Bit bored with the usual Halloween fare? Try DukeHill's Halloween Sausage Burger With Chorizo Jam

Introducing the Sausage Burger with Chorizo Jam. Packed with plenty of bite, this devilishly delicious burger combines a juicy sausage patty with smoky chorizo jam, tangy pickled shallots and sharp Red Leicester cheese, all served on a toasted charcoal brioche bun for that eerie Halloween touch.

Perfect for your ghoulish gatherings!

Serves 4

Ingredients

4 brioche buns - charcoal or normal, halved

2 tbsp vegetable oil

8 DukesHill Lincolnshire sausages

50g Sparkenhoe Red Leicester cheese, sliced

4 tsp DukesHill Lucy's Chorizo Jam

4 DukesHill Pickled Shallots, sliced into thin rounds

Method

Remove the sausages from their casings and shape two sausages into a patty. Repeat til you have four evenly-sized sausage patties. 

In a medium hot frying pan, add a slick of oil, before frying the sausage patties for about four minutes each side. Add the cheese and place under a hot grill for about 3-4 minutes until the cheese is melted.

Toast the brioche buns lightly under the grill. Place patties with melted Red Leicester on the heel of the bun, generously topping with chorizo jam and then the sliced pickled shallots. Crown with the bun lid and serve immediately.

https://www.dukeshill.co.uk

Sweet Beginnings: Your First Steps in Making Jam, Marmalade, and Lemon Curd

There’s something deeply satisfying about preserving the vibrant flavours of fruit in the form of jam, marmalade, or lemon curd. 

These homemade delights not only enhance your breakfast table but also make wonderful gifts. If you’re new to preserving, don't worry! 

This guide will walk you through the first steps of making your own jam, marmalade, and lemon curd using British measurements and tips.

Getting Started with Preserving

Before diving into recipes, it’s important to understand some basics:

Sterilising Jars: Properly sterilising your jars is crucial to ensure your preserves stay fresh and free from bacteria. Wash jars and lids in hot, soapy water, rinse well, then place them in a preheated oven at 140°C (275°F) for at least 20 minutes.

Choosing Fruit: Use fresh, ripe, and unblemished fruit. The quality of your preserves will directly reflect the quality of your ingredients.

Pectin: This natural gelling agent is found in many fruits and is essential for setting jam and marmalade. Some fruits, like apples and citrus, have high pectin levels, while others, like strawberries, may need added pectin.

Making Jam

Jam is a sweet spread made by boiling fruit and sugar together until they reach a thick consistency. Here’s a simple recipe to get you started:

Strawberry Jam Recipe

Ingredients:

1kg fresh strawberries

1kg granulated sugar

Juice of 1 lemon

Instructions:

Prepare the Fruit: Hull the strawberries and cut any large ones in half.

Combine Ingredients: Place the strawberries, sugar, and lemon juice in a large pot. Stir gently to combine.

Cook the Jam: Heat the mixture over low heat until the sugar has dissolved. Then, increase the heat and bring to a rolling boil. Boil for about 10-15 minutes, stirring frequently, until the jam reaches setting point (105°C or 220°F).

Test for Set: To test, place a small plate in the freezer for a few minutes. Drop a spoonful of jam onto the plate and return it to the freezer for a minute. If it wrinkles when pushed with your finger, it’s ready.

Jar the Jam: Pour the hot jam into sterilised jars, leaving a small gap at the top. Seal immediately and let cool.

Making Marmalade

Marmalade is a type of preserve made from citrus fruits, known for its bittersweet flavour. Seville oranges are traditional, but other citrus fruits can be used.

Seville Orange Marmalade Recipe

Ingredients:

1kg Seville oranges

2 lemons

2 litres water

2kg granulated sugar

Instructions:

Prepare the Fruit: Wash the oranges and lemons thoroughly. Cut them in half and squeeze out the juice, removing any pips. Reserve the juice.

Prepare the Peel: Thinly slice the peel into strips. This step can be tedious but is crucial for texture.

Cook the Peel: Place the peel, juice, and water in a large pot. Bring to a boil, then reduce to a simmer and cook until the peel is tender (about 1.5-2 hours).

Add Sugar: Add the sugar and stir until it has dissolved. Increase the heat and bring to a rolling boil. Boil until the marmalade reaches setting point (105°C or 220°F), usually about 15-20 minutes.

