Blackberry and elderberry jam is nice. Why not have a try at that.

Take equal quantities of blackberries and elderberries (stripped of stalks), put in pan and cook for 20 mins or untill soft. Allow ¾lb sugar to each 1lb fruit, bring again to boil for 20 mins or until setting point reached. test. pot.


elderberry chutney

1 lb onions -weight when peeled and finely chopped
1/2 pint malt vinegar (white)
1lb cooking apples (weight when peeled and cored)
1lb elderberries
1 teaspoon pf pickling spices
12 0z soft light brown sugar
40z raisins or any other dried fruit
salt and pepper to taste

Chop the onions and put into half the amount of vinegar along with the elderberries and simmer gently for ten mins. Cut the apple into 3/4 inch dice and add to the pan with the rest of the vinegar, the pickling spices (tied in a muslin) cook untill softish add the sugar, the dried fruit and a little seasoning. Stir over a low heat until the sugar has dissolved and then simmer steadily, stirring from time to time, until the consistency of a thick jam. Remove the bag of pickling spices. Spoon the chutney into hot jars and seal down.

Thanks Veggie Just found this.......think it's on the agenda for tomorrow

Elderberry Ice cream
By John Kennett
Elderberries (destalked)
Sugar
Juice of 1/2 a lemon
Double cream
2 Egg whites

First pick your elderberries. The easiest way is to snip off whole bunches, and then strip the individual berries off using the prongs of a fork at your leisure. I picked about half a carrier bag of bunches, which came out to a big saucepan of berries.

Put the berries into a saucepan with a little water, a sprinkling of sugar and the juice of half a lemon. Go steady on the sugar, you can always add more later if you need to.

With a lid on the saucepan, gently simmer for about 45 minutes, or until the berries have gone very soft. Leave to cool, and then push the berries through a sieve, discarding the pips that remain. This will leave a rich elderberry syrup. Taste it, and add more sugar if required. As a guide I had about a pint of syrup at the end.

Whip half a pint of double cream until it stands in peaks, and in a separate bowl whisk two eggwhites until they are stiff enough to tip the bowl upside down. This can be quite a feat with a hand whisk!

Fold the cream, eggwhites and elderberry syrup together gently, until the whole mixture is a uniform lurid purple. Pour into a suitable freezer container - I used a pyrex glass bowl. Then stick it into your freezer.

MMMmmm Rose will be round wiyh my spoon for a tasting later!!

Those were the instructions Fleur....made it this aftie......just waiting for it to freeze

Blackberry and elderberry jam and chutney sound good Tiki

Sounds lovely whosrose

I had to dig up all my tomato plants today due to blight sooooo disappointed I have manged to save (I hope) 3 plants which were in pots and they are in the conservetory. I now have literally hundreds of green toms which I am hoping I can get to ripen - keep your fingers crossed.

On the plus side the courgettes are still going mad and the peppers are growing well.

You may all be getting green tomato chutney for Christmas though

Fingers crossed Veggie Put me down for a pot please

If you get it made now it will be ready just in time for Christmas.

Why not try this for a change. You can use it the same way you'd use ordinary mincemeat. In tarts etc.


Green tomato mincemeat.

1.8kg apples, cored and diced
1.35kg green tomatoes, chopped
650g sugar
450g sultanas
225g currants
120ml vinegar
4 tbsp margarine
3 teaspoons cinnamon
1 tbsp grated lemon zest
1 tbsp grated orange zest
1 1/2 tsp salt
1 tsp nutmeg
1 teaspoon ground cloves
1 tsp ginger


Wash, core and dice the apples.
Wash, and chop the tomatoes.
Place the vinegar and apples into in a large saucepan.
Bring to the boil, add the tomatoes, simmer until slightly softened.
Add remaining ingredients..
Simmer gently for 1½ to 2 hours, until thickened.
Place into sterilised jars and seal firmly.
Store in cool and dark place, allow to mature.

Thanks for that Tiki, there way things are going my Tomatoes will only be fit for chutney, cheers.
Andy

Had dream last night that my 1 and only (now) prized tomato plant was eaten by a slug the size of a Pomeranian!!!!! Poured slug pellets on it!!!! Relief to find plant still intact, but as yet still tomatoless, in the garden!!

When did you start the plant off Fleur. Even outside you should have tomatoes showing by now.

Bought it july from B&Q! Has grown but no fruit . Have done as you suggested but think will be making Chutney with any fruit this year!

Considering the month we're in and if you have a number of trusses already even if they are not showing fruit yet, I'd pinch the top out and let it put it's energy into forming fruit rather than into growing. What size pot is it in?

Er Growbag!! Slugs ate other tomato plant and Chilli plant in same bag so has bag to itself now!!

It should be fine it that. What a puzzle



I lnow what's wrong, it's lonely and wants company.

Like the mincemeat recipe Tiki, thanks

So far so good as no toms have gone manky today and it happens quick with blight; you all keeping your fingers crossed for me must be working

Your tomato plant is a bit of a puzzle fleur has it got any flowers on it at all?

Went to our school plot today to tidy up and got a nice crop of beans and potatoes; it is very clay soil there and the pots have broken it down very well. It is our first year doing it so very glad it is doing well; the kids have loved it and there should be lots of red toms to pick once we get back to school [I don't really want to think about the back to school business though ]

If I can find enough bubble wrap [and jars as have run out at the mo] I would happily send out chutney