Herb Vinegars

Now it is coming Spring in the UK it is time to be thinking of how to make dressings for salads and meals . You can prepare these herb vinegar recipes now, store and start using in 6 weeks.
Ingredients
Herbs such as basil, marjoram, mint, sage, tarragon, thyme
Malt vinegar dark or clear. You can also use white wine vinegar
Jars
Method
Take one type of herb and crush it with a rolling pin.
Put the crushed herbs into a jar, just half fill it and cover with the cold vinegar
Leave for 6 weeks but shake the jar at least once per week
After this time , sieve the vinegar into bottles and it is ready to use. These are excellent as salad dressings or to use when making fresh chutneys
These are recipes for basil vinegar, marjoram vinegar, mint vinegar, sage vinegar, tarragon vinegar and thyme vinegar

Melon Marmalade

In the shops at the moment we have lots of melons arriving that are really large and juicy. This recipe is for a melon marmalade ideal for breakfast on bread or toast or as a great filling for vanilla cupcakes recipes.
Ingredients
1 melon with the seeds removed and peeled and the remaining flesh pureed in a blender or sieve.
White sugar
Method
Put the pureed melon into a pan and add 1/2 cup--1/4 lb of sugar for every 1 lb of melon pulp.
Boil until it sets.
To test for setting, take a teaspoon of melon marmalade and put it onto a cold plate if the melon starts to go solid and wrinkle when touched it is ready to pot and seal

Mint Chutney

It is that time of the year when I have been renewing all my herbs in the garden and some are now staring to grow. The mint is starting so I have found this recipe for a mint chutney to go with vegetable dishes and lamb.
Ingredients
4 oz--4 cups of fresh mint chopped fine
1 small onion chopped
lemon juice from 1 lemon
salt and black pepper
Method
1. Put all the ingredients into a pestle and mortar and pound together to a thick paste
or
2. Put all ingredients into a chopper food processor and blend. Not too much keep it with some texture.
The chutney is fresh and ready to serve

Orange Chutney

I decided I needed a chutney for Spring. I am going to try this version of Orange Chutney
Ingredients
4 oranges, peel,remove pith and any pips and cut up
2 large cooking apples, peel ,core and chop finely
1 1/4 cups--1/2 lb brown sugar
4 oz--1 cup raisins
4 oz--1 cup of preserved ginger, crystallized is a good choice
1/2 oz--1-2 chillies chopped
1 large onion finely chopped
1 oz salt--1 1/2 tablespoons
1 pint vinegar, I use malt vinegar
pepper to taste
Glass jars to pot the chutney in
Method
Put all ingredients in a pan together.
Simmer until tender and thickened.
Pot into warm jars.
Enjoy