Preserving Herbs
Herb Jelly
A jelly is a mixture of clear fruit juice, sugar and pectin. Suitable herbs for an apple jelly are thyme, rosemary, mint, sage and tarragon.
Gooseberry and Elderflower Jelly
The jelly is a beautiful clear red colour with a muscaty, flowery perfume and is wonderful served with lamb.
Ingredients:
4lbs gooseberries
3 pints water
20 heads of elderflower
Preserving or granulated sugar (1 ¼ lbs for each pint of juice)
Method:
Simmer gooseberries in the water till tender.
Towards the end of cooking add elderflowers to scent the mix.
Strain the pulp through a jelly bag or a square of double butter muslin gathered at the corners overnight (don't squeeze or it will go cloudy).
Measure the quantity of juice, put in a large pan and add the required amount of sugar.
Boil briskly for 10 minutes.
When the setting point is reached pour into sterilised jars and seal.