CRANBERRY CHUTNEY RECIPE or CRANBERRY SAUCE WITH ORANGE AND PORT

Cranberry Sauce for Christmas Recipe
I published this last year but it is now that time of year again. How time just passes so fast

This is a fantastic cranberry chutney recipe or cranberry sauce recipe to go with Christmas turkey dinner. It is also good to go with turkey on sandwiches or subs. I like it with roast chicken and venison steaks. It would also go well with roast goose, duck and pork. It has a rich flavour with lots of spicey overtones. It will store in the fridge for a few days or you can divide it into portions and put it into the freezer.

Ingredients

4 cups--1 lb of fresh cranberries left whole, cleaned and washed, 1 orange with the skin or zest grated off and the juice extracted, a piece of cinnamon stick, 1/2 cup--3 ozs sugar, 4 cloves, 1/2 teaspoon of powdered ginger or fresh fine grated ginger root, and 2 tablespoons of port.

Method

Put the cranberries, orange juice, orange peel, cinnamon stick, sugar, cloves and ginger into a pan and bring to the boil. Remember to put a lid on the pan, reduce the heat and simmer gently for about 5 minutes. Check to see if it is all cooked. Remove the pan from the heat and stir in the Port. Remove the cinnamon stick and cloves before serving. Put into a bowl and store in the fridge. I make this in advance and then I divide it into the portions I need and put these into the freezer.

Variations

1. Crush or mince the cranberries before cooking. 2. Port is a fortified wine from Portugal with a rich flavour if you have not got this you could substitute it with Sherry or some strong red wine like a cabernet sauvignon. 3. Serve with fresh slices of oranges or segments of satsumas.

Do you like to make casseroles, cupcakes, pasta and salads? Check out the links for more of my recipes and ideas. Enjoy. Crazycupcakes.

Rhubarb Chutney

I found this good recipe for a rhubarb which is in season for May .
To make the chutney you need:
2 lbs--1 kg of washed and sliced rhubarb
2 large onions chopped fine
8oz--225gm sultanas
8 oz--225gm of demerara sugar
10 whole tomatoes cut into quarters
1 pint of malt vinegar
2 tablespoons of butter or olive oil for frying
Method
1. Fry the tomatoes in a large pan on a medium heat until they are soft
2. Add the rhubarb, onions and sultanas and stir. Bring to the boil and stir all the time, use a wooden spoon. Keep it at a simmer heat
3.Add the sugar and simmer until the sugar dissolves
4. Pour in the vinegar, mix all the ingredients and simmer until the chutney starts to thicken.
5. Cool the chutney and put into sterilised jars. Top off with a seal and film. I buy sets of these from my local hardware store.
This chutney will go well with all cold meats, cheeses, pasta and bread. Just try it with all types of food.
All these recipes can be found in the Archives:
Carrot Chutney
Apple Curry Chutney
Apple Chutney
Autumn Yummy Chutney
Date and Banana Chutney
Cranberry Chutney
Mango Chutney
Lemon Curd
Lime Curd
Orange Curd
Orange Chutney
Mint Chutney
Pear Chutney
Apricot Chutney
Pineapple Chutney
Piccalilli
Thanks for reading
Crazycupcakes

Piccalilli Chutney

I have decided to make my own version of a UK favourite, Piccalilli recipe. The photos above show the stages of making this great pickle relish which is great with cold meats, cheese, meat loaves, vegetarian loaves, ploughman's lunch, a sandwich or sub filler and tofu.

Ingredients

2 1bs of any mixed vegetables. I used cauliflower, onions, green beans, tomato,zucchini or courgette and cucumber all chopped into small pieces.

1 pint of vinegar I used malt vinegar

2 oz sugar

1 tablespoon of dry English mustard

1/2 oz of turmeric

1/2 of ground ginger or cornflour( the cornflour would make a thicker sauce)

1 oz pickling spice

Large jars , I always reuse jars from coffee or hot chocolate.

Brine to soak the vegetables made from 2 oz salt to 1 pint of water

Method

Chop the vegetables and put into a bowl and soak overnight in the brine.

The following day drain the vegetables from the brine and pack into the jars.

Put the vinegar into a pan save a small amount to add to the dry ingredients.

Put all the dry ingredients into a small dish and add a small amount of vinegar and mix to a paste.

Add this paste to the vinegar in the pan and simmer on a gentle heat until it is slightly thick.

Pour this over the vegetables in the jars.

Cover with a seal or very tight cling film.

Put the lids on the jars.

Let it cool and store.

I like to leave it for a few days to mature.

Store in a cool cupboard.

This is so easy and is a great recipe for vegetarians and vegans.

