Plum Relish

Given my recent love for plums i decided it would only be fair to provide a recipe for a plum relish - its especiallly nice with cheese and meats on a cold platter, or even as a dipping medium for finger food. You can even use it as a spicy start for a plum sauce if you're stuck for time. With this in mind it goes well with all kinds of poultry and most game. In fact it goes with pretty much anything, it plums are your thing. If like me you can get plums very cheaply (hello reduced shelf) then by all means make some of this, it keeps for quite a while when sealed and kept cool.

Ingredients
Makes a very big batch so adjust accordingly..

5 red onions thinly sliced
4 Garlics crushed
5 Red Chillies deseeded and finely sliced
500g of Soft brown sugar
250ml of Apple juice
8 Eating apples, peeled and cored then thinly sliced
30 plums stoned and quartered
Small thumb of ginger peeled and finely diced
Small punch of Allspice

Add all the ingredients into a thick bottom pan and bring to the boil

Simmer for about an hour and stir frequently or until the liquid has reduced to a syrup

Keep in sterilized kilner jar.

Chilli Jam

Chili jam is probably of my favourite larder items to make alongside red onion marmalade etc - its so useful. You can use it on sandwiches, as a dipping medium for breads and other finger food, can use it as a quick stir in for noodle dishes, and even as a shortcut for chilli dishes to name but a few applications. 

This recipe if for a simple chilli jam recipe - there are some elaborate ones out there, and they can be a bit overzealous with a plethora of ingredients. Give this one a try and see what you think - you may be pleasantly surprised.

2 Cloves of garlic, skinned and finely chopped

5cm Piece of root ginger, peeled and grated

3 to 4 chillies chopped roughly

225g of tomatoes, peeled deseeded and dice the flesh

50ml of cider vinegar

150g of soft brown sugar

Place the garlic, ginger, tomatoes and chillies into a blender. Reduce to a pulp

Place in pan add vinegar and brown sugar

Bring to the boil and simmer, stir occasionally for thirty minutes till thick

Allow to cool and put in a kilner jar. Should keep for up to two months in a fridge (if it lasts that long).