Liqueured Fruit
Posted by Phytopath on Jan 29, 2011
In the Southern Hemisphere we are in the middle of stone fruit harvesting.
Apricots, plums, nectarines, peaches: you can only eat so much fresh fruit before diarrhoea sets in.
You could always make jam, but if you’re anything like me, I don’t eat that much jam.
So you give it away.
How about liqueuring some fruit?
It is easy to do. Yummy to eat and makes a wonderful gift.
Many fruits, other than stone fruit, can also be liqueured.
Try grapes, apples, kumquats, figs, strawberries and pineapples.
Once you have several jars of liqueured fruit in the pantry, you will have ready access to instant desserts.
Serve with ice-cream, cream, yoghurt or custard.
Equipment needed to start liqueuring fruit is as follows:-
• Fresh fruit, in season
• Sterilized glass jars or containers
• Sugar
• Labels
• Alcohol
Once you have sterilized the containers, fill them with your chosen fruit, and then add sugar and alcohol.
Leave a gap of about 2-3cm at the top of the container (i.e. do not fill to the top), to get a better seal.
Label the jars with the date and the name of the fruit and alcohol.
Each day, turn the jar upside down and then back up the right way, to disperse the sugar which would have settled to the bottom of the jar.
Do this for two weeks until the sugar has dissolved.
Leave the jars or containers in a cool dark place for four weeks (if you can) before opening.
If prepared correctly, the liqueured fruit should last around 12 months, if it hasn’t all been eaten.
Once the fruit has been eaten, the remaining liquid can be drunk as a fruit liqueur or reduced and thickened to make a delightful sauce.
The sauce should also keep for twelve months.
Apricots in Brandy
1 cup firm apricots
1 cup sugar
Brandy – enough to cover fruit
Sterilized clip-top jar
Wash, dry and prick each apricot with a sterile needle about six times. Loosely pack the jar with apricots and sprinkle the sugar over the top. Cover with brandy, leaving a small gap at the top.
Label and store, remembering to shake the jar once per day. The apricots will be ready to eat in about two months.
Peaches in Brandy
1 kg peaches
2 cups sugar
2 cloves
1 cinnamon stick
Brandy
1 large sterilized clip-top jar
The method is the same as above for apricots but add the spices to the jar with the peaches.
Cherries in Kirsch
1 kg cherries
1 cup sugar
1 cinnamon stick
2 star anise (optional)
Kirsch
1 large sterilized clip-top jar
Wash and dry cherries, then prick each one about six times with a sterile needle. Layer the fruit and sugar in the jar, placing cinnamon stick and star anise about half way down. Cover with kirsch, leaving a small gap at the top and clip securely. Label and store, remembering to shake the jar daily for two to three months.
Lavender Heart Cookies
Posted by Phytopath on Dec 22, 2010
A short post today because I am in the throes of pre-Christmas baking.
In the southern hemisphere we are currently harvesting English lavender (Lavandula angustifolia), which is the only lavender that should be used for baking.
The other lavender species tend to have a nasty or unpleasant after-taste.
So here is the recipe for the lavender biscuits (shortbread) that I baked this morning.
115g / ½ cup unsalted butter, softened
50g / ¼ cup caster sugar
175g / 1½ cups plain flour, plus extra for dusting
2tbsp fresh lavender florets (or 1tbsp dried), roughly chopped
25g / ¼ cup icing sugar, for sprinkling
1. Cream the butter and sugar together until light and fluffy. Mix together the flour and lavender, and add to the creamed mixture.
2. Bring the mixture together in a soft ball. Cover with clear film and chill for 15 minutes. Meanwhile, preheat the oven to 200° C.
