Green Fig Preserve

Tags

carbonated soda, Christmas, christmas puddings, cooking, Ficus, fig, food, fruit, gardening, home, Lemonade, pantry shelves, preserve, recipe, Syrup, vegetarian

Most Afrikaner grew up in homes where rows and rows of jams, pickles and chutneys were stuffed into pantry shelves, jostling for position – a legacy of an era where everything edible had to be preserved in some way or another. Groenvyekonfyt (green fig preserve) may not have originated in the Afrikaner kitchens but almost every home had a couple of jars squirreled away for special occasions and it was served with cheese or bread and butter, turned into cakes and tarts and at Christmas, became an essential ingredient in the trifles and Christmas puddings inherited from the British.

1. Select figs which are plump, with no cavity inside.

2. Scrape and wash the figs. Make an incision in the shape of a cross at the blossom end of the fig. Weigh.

3. Soak over night in a solution of  Bi-carbonated soda, 2 (T) soda to 3,5 liters of water.

4. Rinse fruit, place in boiling water, and boil for about 15 minutes until tender. Use the water to make the syrup.

5. Press out the water and gradually put figs into boiling syrup. Use 2 cups sugar for every 500gs fruit, and for extra syrup 1 cup per every 375ml water. Prepare 1,5l (6 cups) of extra syrup to add when necessary.

6. Add a few cloves, cinnamon sticks and bruised pieces of ginger and 3 to 4 teaspoons lemon juice for every 3kg fruit.

7. Boil rapidly for about 2 hours in the syrup until the fruit is clear and the syrup thick.

8. Pack into clean sterilized jars, fill with syrup and seal.

Tip: Test the syrup by allowing a little to cool in a spoon and then pouring it from the spoon. It should stick together and not fall in separate drops.

Allow to mature for 6 weeks.

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to dream of Olive Oil

Tags

alfredo, bertolli, caldo freddo, cooking, cooking lesson, food, health, italian chef, olive oil, www youtube

A humorous short cooking lesson about Olive Oil.

Bertolli introduces it’s sexy Italian chef, Alfredo Caldo-Freddo

https://www.youtube.com/watch?feature=player_embedded&v=YuZBGEDM33Y

 

20 useful Lemon tips

Tags

Assam, Beverages, cooking, Environmentally friendly, fruit, home, household purposes, household tips, Lemon, organic, zest

 

 

Lemons – a fruit with a wonderful fragrance, great in food and beverages, but also very handy for multiple purposes around the home!

 

Lemons have been cultivated by humans for over a thousand years. The fruit is mentioned in tenth century Arabic literature, but was probably first grown in Assam, India.

 

Lemons are high in vitamin C, have an anti-bacterial effect and are thought to possess antioxidant and anti-carcinogenic properties. The juice consists of about 5% acid, which also makes them useful for a variety of household purposes. Lemons and/or lemon juice are a popular addition in environmentally friendly cleaning applications.

 

20 useful Lemon tips

 

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• The Amazing frozen Lemon (aristonorganic.wordpress.com)
• 45 uses for lemons that will blow your socks off (undergroundhealth.com)

 

Lamb Shanks in the Jackpot – Africa’s oven

Tags

barbeque, braais, cooking, dinner, food, garlic, gravy mix, lamb, lamb shanks, mint, mint sauce, roast, rosemary, self raising flour

Ingredients:

Lamb Shanks
Garlic (crushed) 1 clove per shank
Rosemary – chopped
Olive Oil – 1 tablespoon
Balsamic Vinegar – 1 tablespoon
Chilli (chopped) – 1 per shank (optional)
1 Onion – sliced
Water

Method:Combine rosemary, garlic,chilli, olive oil, balsamic vinegar and marinade Lamb shanks for 6 hours.

Place onion evenly over the bottom of a roasting pan and cover with water. Add marinated lamb shanks and all extra liquid.

Cook uncovered over a hot fire for 1 hour. Check water.
Cover, turn your Jackpot off and leave to simmer for a further 2.5 hours.

Gravy:
Ingredients:
Bisto 2 teaspoons
Self raising flour 4 teaspoons.
Mix together adding a little water at a time, ensure all lumps are removed until mixture runs smoothly off the spoon.
Method:
Remove cooked shanks
Boil the remaining liquid on stove, pour in gravy mix mix slowly, stirring all the time until thick.

To serve:
Mashed potato
Peas
Mint Sauce

ENJOY!!

