow House.

[Cindy at Rosehaven Cottage]

I am enchanted by your blog! Your description of your garden harvest reminded me of all the things I need to put in for my own winter garden. Cindy at Rosehaven Cottage

[farmingfriends]

I love chutney and made courgette and green tomato chutney last year with extra spice. It went down a treat! Your recipe looks great and I love the finished product photo.
Sara from farmingfriends

[colour it green]

if you want to save the vitamins, best to think about freezing your produce. I would hesitate to make chutney with a thickened sauce.. it might not be preserved properly.

[Henriette]

I made a yummi prune, walnut pear chutney ... so yummi that I have been eating it all the time the last 2 weeks.
I need to make some more ;-D

[Wild Rose]

Hi Rebecca

How lovely to be able to dip into your pantry in the depths of winter and enjoy a taste of summer.

Do visit my blog soon for a special giveaway...

Marie x

[Nonnie]

I just made my first ever batch of chutney which is now sitting in a dark cupboard for a few weeks until I dare to try it. I love the idea of bottles and jars of preserved summer foods lining a pantry shelf to keep us going through the winter months.

[peter donegan]

this is gonna sound stupid, possibly, but whats the difference between a jam, a chutney and a preserve?

great blog - slán go foill
peter

[Rebecca (living sustainably and felting in rural Ireland)]

Well a preserve includes jams, chutneys, smoking, air curing, salting etc, ie anything that 'keeps' the produce from going off.

A jam as far as I understand it is a fruit based preserve that uses sugar as its preserving agent and the release of the enzyme pectin from the fruits seeds via boiling to 'set' the jam.
A chutney is half apple and half vegetable.

[peter donegan]

thanks for that - now I gotta find a web on knitting and ask a question there. nah joke. seriously thanks always get gifts of one or the other [lotta gardens with fruit etc..] never actually knew. fruit trees-r-us!
peter