3. Roll out the mixture on a lightly floured surface and stamp out about 18 biscuits using a 5cm heart-shaped cutter. (This morning I used star and Christmas tree shapes)
4. Place the biscuits on a baking tray lined with baking paper and place them in a preheated oven for about 10 minutes, or until they are golden brown. (do not overcook)
5. Leave the biscuits to stand for about 5 minutes to firm up
6. Using a metal spatula, transfer them carefully from the baking tray on to a wire rack to cool.
7. Sprinkle with icing sugar.
You can store the biscuits in an airtight container for up to 1 week or place in the freezer for later use (wrap them well).
Lavender biscuits
Nasturtium
Posted by Phytopath on Aug 25, 2010
Garden nasturtium (Tropaeolum majus) elicits different memories for different people.
For me, it brings back childhood memories of outback dunnies. It seemed as though everyone in Australia that had an outside toilet, had a nasturtium plant draped over it.
Was the strong smell of nasturtium leaves supposed to mask the bad smell of raw sewerage? Or was the beauty of the flowers supposed to distract the eye away from the ugliness of an outside corrugated iron box?
Whatever the reason, the memories are fond ones that also bring up associated dunny memories, not appropriate for a gardening blog.
The nasturtium plant is native to South America and was introduced to Spain in the 16th century.
During the 17th century the leaves and flowers were a popular ingredient in salads.
Today, the leaves and flowers are still used in salads to add colour and a peppery flavour. The flowers are also used to make beautifully coloured vinegar and the freshly chopped leaves can be used to flavour soft cheese and egg dishes.
The unripe green fruits are often pickled and used as a substitute for capers and the hard ripe seeds can be roasted and ground, to be used as a seasoning.
If pickling the fruit, keep in mind that they contain significant amounts of oxalic acid and may be harmful if eaten in large quantities. Moderation in all things is a good motto.
The plant is fast growing, reaching 3 metres (10ft) in no time. Most gardening books describe it as a trailing annual but in South America it is a perennial and in my garden, it is a short lived perennial. So if you live in a cool temperate region, the plant will behave like an annual but if you live in a warm temperate region the plant may well behave like a short lived perennial.
Nasturtium is hardy to 3°C (37°F) and will ramble along the ground like a ground cover or it will sprawl over a rock or structure if it encounters one. The standard height quoted in books is 3m (10ft) but in my garden the stems are still crawling along the ground at around 5 metres. If you don’t have the room for a ‘regular’ nasturtium, there are dwarf varieties available.
Seed can be sown in spring or late autumn around 13 -16°C (55 – 61°F) and once established it can self seed freely, even becoming weedy in some gardens. Sterile cultivars can be propagated from tip cuttings or basal cuttings taken in spring and summer.
Nasturtium plants prefer to grow in well drained soil that is not too rich in nutrients. Rich soil will encourage leaf growth, while poor or impoverished soil will produce more flowers and fruit. Grow in full sun, or part shade in hot climates.
The almost circular peltate leaves can grow to 18 cm in diameter (wow) and have a radiating pattern of veins i.e. radiating from the point where the petiole joins the leaf.
After rain, beads of water gather on the bright green leaves and can be rolled around and played with – a real delight for children (and me).
The flowers are usually yellow, orange or red, and appear on long to very long peduncles that are attached to the hollow stem. Each flower has five petals and five sepals with the upper sepal lengthened into a spur that contains nectar. They are showy and slightly scented growing to 6 cm (2½”).
Nasturtium is often used as a companion plant to deter whitefly and cucumber beetle. It is also planted at the base of apple trees to deter woolly aphid.
When planting Brassica, grow nasturtium between the rows. The nasturtium leaves contain sulphur heterosides similar to those found in some Brassica plants. This means that insects normally found attacking Brassica plants will also attack the nasturtium, therefore the damage will be spread between the Brassica plants and the nasturtium plants and not the Brassica alone.
In the kitchen and in the medicine chest, the whole plant can be used. Leaves, flowers, buds, fruit and seed are all used.
The plant is a bitter tonic herb that is antiseptic, diuretic and expectorant. It also controls fungal and bacterial infections.
