Wild Plum Jam

Wild Plums make the most amazing jam.  I picked mine from an abandoned orchard behind the Wheatsheaf Pub in  Leybourne/West Malling  (ME19 5AT).  It's worth a visit as there are loads of apple and plum trees with the fruit just going to waste.  I think these are Mirabelles - though some pictures show Mirabelles as Yellow.  Whatever they are, they're delicious - and they make great Wild Plum Gin too!

Wash and weigh the fruit, removing any stalks, leaves or bruised fruit.  I leave the stones in and remove them during the cooking process - but you could take them out before if you like.

This picture shows 4lb plums.  Add about 1 pint water and bring to the boil, simmering slowly until the fruit is soft but not mushy.  As the plums get warm and slightly softer I remove the stones at this point - just with my bare hands, squashing the fruit and taking out the stone - but you could do it later if you like.  It's a pain in the neck but also therapeutic at the same time!

Once the fruit is soft add 1lb of granulated sugar for every 1lb of fruit (so I used 4lb sugar) and heat slowly to dissolve the sugar.  If you boil it before the sugar disolves it will crystalise.  My Granny used to heat up bags of sugar in the oven to avoid this happening but I just leave it on a very gentle heat, stiring from time to time, until all the sugar has dissolved.

Then, bring it to the boil and heat rapidly (it should be furiously bubbling) for about 10 mins or until setting point is reached (104c).  I have tried various methods to determine this, including a jam thermometer, but the best one is my Mum's trick of holding the wooden spoon up high above the jam.  If the juice just runs off it's not ready yet, but if it forms a slow drop that looks sryupy then it's done.  Very technical!  I think slightly runny jam is better than a solid brick so don't boil it too long.

Pour into sterilised jars, seal and label.  Perfect!

Everyday Curry - Veggie, Fish or Chicken

This is not an authentic curry from any particular region.  It's a store cupboard and fridge curry that you can rustle up after work in the time it takes to cook the rice.  I make it quite mild as Hannah is more 'Korma' than 'Vindaloo' - but you can add more spice to taste!

Peel and chop 1 large or 2 small onions.  Sweat with some vegetable oil in a large-ish saute pan (or wok).  Add equal quantities of chopped fresh ginger and garlic, or just spoon some garlic ginger paste from a jar (I keep one in my fridge).  Add 1-2 tbsp of curry paste or curry powder (I used Madras curry powder as I didn't have any paste open).  Technically this is a South-Asian-ish curry so Indian curry paste would be good but I often use Thai and get away with it.  The point is that this is everyday curry - so it's made with what you have in the cupboards and the fridge so you don't have to go shopping.

Roughly chop some veg, whatever you have in the fridge, to bulk up the curry, add goodness and niceness.  Tonight I used 3 carrots, 1/2 a small butternut squash and some green and yellow peppers.  I have added potatoes before - especially good if it's a veggie curry.  Green beans and frozen peas work well too, but add them later on so they don't get overcooked.

Pour in 1 tin of coconut milk, fill the empty tin with water and add that too.  Add a tbsp of tomato puree, or a large squeeze of tomato ketchup.  Trust me,  it works.  Season to taste.

Add some protein here if you're using it - chunks of skinless, boneless chicken thighs are our favourite, but breasts are OK.  Turkey chunks is good.  Fish works - tonight we had frozen coley fillets (el cheapo) dropped in whole from frozen and just flaked through at the end (salmon too, but I prefer that in parcels).

Simmer everything until the veg and the meat/fish is cooked, and serve with steamed basmati rice (or value long grain) and chopped coriander.  Mango chutney is essential.

Enjoy.

Autumn Foraging

Well, it's my favourite time of year for foraging.  It's all begging to be picked, and I don't have enough time to gather what I need.  Small handfuls of blackberries have fortified my morning dog-walks for the past month - with the occasional doggy bag (literally!) full of berries brought home when I couldn't resist it.  But I have had a couple of serious foraging mornings, one in the quarry and one in Leybourne Woods that have yielded huge bags of apples and mirbelle plums, some bullaces, blackberries and rosehips.  I just love these 'me-times', soaking in the peace in the woods and  countryside and thinking about the happy hours I will spend pottering in the kitchen putting them to good use.

I was also given 3 tubs of Damsons by my neighbours - and various friends and neighbours have left empty jars on my doorstep over the past few months.  People are kind - and they always get a full jar in return!

Produce so far has included Damson Jam, Hedgerow Jam and Pickled Plums.  There was wild cherry and apple jam earlier in the season.  Lots of Blackberry Cakes too.

Here's a recipe for Blackberry and Apple Crumble Cake:

Preheat oven to 180c and grease and line a small traybake tin.

Mix together for 2 mins in electric mixer:
4 oz softened butter or margerine
4 oz caster sugar
2 eggs
5 oz self raising flour

Pour into the prepared tin.  Scatter over 2 generous handfuls of blackberries and 1 large Bramely Apple, peeled, cored and sliced.

Rub together 2oz plain flour and 1 oz softened butter or margerine.  Add 1 oz caster sugar.  Add this crumble mixture to the cake, on top of the fruit.  Sprinkle with demerera sugar and bake for approx 40 mins or until a skewer inserted comes out clean.

Cool for a while in the tin. 

Have some friends over, make a big pot of coffee or tea and eat the cake whilst slightly warm - with cream if you are feeling naughty.

Slob's Cooking

Just in case you think it's all haute cuisine Chez Kemp, some recipes from this past weekend.

