At least I didn't make a pickle out of my Chutney!

Lizz Making Chutney.

This is my first shot at preserving fresh produce! I embarked upon the mission of a Mustard pickle, a Choko Ginger Chutney and a Basil Pesto. And ended up with a Curry and Cabbage Pickle, a cabbage and ginger Chutney and a Herb Pesto. All in all a great experience and a good effort of a first time. Although we have to wait till the Chutney and pickle matures (in 6 weeks) before we can see how it tastes everyone enjoyed the pesto.

I was pleased to have Susan in the kitchen to advise ( she is an old hand at jams, pickles and preserving in general as she has lived at Wild Mountains over 20 years) she was able to direct me with what could subsitute and get away with and how to effectively sterilize all of the jars first.

Curry and Cabbage Pickle



This is a pungent little number inspired from the "Australian and New Zealand Complete Book of Cookery" ( to quote Liz Cameron "Whats that? ...its like rotten tomatoes but worse")

Ingredients:

3 large choko's (my first time ever using this vegetable, I was still peeling it off my skin the next day very odd stuff)
Half a head of cabbage
5 onions
2 cups celery
5 tbs salt (I used vegi salt)
2 pints malt vinegar (... I wasn't sure what this was and used white wine vinegar instead)
1 cup raw sugar
1 tbs curry powder
2 tbs dry mustard power (...I didn't have any of this and used garam masala instead)
2 teaspoons tumeric
1/2 cup of flour with 1 cup malt vinegar (...ran out of white wine and used plain vinegar)

This recipe took a day and a half to make and probably 3 hours in total , I ended up making 5 jars worth... and i hope it taste's much better than it smelt while cooking.

Cabbage and Ginger Chutney



This beauty was inspired from "A Table in Buderim" , I liked the look of it for its use of ginger .

3 large choko's
250g dates
250g raisins
250g sultana's
1 large onion
1-2 granny smith apples
1/2 cup ginger in syrup (... was not in my kitchen so i use crystallized ginger)
1 1/2 cups raw sugar
1/2 teaspoon cayenne pepper
3 cups malt vinegar ( yep used what ever vinegar I could lay my hands on .. white wine I think)

I liked this recipe it took about 2 hours or so and smelt great, plus no soaking overnight required :)

Herb Pesto



I love pesto and had intended to make a nice basil pesto with basil out of Joan's garden from down the road, I took Justin with me to pick some herbs and collect a bit of fire wood.

We came back with 4 pumpkins, 6 choko's, tomatoes, and a bag full of herbs- rosemary, basil , lemon mertly and oregano. I thought what the hell , let put it all in. It turned out well , the pesto has a deep rich flavour and is delicious. It took forever to make because I was not use to the tools I used.

Granny would have been very proud :). I look forward to further kitchen escapades.