Strudel, Noodles and Dumplings: The New Taste of German Cooking. Anja Dunk
ripe and full of flavour. Do not use over-ripe fruit. Ideally you want to bottle immediately after harvest – if you don’t have a garden or allotment that makes this possible, just use your judgement on whatever looks to be the freshest in the market or shops.
WHAT EQUIPMENT DO I NEED?
A tall, lidded saucepan deep enough to submerge your chosen jars completely under water.
Clip-top jars (with rubber seals), such as Le Parfait or Kilner, or jars with two-piece vacuum lids, such as Ball.
Tea towels.
A wooden spoon.
A jar funnel (optional but really helpful).
A jar lifter (optional but really helpful).
Tongs – very helpful for lifting hot lids out of saucepans.
HOW TO DO IT
Simmering water-bath method: Bring a large saucepan, covered and half full of water, to the boil. Turn down to a low simmer (one little bubble rising from the bottom of the pan). Fold a tea towel over until it fits and covers the bottom of the saucepan (you may need to use two, overlapping, to ensure the entire bottom is covered). Push the tea towel(s) down with a wooden spoon. Once your jars are full of whatever it is you are going to preserve and the lids are on, immerse them carefully in the simmering water until they rest stably on the tea towel(s). They should be completely covered by at least 2cm of water. Put the lid back on the large saucepan and simmer the jars for the time given in the recipe.
It is important that each sterilised jar is warm before being filled with hot contents, so as not to shock the glass – it will crack if the temperature difference is too great. Equally if the contents of the jar is cold, the bottom of the jar will crack on entering the simmering water in the pan.
REMOVING THE JARS FROM THE WATER BATH
It may be helpful to scoop out a couple of cups of water before you start removing the jars, so that you can get a good grip on the rim before lifting.
TESTING THE SEALS
Once removed from the water bath, the jars need to be placed on a folded tea towel or newspaper and left to sit undisturbed until completely cool. In order to check that the jars are fully airtight, you need to test the seals. If using swing-top jars like Le Parfait, undo the clip and lift the jar by the glass lid – if it stays closed on lifting, it is airtight. Re-fasten the clip and store. If using jars with two-piece vacuum lids such as Ball jars, unscrew the outer cap and remove, then lift the jar, holding on to the inner lid – if the lid stays on when lifted, the jar is airtight. Replace the screw-top lid, tighten fully and store the jar.
HOW SHOULD I STORE BOTTLED GOODS?
Bottled goods should be stored undisturbed in a cool, dark place – a cupboard works well, but a larder or cellar is ideal.
BOTTLED GREENGAGES
BOTTLED GREENGAGES
Herr Wittmann, Omi’s neighbour, had a greengage tree in his garden. The fruit ripened in mid-July and carried on through August, by which time it was very sweet and the wasps knew it – I too knew it, because I was stung for the first time by a wasp when picking them late in the season.
I am very fond of this fruit – so juicy it’s imperative you have a tissue on hand to mop your chin with. There is a limit, though, to how many fresh greengages one can eat, and once that has been reached, these sweet perfumed fruits are bottled ready for the winter.
Ringelo is a beloved dessert of ours. The boys chant ‘tinker, tailor, soldier, sailor’ while counting the stones at the side of their plates.
The fruit itself is very sweet, so adjust the sugar quantities as you see fit. I like to keep the syrup light, but it’s all personal preference; alternatively, you can use pure apple juice for an even healthier option. Any kind of plums or damsons can be bottled in the same way – just adjust the sweetness of the juice or syrup according to your taste.
MAKES 4 × 500ML JARS
160g granulated sugar or 1 litre apple juice
1kg greengages, stalks removed (or plums or damsons)
Half fill a large saucepan with water, cover and bring to the boil. The pan must be deep enough to be able to completely submerge the jars you are using for bottling. Once boiling, turn down to its lowest setting to simmer. Keep covered and simmering until needed.
Put 1 litre of water and the sugar into a pan over a medium heat and bring slowly to the boil, until the sugar has dissolved and forms a light syrup. Turn off the heat. (If using apple juice, heat it in a saucepan until piping hot, then turn off the heat.)
Pack the whole greengages into warm, sterilised jars – you may end up with one jar being a little less full, depending on the shape and size of the fruit. Pour the hot syrup or apple juice over them until completely covered, leaving a 1cm gap below the rim of the jar, and seal.
Place a folded tea towel in the bottom of the simmering pan of water to prevent the jars touching the bottom. You may need to use a wooden spoon to push it into place (if the jars do touch the saucepan they will crack, due to the impact of immediate heat). Carefully place the jars upright on the tea towel and put the lid back on the saucepan. Simmer for 25 minutes.
Cover an area of a solid surface (table or worktop) with a tea towel or some newspaper. Carefully take the jars out of the water, transfer to the covered surface and leave to stand undisturbed for 24 hours. Check the seals (see here). If the seals are good, store in a cool, dark place for up to a year. If the jars haven’t sealed, refrigerate them and use within 5 days.
BOTTLED RASPBERRIES WITH VANILLA AND LEMON
BOTTLED RASPBERRIES
WITH VANILLA AND LEMON
These bottled raspberries could not be simpler. The syrup in which they are preserved is created solely by layering the fruit with sugar and stirring it gently, then setting it aside overnight for the juices to be drawn out. Blackberries, strawberries, redcurrants, mulberries, loganberries and elderberries can all be used in the same way. Fruit stirred with sugar is a speedy ‘conserve’, and is delicious eaten in conjunction with quark. When soft berries are in season I sprinkle the fruit with a small amount of sugar most days, stir it, cover it, and set it aside overnight ready for breakfast the next morning – this bottled version sees us through the winter.
MAKES 3 × 500ML JARS
1kg raspberries (frozen ones, thawed, also work)
150g golden caster sugar
½ a vanilla pod, cut into 3
6 strips of unwaxed lemon (or lime) zest (I use a vegetable peeler for this)
Put the raspberries into a sieve and wash them with cold water, then shake off any excess drips and tip them gently into a big bowl, layering with the sugar as you go. Gently stir the contents of the bowl to draw out some of the juice and to ensure that all the fruit is coated in sugar, but be careful not to break up the raspberries. Cover with a clean tea towel and set aside in a cool place overnight.
In the morning the raspberries should be swimming in a lovely thick syrup.
Divide the raspberries and