Make your own Mint Sauce

Chop a large quantity of fresh Mint
Add 1 teaspoon sugar
Add balsamic Vinegar.

(left over sauce lasts for 6 months in the fridge)

Cooking times may vary – mutton is better done for 5 hours. If in doubt leave cooking for longer. The food will not spoil.

JackPot – Lamb Shanks

 Related articles :

JackPot – Africa’s Oven

Some handy household tips

Tags

bicarbonate of soda, Boiling, cooking, home, household tips, Parboil, shopping, Sodium bicarbonate, Soups and Stews, Stainless steel, Toilet, vinegar

1. Roasting potatoes – Parboil, roll in oil, then in flour, roast. Result lovely golden outer crust.

2. Sprinkle a little bicarbonate of soda under paper lining in bread tin and bread will remain fresher.

3. Add 1 tsp vinegar to water in which you wish to poach an egg if you have no poaching pan. It helps coagulate the white neatly.

4. Cream that is very thick can be brought to pouring consistency by stirring in a very small amount of iced water.

5. Slightly old cream is freshened by adding a little bicarbonate of soda.

6. To crisp wilted lettuce stand it in a little water in which you have placed a piece of coal.

7. Ants, sprinkle a little borax around, or some baby powder.

8. To remove ballpoint or koki pen – moisten with methylated spirits and wash in cold water.

9. To remove ink – soak in sour milk or lemon juice and salt.

10. To remove coffee stains – use borax and boiling water.

11. To clean tarnished brass – soak in brown vinegar over night, wash in cold water.

12. If a saucepan has been burnt – pour in cold water and vinegar and boil slowly for 1/2 hour. The surface will then clean easily.

13. To remove smells – baby vomit of fridge odors – wipe with a mixture of 1 tbsp bicarbonate of soda to 600ml water.

14. Before cutting onions, dip your fingers in vinegar to prevent the smell from adhering to your hands.

15. Vinegar mixed with lukewarm water is excellent for washing down leather, carpets or upholstery to remove unpleasant odors such as baby’s vomit or cat’s wee.

16. Blunt scissors? Cut through a piece of sandpaper to sharpen.

17. Too salty soup? Slices of raw potato added to the soup absorbs the saltiness.

18. Shoes pinch? Place a freshly peeled potato in the shoe and leave overnight, helps the leather expand and shoes to fit better.

19. To keep stainless steel in tip top condition rub with a few drops of baby oil or olive oil on a soft cloth.

20. To remove chewing gum from fabric or hair – soak with a little paraffin and rub between the thumbs. Wash out with soap and warm water.

 

Green Fig Preserve

Tags

carbonated soda, Christmas, christmas puddings, cooking, Ficus, fig, food, fruit, gardening, home, Lemonade, pantry shelves, preserve, recipe, Syrup, vegetarian

Most Afrikaner grew up in homes where rows and rows of jams, pickles and chutneys were stuffed into pantry shelves, jostling for position – a legacy of an era where everything edible had to be preserved in some way or another. Groenvyekonfyt (green fig preserve) may not have originated in the Afrikaner kitchens but almost every home had a couple of jars squirreled away for special occasions and it was served with cheese or bread and butter, turned into cakes and tarts and at Christmas, became an essential ingredient in the trifles and Christmas puddings inherited from the British.

1. Select figs which are plump, with no cavity inside.

2. Scrape and wash the figs. Make an incision in the shape of a cross at the blossom end of the fig. Weigh.

3. Loak over night in a solution of  Bi-carbonated soda, 2 (T) soda to 3,5 liters of water.

4. Rinse fruit, place in boiling water, and boil for about 15 minuted until tender. Use the water to make the syrup.

5. Press out the water and gradually put figs into boiling syrup. Use 2 cups sugar for every 500gs fruit, and for extra syrup 1 cup per every 375ml water. Prepare 1,5l (6 cups) of extra syrup to add when necessary.

6. Add a few cloves, cinnamon sticks and bruised pieces of ginger and 3 to 4 teaspoons lemon juice for every 3kg fruit.

7. Boil rapidly for about 2 hours in the syrup until the fruit is clear and the syrup thick.

8. Pack into clean sterilized jars, fill with syrup and seal.

Tip: Test the syrup by allowing a little to cool in a spoon and then pouring it from the spoon. It should stick together and not fall in separate drops.

Allow to mature for 6 weeks.