Wednesday, 20 July 2022

An Odd but Good Jam

 What to do with an over large courgette - I wouldn't call it a marrow but it was a good size already.

I used to make Marrow and Ginger jam but it never sets well and it's not a favourite anyway so I looked in my preserving books and came across..................


 An odd combination perhaps but as there were apricots left from the Christmas cakes that needed using and lemons in the freezer I decided to give it a go. (Lemons from the freezer can't be grated for the rind so I added the juice and quite a lot of the pulp instead)

It also sounded a bit dull so I decided to buy some ginger and grated that in as well. I didn't make as much as the recipe - the large courgette wasn't big enough (produced 1lb prepared  plus 8oz apricots and 1¾ lb sugar )

Just to make sure of a set I used proper jam sugar which I'd got in ready to do Strawberry Jam later.

Rather a nice colour. Filled these 3 smallish jars and half another.

It might sound like an odd combination but oh my goodness it's delicious and more like a marmalade than jam - nice and tangy. The two small jars were planned for the 2 Christmas hampers  - but they might be kept!

(this was made a week or so ago before the weather got really hot !)

Back Tomorrow
Sue





27 comments:

  1. I recognise that book I think - Country Harvest? One of my favourites, if only for the illustrations.

    That's a good way of using up overgrown courgettes and glad it turned out so well. Ginger makes such a difference to anything. A lovely colour too.

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    1. Photo is from Good Housekeeping - Complete Book of Preserving
      Glad I added the ginger - it perked it up no end

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  2. Sorry to hear of your unbearable weather. Drink lots of water and pour it on yourself too.

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  3. Sounds delicious. I do hope that Hazel one of your regular correspondents is well. I always enjoyed reading her comments.
    Sue

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    1. I have also missed Hazel, Anonymous.

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    2. You are right Hazel hasn't commented for a while.As you say - hope she is OK

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  4. Interesting combination. I'll keep it in mind if I ever manage to grow enough courgettes! I always buy reduced unwaxed lemons when I see them, limes too. I grate the rind and then juice them. I freeze the mixture in ice cube trays that I know each cube holds 1 tbsp. Then when a recipe needs juice and rind I have some. I also slice and freeze lemons too so I have plenty on hand :-)

    At least you were sensible and made jam before the heatwave, unlike me!!!

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    1. One minute it was a courgette then it was nearly a marrow!
      Lack of water is now a problem for everything. I just can't water things like a good rainfall can

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  5. My mother always made a bit of marrow and ginger jam because my father liked it - had forgotten so thanks for the reminder.

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    1. It was always a lovely yellow jam but sometimes went mouldy which was a problem

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  6. How very clever. It looks beautiful. xx

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  7. I love unusual jams-my daughter’s friend makes one with carrots and I put it on my toast! Think that may be a recipe from WW2. She’s a farmer and makes the loveliest food from the strangest of combinations -wastes nothing.Catriona

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    1. I think you are correct in say a WWII recipe, I'm sure carrot jam was a thing as they have so much natural sugar. I've made a carrot chutney years ago - can't remember what it was now - think it was with ginger again

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  8. I love apricots so one I must try to do. I have thought about adding apricots to Mamade , do you think that would work? Sarah Browne.

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    1. I'd been looking at the small amount of apricots left from Christmas and thinking I must do something with them.
      Not sure about the apricots in mamade - I tried mixing in limes once and the pieces crystallized and went really hard. I've only ever mixed in tinned grapefruit or tinned pineapple - they were both OK

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    2. Thank you Sue. I was going to use the tinned Breakfast apricots as they are quite sharp but have to get hold of Mamade first, none in Tesco or Morrison and it’s £2.30 a tin now. Sarah Browne

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  9. Ginger and apricot are a nice combination. The flavor sounds good. and the color is golden. A nice addition to the Christmas baskets; if they find their way? Susan

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  10. It looks and sounds lovely, I doubt it will make the hampers ;-)

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  11. I've made a carrot marmalade before and it's delicious but there's quite a lot of oranges and lemons in it too.
    Thanks for the recipe idea, with our courgette glut I might give it a go
    Alison in Wales x

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  12. Sue, I also make Zucchini Bread and grate some in my Tomato sauce when making lasagna.

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  13. Very clever. We stuff the large ones here. Seed them and fill the middles. The most popular thing is sausage, tomato sauce and cheese, if you google it, there are a number of different ideas to stuff them with. I also grate them and put them in the freezer for aucchini bread to add to soup through the year.

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  14. Wow I have never heard of that interesting it tastes more like marmalade.
    Cathy

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  15. Beautiful. Very apricotty. I bought an imported apricot jam recently. The taste was spot on, but it was a bit runny. Not good.

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  16. What an interesting mixture. The colour is magnificent.

    God bless.

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  17. The jam you made looks delicious. I am not sure if there is marrow in our area in Oregon. I've not made jam in a few years, although I might sometime this summer. I hope you get cooler weather in England soon. Sad to read about high heat and some areas burning close to London. I am wearing a shirt a friend brought me back from her trip to England. Her son was at RAF Lakenheath in 2020 right before the pandemic hit. He was there for 6 months. It has been low 90s last couple days. Thankful it will be cooler on Saturday as we are going to a family reunion outdoors, but at least there's a place to sit out of the sun! Have a good week and stay cool in more ways than one!

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