It is used internally for respiratory infections and genito-urinary infections, scurvy and poor skin and hair conditions.
Externally, it has been used to treat baldness (this could make someone rich), minor injuries and acne. Seeds have similar properties and are used in the same way.
If you are feeling adventurous, try stuffing the flowers with a flavoured cream cheese to serve as hors d’oeuvres, or pickle the fruit and use as you would capers.
Pickled nasturtium seeds
50g green nasturtium seeds
25g salt
300ml water
Pickling spice
Malt vinegar
Stir the salt into the water, then add the nasturtium seed.
Leave for 24 hours.
Strain and rinse well in fresh water.
Dry with paper towel and then place into a jar.
Put a muslin bag filled with pickling spice into the jar with the nasturtium seed.
Fill the jar with malt vinegar and seal tightly.
Leave for 3-4 weeks before using.
White Horehound
Posted by Phytopath on Aug 12, 2010
White horehound
It’s near the end of winter here in the southern half of the world and there is the inevitable head cold or two (me included – cough, cough, sneeze, wipe), so I thought it appropriate to do an article on horehound.
White horehound or more correctly Marrubium vulgare, is an aromatic plant that can grow between 20 cm – 60 cm (8” – 24”). The stems are erect, grey-ish in colour, soft and downy when young and becoming woody with age. The leaves are ovate in shape, covered in white hairs with bluntly toothed margins and are arranged opposite each other along the stem. The flowers are small, white and tubular in shape, typical of plants in the Lamiaceae family, and are arranged in whorls in the leaf axils.
Black horehound (Ballota nigra) is a related species and was once used for similar purposes. It is now considered less effective than the herb white horehound.
Marrubium vulgare is native to Eurasia and Northern Africa but has made itself at home in many other countries. In parts of Australia and New Zealand it is under statutory control as a weed.
I find it amusing that a plant can be considered a pest in one location (where I live) and just 30 km away, where I work, herbalists struggle to grow the plant in their cold, wet location.
The plant prefers to grow in very well drained soil with a pH that is neutral to alkaline and in full sun. But, the plants in my garden only receive morning sun and full afternoon shade, and are growing fantastically.
In their native habitat they are found growing on dry grassland, in pastures and along the edges of fields.
White horehound can be propagated from seed sown in spring (do not let it set seed in areas where it may have weed potential), division of the clump or softwood cuttings, also in spring.
The leaves were once used to make beer and also to flavour liqueurs, but it is mostly thought of today when someone mentions sore throat, head cold or the flu.
The leaves or flowering stems can be used fresh or dried and are extremely bitter.
In the 16th century, several herbalists recommended mixing the bitter leaves with sugar to make syrup for treating wheezing and coughing. The same or similar recipes are still being used today to make horehound toffee (recipe below).
It is thought that white horehound was first used in ancient Egyptian times as a cough remedy.
The plant contains a potent expectorant, diterpene marrubiin. This bitter aromatic herb is not only an expectorant but also an antiseptic that can reduce inflammation and relieve spasms. It can increase the rate of perspiration and stimulate the flow of bile.
It has been used internally to treat bronchitis, catarrh, colds, chest coughs, whooping cough, asthma, liver problems, gall bladder disorders, typhoid fever and palpitations. Also as a gargle for sore throats and combined with sugar to make syrup or candy, also for sore throats.
Externally the leaves have been used for skin eruptions and minor skin injuries.
There is a caution if using this herb – prolonged use may cause high blood pressure. But really, it is sooo bitter that I don’t know why anyone would want to take it for extended periods of time.
Horehound candy (Shaker recipe)
Cooking
3 cups boiling water
3 oz horehound leaves
6 cups dark brown sugar
1 teaspoon cream of tartar
1 teaspoon lemon juice
1 teaspoon butter
Steep leaves for 20 minutes and then strain. Discard leaves.
Add sugar, cream of tartar and butter, to the infusion.
