Monday 21 July 2008

Food from the highways and byways

Along my road we are anticipating a bumper crop of blackberries. They won't be ready for another 3 or 4 weeks but I am already planning jams, pies and ice cream. I have also discovered a number of apple trees at a near by round-about which could supplement my lone tree if it doesn't crop well this year. What a surprise to find some recipes in the Guardian today which should help me put some of these fruits away for the winter months.

Blackberry and apple leather

Makes 2 sheets of 24 x30cm

500g blackberries
500g peeled, cored and chopped
cooking apples (2-3 large apples)
juice of 1 lemon
150g honey

1. Preheat the oven to 60C. Line two baking sheets, measuring about 24 x 30cm, with baking parchment.

2. Put the blackberries, apples and lemon juice into a pan. Cook gently until soft and pulpy, about 20 minutes. Rub the mixture through a sieve or mouli into a bowl; you should have about 700g smooth fruit puree. Add honey and mix well.

3. Divide the puree between the two baking sheets. Spread it out lightly with the back of a spoon until the puree covers the sheets in a thin, even layer. Put the baking sheets in the oven and leave for 12-18 hours, until the fruit puree is completely dry and peels off the parchment easily.

4. Roll up the leather in greaseproof paper and store in an airtight tin. Use within 5 months.

Guardian, Perfectly Preserved, July 21, 2008


2 comments:

Anonymous said...

I'm wondering if I could start frying in oven and then maybe half way through the process, just leave out in the dry air here...not sure...mj

Anonymous said...

Thanks for this interesting recipe. I'm wondering if I could start frying in oven and then maybe half way through the process, just leave out in the dry air here...not sure...mj