As a fruit-oriented gal, I find myself generally hovering over purchasing more processed fruit options as opposed to fresh. The consistency and the flavour profiles usually conflict very clearly on my palette. Especially when it comes to fresher, fleshy fruits such as nectarines. My ultimate favourite – nectarine jam on toast!
Seeing as it is also summer and my favourite seasonal fruit is bountiful – plums – a great opportunity arose in our household. Why not make our own jams, preserves, and sauces with what we have in the fridge?
Luckily, @JuicyDeliciousSA has dropped off divine goodies for preserving my own fruit flamboyances for winter! I’ve already got a plum platter with honey and flaky salt to garnish. Plums were always a special occasion at home as my mum used to buy punnets just for me. More importantly, she would slice the plums up and plate with other summer fruits; bananas, blueberries, cherries. The works. After a hockey practice in high school, you can imagine that fruit salad was scarfed down like a dream.
I highly recommend taking a peak at the Juicy Delicious website where you can find all of the recipes that the brand specialises in.
Better run while you can – I might be ordering all of the plums in the country!
Feel inspired by following @juicydelicioussa on Instagram or visit www.juicydelicious.co.za for more tempting stone fruit recipes. I’ve already left one of Karen Hart’s bests at the end of this post for you to peruse! Feel free to tag us @eatdrinkcapetownsa_ and @juicydelicioussa on Instagram or Facebook with your versions. I’d love to see! Otherwise, here are some other fruitful – badum tss – tips for preservation of fruits for winter.
And I know, ‘We’re going to eat it all, Sabah’ or ‘The fruit is too good to eat later,’ protests will come in, but! The preservation of these perfect produces will definitely be a winter-favourite such as Karen Hart aimed for. Food writer Karen Hart has put together her favourite stone fruit preserving recipes to delight your taste buds all year round. Her nectarine and pistachio preserve takes ordinary jam to new levels of flavour with a bit of crunch, just perfect on toast or as a condiment to complete a cheeseboard.
Hacks for freezing fresh stone fruit:
The best way to freeze fresh plums, peaches and nectarines is to ‘dry’ freeze them. Slice the fruit into bite size pieces, then lay them in a single layer onto a tray lined with baking paper. Place into the freezer and once completely frozen, place the pieces into portion sized freezer bags. By freezing the individual pieces before bagging them and returning them to the freezer prevents them from clumping. Alternatively blitz your favourite fruit and make delicious juice that can be frozen in a sealed container to preserve the fresh taste of summer.
Hacks for sterilising your jars:
Wash the jars in warm, soapy water, rinse well and place in an oven pan, lined with a clean tea towel. Place in a preheated oven at 110ºC for 10 minutes.
Remove from the oven and allow to cool.
Nectarine & Pistachio Preserve
By Karen Hart
Makes about 5 jars of 250g each
Ingredients:
1kg ripe yellow-flesh nectarines
3¾ cups granulated sugar
Freshly squeezed juice of 2 lemons
½ cup pistachio nuts, chopped
Method:
First, peel the nectarines
Bring a large saucepan of water to the boil.
Meanwhile, cut a cross with a sharp knife in the base of each nectarine.
When the water is boiling, drop in the fruit, turn off the heat and leave for 3 – 4 minutes. Drain the nectarines and slip off the skins.
Dice the fruit and discard the stones.
Put the nectarine flesh, sugar and lemon juice into a large saucepan or preserving pan and bring the mixture slowly to the boil.
Cook it at full rolling boil for about 20 minutes, skimming of the scum that rises to the surface.
Stir in the nuts and simmer for a minute or two before testing for a set.
Ladle into hot, sterilised jars and seal.
Tip: You can use dessert peaches instead of nectarines in this recipe. Just remember to tag us!