Cook to hard boil stage and then add lemon juice.
Pour into buttered pan and score when cooled.
Candy
Cut into squares before the candy is completely set.
Wrap individual candies in paper and store in a cool dark place.
Rosemary – Profile
Posted by Phytopath on Jul 24, 2010
Family: Lamiaceae (formerly Labiatae)
Genus: Rosmarinus
species: officinalis
common name: rosemary
varieties: several varieties and cultivars exist with flowers of blue, violet, pink or white and varying leaf length and width.
Origin: the Mediterranean region.
Plant description:
Rosemary
evergreen shrub to 1.5m. Young branches are covered with soft downy hairs. Leaves are opposite, linear, to 4cm long with revolute margins, dark green above, grey-green and hairy beneath. Flowers are pale blue, to 7mm long, with a prominent concave upper lip. They are found in few-flowered whorls in short axillary or terminal racemes. The whole herb is characterized by a strong persistent aroma. The fruit are very small spherical nutlets with smooth surfaces.
Propagation: tip cuttings in early spring or heeled cuttings in summer, autumn and winter. Rosemary can be grown from seed but seedlings are slow growing.
Soil: well drained, coarse and sandy. Neutral pH.
Aspect/climate: full sun
Cultivation: minimal maintenance. Plants do not transplant well.
Pests & disease: minimal
Parts used: leaves and twigs
Harvesting & storage:
Hang freshly cut bunches in a dark, well-aired, warm place for a few days. When the leaves are dry they can be easily stripped off the stems (from the bottom up) and crumbled into small pieces. Sprays of fresh rosemary may be wrapped in foil, sealed in a plastic bag and stored in the freezer for some months. Because rosemary is an evergreen plant it is best harvested and used fresh. Rosemary oil is produced by steam distillation.
Flavour: strong, pungent, astringent, pine-like, peppery, warming, woody and herby with a lingering camphor-like aftertaste.
Aroma: pine-like, minty with hints of eucalyptus.
Properties/actions:
antioxidant, astringent, diaphoretic, stomachic, emmenagogue, expectorant, cholagogue and tonic, carminative, rubifacient, antispasmodic, antidepressive, antimicrobial and antibacterial (rosemary oil).
Recommended for: depression, headaches and muscle spasms.
Weight per tsp (5ml): whole dried cut leaves 1.8g
ground 1.6g
Used in: Italian herbs and seasoned stuffing mixes
Used with: meat, poultry, fish, eggs, soup, sauce, herb butters, savoury jams and honey.
complements:
scones
mashed potato
zucchini & eggplant
soy beans
pork
lamb
duck
pates & game
Traditional use:
principally as a culinary herb. It was also a favourite strewing herb and also has an association with memory, lover’s fidelity and remembrance. Rosemary can be used externally as a compress, or as a herbal oil for the relief of muscular aches and pains. Rosemary was also used as a hedging plant in knot gardens or other formal situations.
Warning:
oil of rosemary is not recommended for use by pregnant women.
Rosemary recipes
Culinary
Mint & Rosemary Stuffing
225g onions
2 celery sticks
225g fresh white or wholemeal breadcrumbs
30ml mint sauce
10ml (2tsp) chopped fresh rosemary
finely grated rind of 1 lemon
1 egg, beaten
salt & freshley ground pepper
Finely chop the onion and celery and soften them in the butter. In a large bowl, mix together the breadcrumbs, mint sauce, rosemary and lemon rind. Stir in the celery and onion. Mix well and bind together with the egg.
Makes enough stuffing for a 4.5kg to 5.4kg turkey.
Cosmetic
Milk & Honey Bath Oil with Rosemary
2 eggs
45ml (3tbsp) rosemary oil
10ml (2tsp) honey
10ml (2tsp) baby shampoo
15ml (1tbsp) vodka
150ml milk
Beat the eggs and oil together, then add the other ingredients and mix thoroughly. Pour into a clean glass bottle. Add 30-45ml (2-3 tbsp) to the bath and keep the rest chilled, for use within a few days. The addition of a little shampoo makes this a dispersing oil which does not leave a greasy rim around the bath.