I expect you could try a selection of different vegetables. If anyone has any suggestions or your own variations please add it here.

Thanks for reading

Crazycupcakes

Pineapple Chutney

The pineapple being prepared

Simmering the ingredients

The bottled pineapple chutney

This is the completed pineapple chutney recipe which goes well with cold meats, nut and bean loaves, cheese and a ploughman's lunch. I just adore chutney and I have used this with cheese and salad on wraps for a light sandwich this summer.

Ingredients

4 tablespoons of malt vinegar

1/2 teaspoon of crushed dried chili or half a fresh chili chopped fine

6 cloves

6 peppercorns

2 teaspoons of ground cumin or 1/2 teaspoon of roasted crushed cumin seeds

salt to taste about 1/2 teaspoon

3/4 cup--6 oz--175gm of white sugar

1 large fresh pineapple peeled and cored and the pineapple chopped into small pieces

1 piece of fresh ginger about 2 inches long or 5 cm long

2 cloves of garlic peeled and chopped

Method

Put the vinegar, chillies, cloves, peppercorns, cumin, salt and sugar into a pan and simmer on low for about 15 minutes.

Add the pineapple, ginger and garlic.

Simmer for about 15 to 25 minutes until the pineapple has gone soft and most of the vinegar and liquids have evaporated. Be careful here and stir gently.

Let the pineapple chutney go cool and bottle in warm jars.

Put on the wax seal and label.

Have a look at the photographs to get the correct idea for the pineapple chutney recipe

Enjoy and thanks for reading

Crazycupcakes

Orange Curd

LIME, LEMON AND ORANGE CURD RECIPES

I have made Lemon Curd on many occasions but I decided to try Oranges.I have used it to fill cupcakes. The photos show the process of making the Orange Curd which is really very easy.

Ingredients

3oz--75gm--1/3 cup caster sugar(fine sugar)

1 large orange, grate the rind off and squeeze out the juice

2 large eggs

2oz--50gm--1/4 cup unsalted butter cut into small pieces

Method

Find a bowl which will fit over a pan.

Put some water in the pan and start to simmer.

Put the sugar and lime rind into this bowl

In another bowl whisk or beat together the lime juice and the 2 eggs

Add this to the sugar and lime rind, place this bowl over the top of the simmering water, do not heat to high as the eggs will separate

Add the chopped butter

The butter will melt and stir frequently

It will take about 20 minutes to thicken

Warm 2 jars

Store in jars or use as a cupcake filling

The recipe for lemon, lime and grapefruit curd is just the same, but you substitute lemon, lime and grapefruit for the orange.

EnjoyCrazycupcakes

Ploughmans Lunch

This was a delicious piece of pie from Selfridges in Manchester made from pork and black pudding. Black pudding is a Northern delicacy from blood and fats. I served it with my homemade pear chutney and salad.
Thanks for reading
Crazycupcakes

Mint sauce

This is the time of the year when the fresh mint is growing really well. I chose lots of fresh leaves and washed and chopped them very fine. In a glass jar I placed vinegar and about 3 tablespoons of sugar into the vinegar. I mixed these together and then added the chopped mint to the mixture. I just tasted it so that it was sweet and sour enough for my taste.
This keeps well and I store it in the fridge .
I use this on new boiled potatoes, roast lamb and as a salad dressing. It is good to mix with fresh natural yogurt to create a refreshing dressing to go with hot spicy food. Just try it on whatever you like.
Thanks for reading Crazycupcakes.

Pear Chutney

I decided to make a fruit chutney to eat with lots of local cheese, cold meats and vegetarian loaves. It is getting warmer in the UK so salads and picnics out on our hikes are becoming more frequent. I love eating food outside it always tastes so good.
This is a recipe for pear chutney. The ingredients are in the photo below.
Ingredients
3 lbs--12 cups of firm ripe pears peeled, cored and chopped fine
4 large onions chopped fine
The grated rind and juice of 1 lemon and 1 orange
8 oz--1 cup of granulated sugar
8 oz--1 1/2 cups of seedless raisins
1/2 pint--10 fl ozs--50 ml vinegar, I used brown malt vinegar
1 teaspoon of salt
1 teaspoon of ground ginger
1/2 teaspoon of ground cloves
Method
Put all the ingredients in a large pan and bring to the boil.
Simmer for about 2 hours on a low heat until all the ingredients are cooked and the chutney is thick and a smooth texture.
Warm some jars. I save coffee jars to use for this.
Spoon the chutney into jars.
Cover with wax seals and film to cut out the air.
Leave for 2 weeks , if you can ! and then enjoy.