Sweet Pickled Cucumbers

Ingredients:
7 long cucumbers
2 large onions
5 cups white vinegar
5 cups white sugar
1 tablespoon dry mustard seeds
2 teaspoons turmeric
1 teaspoon vegetable salt (optional)
½ cup salt
Method:
Slice cucumber and onion thinly,
sprinkle with ½ cup salt and stand
overnight.
Next day, drain off liquid from onion
and cucumber and discard brine.
Place drained cucumber and onions
… Read more »

Beetroot Relish 

Ingredients:
500 gm grated beetroot
1 tablespoon oil
1 teaspoon yellow mustard seeds
1 cup white or brown sugar
1 chopped onion
¾ cup water
¼ teaspoon allspice
¼ teaspoons ground cinnamon
4 tablespoons apple cider vinegar
2 teaspoons salt 

Method:
Grate beetroot, heat saucepan and put in mustard seeds, adding oil after they have started to pop.
Turn heat down to medium, add chopped onion and … Read more »

Marmalade

by Georgina Adamson

My approach to making marmalade is fairly basic, probably because I often had buckets of fruit to deal with. Arm yourself with a board, a large bowl for cut-up fruit and a smaller one for seeds and pith, and a good sharp knife. A towel for under the board is handy as this job will get messy.

Prepare fruit: cut into small pieces with not too much pith, it’s really the skin you need. If I am juicing fruit regularly, I save the skins, put them in the freezer and take them out when I’m making marmalade. … Read more »

Cajun spice mix

by Alfred Solti

Ingredients: 

1 tablespoon garlic powder
1 tablespoon onion powder
2 teaspoons white pepper
2 teaspoons black pepper
1½ teaspoon cayenne pepper
2 teaspoons dried thyme
½ teaspoon dried oregano

Method:

Mix spices together and store in an airtight jar.

Confit of Garlic

Dawn Hollins and Carole Broadhead

(This is one of those Basta/Enough recipes beloved of Italian grandmothers!)

Put peeled garlic cloves into a small saucepan and just cover with olive oil. Heat slowly and gently until the garlic softens – do not boil. Place into jars and cover with olive oil, adding herbs such as thyme or oregano if desired. Keep refrigerated. Use as a spread or an ingredient.

Beetroot Chutney

by Lena Kuppens

2 kg beetroot, peeled and finely grated
1 cup raw sugar
500 ml red wine vinegar
1 tbsp mustard seeds
1 tbsp ground ginger
2 bay leave
pinch chilli flakes
pinch salt
fresh black pepper
Sterilise jars and lids.

Chuck everything into a nice big pan and heat gently till the sugar has completely dissolved. Cook for 25–30 minutes, or until the mixture is thick, glossy and … Read more »