Medicinal
Rosemary Tea
250ml (1cup) water
1 teaspoon chopped rosemary
Boil the water and pour it on to the rosemary. Leave to steep for a few minutes, then strain and serve. Rosemary tea, taken daily for some months, is the best long-term solution for poor circulation.
Chickpea
Posted by Phytopath on Jul 5, 2010
Some friends came to visit me on the weekend and because it was an unexpected visit, I had not bought or baked any nice nibbles to enjoy over a cup of coffee.
But I always make sure to have a packet of water crackers in the pantry and a can of organic chickpeas. It only took ten minutes to caramelise some garlic and add it to the drained chickpeas with a little lemon juice. Then place it all in a blender until it is well blended and presto – a lovely homemade dip to go with the water crackers and coffee.
Of course we all had to have some because I had loaded it with garlic. As long as we all smelt the same, nobody could complain.
So how do you grow chickpeas? In case you would like to make your own hummus or felafel.
Chickpea (Cicer arietinum) is also known as Garbanzo, Gram, Bengal gram, Egyptian pea, Dahl and Chana.
It is an annual plant growing to around 30 cm (1 foot) tall with compound leaves and tiny white or blue tinged flowers. The fruit is a small pod containing one or two seeds, each with a structure or growth that looks like a beak.
The plant prefers to grow in light (sandy), well drained soil that is fertile and enriched with organic matter, in full sun.
Prepare the site by adding organic matter to the soil before planting and then rake the ground to create a fine tilth. Water the area well prior to sowing the seed.
In areas where the climate is similar to the Mediterranean, the seed can be sown in autumn and winter. In warm temperate climates, sow the seed after frosts have passed. In a cool temperate climate, sow the seed in pots, in early spring and keep in a glasshouse until frosts have passed in late spring. If you live in the sub tropics, sow the seed after the wet season has passed.
Broadcast the seed on to the prepared beds and lightly cover with soil. If you prefer to sow the seed in rows, plant them 25 cm apart with 50 cm between rows.
Germination may be helped by soaking the seed for an hour before planting.
Keep the growing area weed free while the young plants are establishing. Once established, the plants are not very demanding of water but do benefit from a good soak just before flowering and again when the peas begin to swell.
The pods should be ready to harvest after four to six months. You will know when the time is right because the leaves and pods will turn brown, but make sure you do not leave it too late because the pods will split and release the peas.
Cut the stems at the base and tie a bundle together to hang upside down in warm, dry place. Once the seeds are dry, store them in air tight containers.
Leave the roots of the plants in the ground after harvest, to supply nitrogen to the soil for the next crop that you intend to plant.
Powdery mildew may be a problem for the plants near the end of their growing season, so treat as you would any other plant that is susceptible to powdery mildew.
Nutritionally, chickpeas are high in protein and contain phosphorous, potassium, iron, calcium, zinc and most B vitamins. They are also low in fat and contain dietary fibre.
The young shoots and leaves are also edible and can be boiled or steamed and added to curries and soups.
Chickpeas are made in to stews and soups throughout Europe and in India, they are boiled, roasted, fried, sprouted, ground into flour (besan) and stewed into dhal.
In Israel and Egypt, the chickpeas are made into flat cakes known as felafel.
There are two main types of chickpea, white – which is really a tan colour and black – which is dark brown in colour.
Dried chickpeas need to be soaked for eight hours or overnight in cold water before use. After soaking they will double in size and then they are ready for use in cooking which will take another hour and a half. I reckon it is easier just to open a can.
