Fine Chutneys, Pickles and More

Rowan Bishop with Relish

Fine Chutneys, Pickles and More

Publication date: October 2013, Bateman

RRP: $24.99            

Well-known food writer and author Rowan Bishop indulges her passion for preserving

fresh seasonal produce as chutneys, pickles, relishes and sauces in this, her fifth book.

Preserving fresh seasonal produce as well as adding interest and flavour to meals with chutneys, pickles, relishes and sauces are age-old timeless practices. 

Not content to stick with the traditional, Rowan has developed over 50 recipes designed to reduce sugar content and let the natural qualities of ingredients shine.

She has then enhanced and intensified flavours with spices and herbs from different cuisines and also extended the preserves repertoire beyond the familiar, to include sambals, salsas, pastes, tapenades, a liqueur and even a ‘champagne’.

Rowan's 'food philosophy' is that the quality of the food we eat is our best health insurance; that loving what we eat is fundamental to a balanced life; and that learning to cook well is intensely satisfying on a host of complex levels. 

ABOUT THE AUTHOR

ROWAN BISHOP’S enthusiasm for great food has encompassed 30 years, including 10 years running her own catering company, four cookbooks and hundreds of columns (food, travel and general interest). Her first book (with Sue Carruthers) was vegetarian, as is her most recent, Rowan Bishop’s Vegetarian Kitchen (2011). Rowan travels widely, constantly learning about new flavour/texture possibilities from cuisines around the world. She writes and teaches from her home in Hamilton.  You can read Rowan's blog at http://rowanbishopfoodwriter.blogspot.co.nz/

RRP: $24.99 incl. GST | Publishing date: October 2013

The publishers have kindly agreed to me posting one of the recipes from the book:

Life’s-Too-Short Marmalade

This marmalade is for those who like the best in life. It’s a little more time-consuming in terms of yield, but absolutely worth it. The secret is in the method; flavour is maximised by keeping sugar to a minimum, and no water is added — it’s just fruit flesh, zest and a minimum of sugar to preserve and enhance the flavours.

* Makes 3 jars

1 kg thin-skinned oranges

250 g limes (3–4, depending on size)

500 g sugar

2 Tbsp peeled & finely chopped fresh ginger (optional)

Using a zester* remove the zest from all the fruit, ensuring that none of the pith is attached. Chop roughly. Alternatively, peel with a potato peeler and finely julienne the peel, then chop roughly. Transfer to a large saucepan.

With a sharp knife, pare the pith from all the fruit and discard. Chop the
flesh into 5-mm dice, discarding any core or obvious membrane. Try not to lose any juice.

Transfer the diced fruit and juice to the saucepan with the zest, stir in the sugar and bring to simmer point. Simmer, uncovered, for 25–30 minutes, stirring regularly.

Test by placing half a teaspoon of the marmalade on a saucer to cool, then nudging with a finger. If the surface ripples, it is ready to pour into hot, sterilised jars. Seal with sterilised metal screw-on lids.

·         A zester has a truncated ‘blade’ with 6 small holes.

Use all oranges for this marmalade if you prefer, or experiment with a combination of citrus.

Footnote:
Annie made this Life’s-Too-Short Marmalade on Friday night, in very short time, and we tested it for breakfast Saturday - superb !
Note I had an advance copy of the book, it is not published  until 1 October. You can of course order it at your bookshop or library now and be top of the queue..