Use your melon

Experience the pleasure that comes from making preserves - especially if you make enough to share.

I seem to have been giving away lots of jams and preserves lately. For the recent Central Otago Pinot Noir Conference dinner, at which I was the guest chef, we made 260 jars of pinot noir-inspired jam to give to the participants. For Valentine’s Day, our guests at the restaurant were given small hampers to take home, each containing random objects of beauty: scented tea-lights, a sonnet written on handmade paper, choco-lates, and a jar of romantic, pink-hued watermelon and rosewater jam.

We jam makers are an enthusiastic bunch, and a jar of something homemade is a generous gift. At this time of year, with the end of the season near for so many fruits, it seems sensible to get into the kitchen and experience first hand the pleasure that comes from making -preserves.

When preserving any food, it is crucial to get the basics right. First, prepare your jars by immersing them in boiling water for 10 minutes, or place dry, scrupulously washed jars in a 120°C oven for 30 minutes. The jars must still be warm when you pour in the hot jam. Seal immediately with a suitable lid. Never place hot jars on a cold surface, as they may shatter; instead, always stand them on a tea-towel-lined tray.

There is much debate about how much sugar to add to the fruit when preserving, with many recipes suggesting an equal weight of sugar to fruit. I work on a rough ratio of half the fruit weight in sugar, as I prefer my jams soft and gently set. The actual setting point temperature is 104°C, but the firmness of the set is really determined by the pectin content.

Some fruits, such as strawberries and cherries, are low in pectin, so you will need to add it in the form of apple juice or another fruit, such as plums, that has a naturally high pectin level. Alternatively, use a commercial pectin powder.

To test the pectin level of your cooked jam, place a spoonful in three tablespoons of methylated spirits. If a single, transparent ball forms, there is enough pectin present to set the jam; a few smaller lumps indicate a medium level of pectin; many small lumps indicate a low level. The jam can be eaten as soon as it cools, but I always put some aside to brighten the shivery days of winter.

The delicious summery taste of this watermelon jam is thinner than a standard one. It is extraordinary served with a sharp-tasting cheese.

Watermelon and Rosewater Jam

800g watermelon

210g pectin

Cut the rind off the watermelon, remove as many seeds as possible, then cut the flesh into chunks. Place the pieces in a bowl, then sprinkle the sugar and lemon juice over the top. Refrigerate overnight. The next day, place the mixture in a deep saucepan with the rosewater and pectin, then bring to a gentle simmer. Cook the jam for an hour – skimming off any froth as it cooks – until it thickens enough to drop slowly from a spoon. Pour into sterilised jars, then seal carefully.

Plums usually produce a well-set jam on their own, but blackberries and cherries do not, so you will need to add pectin. This jam was inspired by the -flavours found in pinot noir, and it is gorgeous with scones and whipped cream or sponge cake.

Flavours of Pinot-Noir Jam

1kg cherries, pitted

4 stalks of thyme

Wash the fruit, then place it in a stainless-steel pan with the sugar, lemon juice and pectin. Tie up the spices and thyme in a muslin bag, then suspend the bag in the pan by tying it to the handle of the pan. This allows for easy removal once the jam is cooked. Bring the mixture to the boil, then boil rapidly for 15 minutes or until it is thick enough to fall slowly from a spoon onto a chilled plate and will then wrinkle when pushed with a fingertip. During the cooking, skim off any froth that may form on the top. Remove the bag of spices, then carefully spoon the jam into dry, sterilised jars. Seal.

Enjoying a good chutney as an accompaniment to a plate of cheese will help sharpen the appetite before dinner, reviving even the most jaded palate. Chutneys are also superb accompaniments for cold meats or hot stews. Choose peaches that are heavy and ripe. I store my chutneys for several weeks before using, but they can be eaten straight away if you prefer.

Peach Relish

1kg peaches, peeled

8 mint leaves, finely chopped

Cut the peaches into large chunks, then place the pieces in a large stainless-steel saucepan with the other ingredients. Stir over a medium heat until the sugar dissolves, then bring to the boil. Cook for an hour until thick, then remove the cinnamon quill, if possible, and spoon the chutney into dry, sterilised jars. Seal.

To avoid a cloudy end result, always remove any froth that forms on the top of your preserves. Use organic fruit if possible, as the set and flavour seem to be better. Unlike other fruits, citrus are bursting with pectin, and the first cooking of the marmalade is essential to draw the pectin out of the seeds, pith and pulp.

Marmalade

12 oranges

1.25kg sugar

Wash and dry the fruit, then cut it into quarters. Squeeze out the juice, then set aside. Use a spoon to scrape the pulp, seeds and pith from the skins, then tie them up in a muslin bag and place it in a deep stainless-steel saucepan. Thinly slice the skins, then add them to the saucepan and sprinkle with the salt. Make the juice up to 4 litres with water, then pour over the prepared fruit. Bring to a simmer, then cook for 1 hour or until the skin is soft and tender. Remove from the heat. Pour into a bowl and leave for 24 hours. The next day, return the mixture to the saucepan. Squeeze in the liquid from the muslin bag, then discard the bag. Add the sugar to the saucepan, then bring to a rolling boil for 25 minutes, skimming off any surface froth, until the marmalade reaches setting point. Pour into sterilised jars, then seal immediately.