To make a quick hummus add two garlic cloves, two teaspoons lemon juice, one table spoon olive oil, and a 400 gram can of drained chickpeas to a food processor or blender. Blend until you get a smooth paste (add some of the liquid from the can of chickpeas if the mix is too dry) and then decant in to a nice bowl. Drizzle a small amount of olive oil over the top and serve with pitta bread or water crackers.
I would post a picture of the finished product but my visitors and I ate it all.
Yummy
Gifts from the Garden
Posted by Phytopath on May 21, 2010
Gift basket
A garden can supply us with a wonderful array of gifts for ourselves or others.
If you grow flowers for picking, a fresh bunch of flowers and foliage can make someone’s day. Or perhaps you are a dab hand at dried flower arranging, or using dried flowers, foliage and fruit for decorating cards and boxes.
Then there is always fruit. Fresh fruit in a basket is not only for those in hospital. Mix fresh produce with jars of preserved produce or jam made from the same fruit and decorate the jars with some dried leaves from the same tree or shrub. Or you could candy the fruit, make cordial, syrup, liqueur (yum) or fruit flavoured vinegar. Cover an orange with cloves and some pretty ribbon to make a sweet smelling pomander to hang somewhere as a room freshener.
Even vegetables make good gifts. Fresh veg, pickles and preserves are all well received by thankful friends. Dried vegetables like gourds can be decorated and made into bird houses, bowls and just ….well… nice decorations. And cakes, yummy – carrot and walnut or zucchini and almond or anything else that takes your fancy. You could put together a gift basket containing fresh zucchini, zucchini cake, zucchini patties with a jar of fruit chutney and a packet of zucchini seed with a nice recipe attached. I chose zucchini because even growing just two plants; they seem to produce enough to feed the neighbourhood.
Pot plants are another great gift, simply gift wrap with a note card, or turn a plant into a ‘standard’ or a bonsai or topiary. Put two or three plants together that are used as an herbal remedy (e.g. calendula, yarrow and comfrey) with a recipe, how to make an herbal cream for cuts and bruises.
Another gift idea for an organic gardener is to make a basket containing some fresh garlic and chilli along with the recipe of how to make garlic and chilli spray.
Do you have friends that are interested in herbs or herb gardening? A variety of gifts can be made including: flavoured vinegar and oil, flavoured butter and sugar, herbal tea, edible wreaths, tussie mussie, bath bags, sleep pillow, pot pourri, seasonings, etc, etc.
If you have a creative mind, the list is endless of gifts you can make from things in the garden.
Culinary Salt Recipes
Basil Salt
Combine equal parts basil and rock salt
Chicken Salt
4 parts garlic
2 parts marjoram
2 parts thyme
1 part tarragon
4 parts rock salt (optional)
Fish Salt
2 parts fennel
1 part lemon thyme
6 parts marjoram
8 parts parsley
1 part oregano
Plant Profile – Parsley
Posted by Phytopath on May 5, 2010
Parsley
Family: Apiaceae (formerly Umbelliferae)
Genus: Petroselinum
species: crispum var. crispum
Common name: curled parsley
Varieties: P. crispum var. neopolitanum (Italian parsley)
P. crispum var. tuberosum syn. P. sativum (Hamburg parsley)
Origin: Europe and Western Asia
Plant description: biennial, 25-75 cm tall (depending on variety). Leaves divided pinnately into feather like sections, lower leaves are ternately decompound with wedge-shaped segments deeply cut into lobes. Flowers are white or greenish-white and very small with five petals and five stamens on long peduncles in terminal axillary umbels. The fruit is grey-brown in colour, ovoid in shape, ribbed and up to 2 mm in diameter.
Propagation: soak seed in warm water overnight and sow in spring when soil temperatures rise above 10°C.
Soil: moderately rich, friable, moist but well-drained.
Aspect/climate: full sun to partial shade.
Cultivation: new plants need to be planted each year for a constant supply.
Pests & Diseases: may be attacked by carrot weevils, parsley worms or nematodes (in sandy soil), also susceptible to crown rot.
