I am very excited about this new departure for me, a regular guest post on Sarah Raven's blog Garlic and Sapphire. My name is Jude and I write the blog A Trifle Rushed.
I have been following this blog for the last few months and love the fact that it features seasonal gardening and cooking. So it may be a surprise to you that the first of Sarah's recipes I am featuring is from her beautiful book, Complete Christmas Food and Flowers.
I know, it has gone, but if like me you over-stocked on cranberries, and have some lurking in the freezer, awaiting next Christmas, then this is the perfect recipe for you to try. I love simple recipes, without too many complicated ingredients, so this particular recipe suits me perfectly. I had some cranberries in the freezer, half a bottle of red wine, juniper berries and sugar, indeed all that I required to follow the recipe for Cranberry and Juniper Jelly, which you can find on Page 26 of the book, or on the Sarah Raven websitein the seasonal recipes section.
I boiled the cranberries with the juniper berries and then strained the fruit. The following day I warmed the liquid, adding the sugar and some wine.
Stirring the cranberries, juniper, wine and sugar, it smells heavenly, perfect to make on a cold winter's day. I tested for a set, and was able to bottle one and a half jars of jewel like jelly.
The jelly is the perfect accompaniment to a traditional baked ham...
The jelly is not just for Christmas, although it was delicious with Turkey and Ham. I have used it with game too. Perfect with birds such as Pheasant or Partridge. I decided to stir a spoonful into my Venison Casserole. I just can't tell you how much it enhanced the flavour of the meal. The cranberries added a fruity dimension to the meat and wine rich gravy, whilst the juniper added an extra depth to the couple of juniper berries I always include in my casserole.
If you haven't attempted a jelly before then please do try this wonderful recipe, the instructions are clear and it is truly delectable.