Test for Set: Use the same method as for jam to test the set.

Jar the Marmalade: Pour into sterilised jars, seal, and let cool.

Making Lemon Curd

Lemon curd is a rich, tangy spread made from lemons, sugar, butter, and eggs. It’s perfect for scones, toast, or as a filling for tarts and cakes.

Lemon Curd Recipe

Ingredients:

4 unwaxed lemons (zest and juice)

200g caster sugar

100g unsalted butter

3 large eggs plus 1 egg yolk

Instructions:

Prepare the Lemons: Finely grate the zest and juice the lemons.

Cook the Mixture: In a heatproof bowl over simmering water (a bain-marie), combine the lemon zest, juice, sugar, and butter. Stir until the butter has melted.

Add Eggs: Beat the eggs and egg yolk together, then stir into the lemon mixture. Cook gently, stirring constantly, until the mixture thickens enough to coat the back of a spoon (about 20 minutes).

Strain and Jar: Strain the curd through a sieve into sterilised jars to remove any zest and coagulated egg. Seal and let cool.

Tips for Success

Consistency: Pay attention to the consistency of your preserves. Overcooking can lead to a stiff, overly firm texture, while undercooking can result in a runny product.

Patience: Making preserves requires patience, especially when waiting for them to reach the correct setting point.

Cleanliness: Keep everything scrupulously clean to avoid contamination and spoilage.

Conclusion

Embarking on the journey of making your own jam, marmalade, and lemon curd is both rewarding and delicious. With these simple recipes and tips, you’ll soon be able to enjoy the fruits of your labour and share your homemade delights with friends and family. Happy preserving!

Peanut Butter Milk Stouts

This is another of my Home Bargains beer purchases. These beers are brewed by the Tailgate Brewery of Nashville, Tennessee. https://www.tailgatebeer.com.

I love peanut butter. I particularly like peanut butter whiskey, but especially with properly hot Jamaican ginger beer. Not ginger beer, but ginger ale.

But on to the peanut butter milk stout, plain and with strawberry jelly/jam.

Peanut Butter milk stout. There was definitely a strong peanut butter aroma from the beer. And it did have a peanut butter like colouration.

There was a peanut butter taste plus a strong, malty taste and a somewhat bitter aftertaste.

The Peanut Butter and Strawberry milk stout had a similar colouration. It tasted very similar to the peanut butter milk stout, but there was also a slightly sweet undertone that I attributed to the strawberry jelly content. 

However, tin my opinion, the strawberry flavour was not strong enough to make any real headway through the stronger peanut butter flavour. If I were brewing this stout I'd certainly consider adding more strawberry jelly to the recipe because of this.

I'd have to point out that, although these beers are interesting and well worth seeking out, that they are not really to be considered as milk stouts, to be completely honest.

However, they are intriguing enough that I'll certainly be looking out for beers from Tailgate Brewery in the future.  

To check out the beer range at Home Bargains use their store locator service https://storelocator.homebargains.co.uk

Or you can visit your website at https://home.bargains

From memory I think I paid about £1.49 a can.

Vimto Jam? Yes! Vimto Jam!

On my recent trip to Home Bargains The main purpose of the mission? I was actually buying some nuts for out parrot I bought a couple of very decent ales, some coffee (good quality coffee at a very reasonable price) and my eye fell upon some Vimto Jam.

Yes, Vimto jam. Which I had not even realised was a thing. 

Actually, it's not called Vimto jam it's official title is Vimto Fruit Spread.

It's described as "a seedless Vimto flavour mixed fruit jam with raspberries, black currants and grapes."

And "Made with our secret recipe."

It's produced in the UK by Somerset Cuisine Ltd of Highbridge in Somerset, manufactured under licence from the owners of Vimto, Nichols PLC who are based in Newton-le-Willows in Merseyside.

So, what does it taste like? Absolute perfection! It's Vimto flavoured and it is truly delicious on hot buttered toast, on jam sandwiches, on bagels, on scones (especially with clotted cream!) and is really spiffing if you spread it on a Victoria sponge cake, etc. 

It's available in 200g jars from most supermarkets, plus Home Bargains, B&M, etc.

https://www.vimto.co.uk/vimto-range/product/vimto-fruit-spread.