Parts used: leaves, roots, seeds.
Harvesting & storage: easily dried in an oven, pre-heated to 120°C. Place the leaves on a tray in the oven after turning the heat off and turn a few times while the oven has residual heat but is slowly cooling. After 15-20 minutes the parsley should be crisp and dry, then store it in an airtight container in a cool dark place. Fresh sprays can be wrapped in foil and frozen.
Flavour: mild.
Properties/actions: carminative, diuretic, antiseptic, emmenagogue. The root has laxative properties. The plant contains calcium, potassium, magnesium, iron, phosphorus, vitamins A and C and several B vitamins.
Weight: per tsp (5ml) of whole dried chopped leaves = 0.3g
Used in: tussie mussies
bouquet garni (with thyme, marjoram, bay leaves)
fines herbs (with chervil, chives, tarragon)
mixed herbs
Italian herbs
Chermoula spice mix (with coriander leaves, onion, cumin, cayenne)
Complements: savoury dishes
seasoning mixes and salts
egg dishes
mashed potato
tabouleh
soup
pasta dishes
sauces for fish and poultry
Traditional use: wreaths of parsley were used for adorning the tombs of the dead. It was also worn by bridesmaids at weddings. Parsley also had a reputation for being an effective deodorizer and breath freshener and used for the relief of pain in the stomach. It was also used to repel head lice.
Warning: not to be taken in large quantities or in seed form during pregnancy.
Parsley Recipes
Culinary: Green Goddess dressing
150 ml mayonnaise
142 ml sour cream
30 ml (2 tbsp) chopped fresh parsley
30 ml (2 tbsp) chopped fresh chives
30 ml (2 tbsp) cider vinegar
4 anchovy fillets, finely chopped
Salt and freshly ground black pepper
Mix all the ingredients together and season well. Allow to stand for several hours before using. It should store for up to 4 days in a screw-top jar in the refrigerator.
Makes about 300 ml.
Cosmetic: Parsley skin freshener
½ cup chopped parsley
1 cup boiling water
Place the parsley in a ceramic bowl and pour the boiling water over the herb. Allow the mixture to cool completely, then strain and pour into a clean container.
To use: apply to the skin using a clean cotton ball.
Medicinal: Parsley Tea
3 sprigs fresh parsley
1 cup boiling water
Steep the parsley in the boiling water for 10 minutes. It is good as an overall tonic and assists the bladder, kidneys and liver. It has a cleansing effect.
Lilly Pilly Recipes
Posted by Phytopath on Apr 23, 2010
I spent this afternoon in the garden and noticed the Lilly Pilly (Syzygium spp.) trees were loaded with fruit. So, being the flexible person that I am, gardening was out for the day and preserving was in.
Here is a photo of the Lilly Pilly fruit on the tree.
Lilly Pilly fruit
The fruit is then washed and cut in half to remove the stone.
Ready to use
I could have left the stones in, but unsuspecting visitors may be embarrassed about spitting the pips out.
The first batch I made was Brandied Lilly Pilly.
Brandied Lilly Pilly
Place a layer of fruit in a sterilized jar and lightly cover with sugar. Keep adding more layers of fruit and sprinkle with sugar each time until you reach the top of the jar. Cover with Brandy and label the jar. Shake the jar daily until all of the sugar has dissolved, then place in a cupboard for three months before using.
The second batch of fruit was used to make preserved Lilly Pilly in Quince sauce.
Fruit and Syrup
If you would rather make sugar syrup instead of Quince sauce, mix equal parts of sugar and water in a saucepan and add some lemon juice or pectin, then bring to the boil. Keep the mixture at a rolling boil until the sugar has dissolved then add the Lilly Pilly fruit.
Keep the mixture boiling for about 10 to 15 minutes, and then ladle the fruit into sterilized jars with a slotted spoon. Keep the liquid boiling until it has reduced by half, then pour over the fruit and seal well.