Chicken Provencale-ish

1 packet skinless, boneless chicken thighs (from the reduced shelf if you really want to to be true to my recipe)
1 jar of tomato-based spicy pasta sauce from your cupboard (I used a Lloyd Grossman 'Puttanesca' that had been languishing for about a year because I don't eat pasta anymore)

Put these 2 ingredients in a casserole dish (I used a small Le Creuset), put the lid on and bung it in the oven (180c) and forget about it for roughly 40 mins.

Eat it out of the pan in front of the TV - with some rice and a salad if you can be bothered (definitely a packet of microwave rice is called for here!)

Have the left-overs for Sunday lunch with some other strange dishes made from what you can find in the fridge.  Invite some un-fussy and lonely friends who will eat whatever you put on the table and be grateful for it.

Marrow ratatouille-ish (best served for Sunday lunch with other unidentifiable dishes)

Find 3 nearly mouldy aubergines in the fridge, cut off the bad bits, cut them in half lengthways and bake in the oven, drizzled with olive oil, until soft. Leave until cool enough to handle.

Finely chop 1 onion and 1 clove garlic and seat in some olive oil in a saute pan.

Peel 1/3 of an overgrown marrow, remove the seeds and chop into 1/2 inch cubes. Add to the pan.

Scoop out the aubergine flesh and add to the pan.  Use up any passata or tinned tomatoes that you have lying around and add to the pan, season with salt and pepper, some dried herbs (I used marjoram), 1/2 tsp sugar and a slug of worcester sauce. Cover and simmer until the marrow is soft.  Serve lukewarm.

Salad Un-Nicoise

Use up old sprouted potatoes from the bottom drawer.  Cut of the eyes and peel them, then boil until tender.  Estimate when they have 5 mins to go, and add 4 eggs and a handful of frozen green beans and cook for a further 5 mins then drain and refresh everything in cold water.

Chop the potatoes into bite sized chunks, mix with the beans then 1/4 the eggs and arrange on the top.  Drizzle with a vinaigrette dressing.  If you had any tuna, fresh tomtoates, black olives or anchovies you could add them to make a proper Nicoise!

Blackberry and Apple Cake

Picked a huge bag of blackberries this morning and some apples - they (apples) weren't quite ripe but fine in a cake - and free, that's the main thing!.

A cake is in the oven as I write, and will be taken in to work, still warm.  Must make sure the boss gets a big slice...

Preheat oven to 180c.  Grease and line a large brownie tin or medium roasting tin.

Mix with electric mixer:

6oz margerine
6 oz caster sugar
3 large free range eggs
6 oz self raising flour
2 tsp baking powder

Add several handfuls of freshly picked blackberries and about 3 medium apples, cored and chopped (I don't bother to peel them!)  Mix gently to combine.

Pour mixture into tin and sprinkle with demerara sugar, then bake for about 35-40 mins.

Enjoy - picture to follow!

Blackberry and Lime Drizzle Muffins

I was SUCH a donestic goddess this morning.  Not only did I bake muffins before taking them into work  but picked the Blackberries whilst out walking shortly after dawn before returning home and turning them into delicious offerings for my colleagues.  Sadly however, having extolled my own virtues to my boss she wandered along to the kitchen to discover all 14 of them had disappeared to those with quicker responses.  So now I am in the dog house, and it seems I will need to pick MORE blackberries and make MORE muffins be be assured of continued employment.

Here is the recipe for those who wish to try it (it's my own recipe but heavily influenced by my Granny's trusty Victoria Sponge recipe, Mary Berry's Lemon Drizzle Cake and the BBC's Lime and Blueberry Drizzle).

Preheat oven to 180c.  Line a muffin tin with paper cake cakes (Makes about 12-14 large muffins or more cupcakes).

In an electric mixer, combine the following and beat for 2 mins:

6 oz softened butter or margerine (I used Stork)
6 oz Caster Sugar
Zest of 1 lime
3 large free range eggs
7 oz self raising flour
1 tsp baking power
3 tbsp milk

Add 1/3 clean doggy bagful (or whatever container you used to collect your berries!) freshly picked Blackberries and stir through gently.

Spoon into muffin cases - fill them just over half full.

Bake for approx 20 mins or until risen, golden and springs back when pressed (or when a cocktail stick inserted comes out clean).

Whilst they are baking make the drizzle:  juice the lime and mix with about 3oz granulated sugar.

Cool in the tin for about 5 mins then spoon a little drizzle mixture over each muffin.  Lift out of the tin carefully and leave to cool on a wire rack.

Take into work and make sure your boss gets one before the other gannets empty the tin.

Comfortable Shoes

I wear comfortable shoes.  I am comfortable with wearing comfortable shoes.  If you are uncomfortable with that, then I am sorry, but I will remain comfortable in my comfortable shoes.

I have always loved comfortable shoes.  However, I have not always been comfortable with the fact that I prefer comfortable shoes.  After all, can you be a real woman in comfortable shoes?  Are comfortable shoes not the preserve of those with hairy armpits (current body hair status undisclosed) or those of a different sexual persuasion (views undisclosed).

But in my comfortable middle years with uncomfortable middle-year knees I am comfortable with comfortable shoes.  And I was glad of my comfortable shoes yesterday when, due to middle-years forgetfulness, I arrived at the station without my car keys and had a much-extended journey home with 2 extra train rides and a walk from the station through rocky country footpaths.  I have observed many female commuters in uncomfortable shoes and wonder whether they would have managed the walk home with such ease.  But then I remember they are probably not in their middle years and would not have forgotten their keys!