I have just noticed that B&M Bargains also sells Vimto jellies! Another great British idea! 

Celebrate the Coronation with a fantastic Cream Tea, or a luscious Victoria Sponge!

For a cream tea that is really extra special, try topping your homemade scones and your tasty, thick clotted cream with a hand-crafted jam from Norfolk’s Ginger & Juice, to ensure that it's really for a King.

There's Raspberry and Rose at £4.80. Do you like Turkish Delight? Then you will certainly adore this flavour combination. 

The sweetness of the summer raspberry marries perfectly with the floral scent of the rose extract and the edible rose petals. This softer set jam makes a delicious Victoria Sponge filling, too.

Blackberry & Bay - £4.80.  This is a neat twist on the traditional. Juicy blackberries and freshly ground bay leaves are slowly cooked, creating a firm set jam that has a pleasingly aromatic flavour.

Norfolk's very own Ginger & Juice have a range of mouth-watering line of jams, marmalades, and chutneys. Handcrafted in small batches using locally sourced, seasonal produce, and bursting with flavour, these preserves, available online and from selected independent farm shops and delis, are perfect for any occasion and make a great gift for foodies and home cooks alike.  

The Ginger & Juice journey began with an Instagram account documenting founder and self-confessed foodie Lucinda Notley’s food journey at Ballymaloe Cookery School in Ireland and subsequently her years as an assistant food stylist, supper club host and cookery teacher. 

https://www.gingerandjuice.co.uk. 

"Hand crafted jams, chutneys and marmalades. Made in Norfolk. Championing local, natural and seasonal produce."

Hot spring means bumper crop for wild fruit jam makers

Jam-makers are excited after an expert predicted what could be the best ever year for wild fruit and berry harvests in the UK.

Leading foraging expert Chris Bax said the warmest spring on record has filled the nation's trees and bushes with blossom, which points to a bumper fruit harvest.

Wild raspberries and strawberries are already starting to show and there are good signs of a fantastic blackthorn crop; meanwhile, commercially grown strawberries are already 150 per cent up and grape harvests set to create new records.

All of which is music to the ears of the nation’s jam-makers. Once considered the preserve of older generations, it's enjoying a renaissance thanks to celebrity jam-makers like Kate Moss and Zoe Ball who have helped jam jars sales double in the last 12 months.

Mr Bax, who runs Taste The Wild and is an advisor to British cooker manufacturer Stoves, said: “We’ve had optimum growing conditions with a harsh, cold winter and a spring with little frost and the warmest ever temperatures – a perfect climatic event for our nation’s wild fruit and berries.

“I expect the country to be laden with fruit, and with wild species such hawthorn and wild cherry in abundance, it’s great news if you want to make your own jam with free fruit.”

To capitalise on the bumper fruit harvest and the appetite for jam-making, Stoves has commissioned Mr Bax to produce an iPhone app showing how to collect free wild fruit and berries with recipes for home-made jam.

The ‘Wild Jam Maker’ app lists fruits and berries growing wild in the UK and recipes include Sea Buckthorn Jam and Wild Cherry Jam. The free app can be downloaded from the Apple App store.

Jane Rylands, Stoves’ brand manager, said: “Jam-making is very much in vogue at the moment and with such a bumper crop of fruit this year, our free app will help Britain’s jam-makers find new and interesting recipes using ingredients direct from the land.”

Free fruit is bursting not just from the great British countryside, but also in our towns and cities too – you can pick rowan, blackberry and cherry plum in urban areas.

The world’s biggest jam festival – the WI Stoves Real Jam Festival – will take place in October this year. Last year’s event attracted more than 500 entries from men, women and children across the

For more information on Stoves follow @StovesUK on Twitter and www.facebook.com/StovesUK

FACTFILE:
Founded in 1920, Stoves is one of the UK’s best loved cooking brands. It is also one of the only major kitchen appliance brands still committed to manufacturing in the UK with 100% of its freestanding cookers, built-in ovens and hobs and range cookers assembled at its Merseyside headquarters. All products are designed and built in the UK specifically with British cooks in mind. Visit www.stoves.co.uk to view the full product range.

(EDITOR: When foraging for fruits always ensure you are legally entitled to do so. For example, it's best not to encroach on private land, without the permission of the owner)