The reason I used Quince sauce was because I had it in the cupboard from a failed batch of Quince jelly last year (it didn’t set so I called it sweet Quince sauce) and it meant that I didn’t have to make the sugar syrup. Just heat the sauce and fruit together until boiling and follow the instructions from there.
Both of these recipes can be eaten with ice cream or cream. The preserved Lilly Pilly is nice when placed in the middle of a small square of puff pastry and baked in the oven.
If you have made any brandied fruit or preserved fruit before, use the Lilly Pilly as you would for any other fruit.
But look at that colour – its stunning.
Yummy
More Bush Tucker…
Posted by Phytopath on Mar 4, 2010
The Australian continent is vast and because of this, the climate is also vast.
The northern regions of Australia experience tropical conditions, then heading south you pass through desert until finally at the southern portion of the continent (the island of Tasmania) you will find cool temperate conditions.
Because of this vastness, there is a huge variety of plants that Australians call ‘Bush Tucker’.
From tropical fruit and tubers, to desert seeds and temperate greens. Today I will cover a plant from each region.
Lilly Pilly Flowers
Syzygium spp. and Acmena spp. known collectively as Lilly Pillies. There are over 50 species of Lilly Pilly in Australia and all of them have edible fruit. They range in height from 30 m in their rainforest habitat, to about 50 cm for a miniature garden variety. They are found growing along watercourses so if you wish to grow one in your garden, make sure it has plenty of water in the growing season. The tree is covered with white fluffy flowers over the summer months and then followed by berries that are purple, red, pink or white, depending on variety. These berries can be eaten fresh, made into cordial, jam or jellies. Yummy. A word of warning – do not park your clean white car beneath a Lilly Pilly when it is in fruit. You will be hard pressed to get the stains out.
Lilly Pilly Jelly
Lilly Pilly fruit
Sugar
Tartaric acid
Water
Wash the fruit and remove stalks. Place in saucepan and just cover with water and bring to the boil. Cook until the fruit is tender then strain through a jelly bag overnight. Next day measure the liquid and add one cup of sugar for every cup of liquid and bring to the boil. Boil rapidly until setting point is reached (test this by placing some liquid on a cold saucer).Tartaric acid will help the liquid to set. Add one teaspoon per six cups of liquid. Bottle in sterilized jars and enjoy.
Portulaca
Portulaca oleracea, some of its common names are pigweed, purslane and munyeroo. Pigweed can be found worldwide, mostly as a garden or farm weed. Early European explorers to Australia ate it almost daily commenting that it was a substitute for spinach and uncooked, taste like lettuce (I am sure they had serious problems with their taste buds – or perhaps spinach and lettuce have improved in taste since then). Aborigines used the seed, which is 18-20% protein, to make ‘cakes’ which were then traded among the clans. The seeds were collected by placing the uprooted plant, upside down on a piece of kangaroo skin or bark. The seed was then ground between flat stones into a type of flour, then made into a paste and cooked. The thick root was also eaten, apparently having a taste similar to potato.
Tasmannia lanceolata or Mountain Pepper is a cool temperate tree found in moist gullies. All parts of this plant have a hot and spicy flavour but it is the berries that are mainly used as a condiment. The berries are dried then ground and sprinkled over food much the same way as white or black pepper (Piper nigrum) is used, but apparently the heat of Mountain Pepper is stronger and more aromatic. The tree is quite small, only three metres high with a spread of about two metres. The leaves can be harvested all year and the berries harvested in autumn from female trees. Add whole leaves to casseroles or stews but only near the end of the cooking time and remove before serving. The leaves can also be dried and stored in an airtight container. Now I would love to place a photo of Mountain Pepper here for you but I have tried to grow it several times in my garden but as soon as the hot weather of summer arrives, they turn their toes up and die. I have tried three plants over three years but have now decided to give up. I will buy the leaves or berries from the specialty shop instead.
