Plum and russet mincemeat

Season: September to October The term 'mincemeat' originated in the fifteenth century, when chopped meat was preserved with a combination of dried fruit, sugar and aromatic spices. During the seventeenth century, beef or lamb suet replaced the meat and has been used ever since - with vegetarian 'suet' a more recent option. This recipe is a departure 011 several fronts: it uses fresh fruit as well as dried, and contains no suet. In fact. h contains very little fat (only the oil in the walnuts). The result is light and fruit but with all the rich, warm spiciness of a traditional mincemeat.

Makes 4 x 450gjars
Ikgplums Finely grated zest and juice of 2-3 oranges (you need 200rnl juice) 500g russet apples, peeled, cored and chopped into l cm cubes 200g currants 200g raisins 200g sultanas IOOg orange marmalade 250g demerara sugar 1/2 tsp ground doves 2 tsp ground ginger 1/2 nutmeg, grated 50rnl ginger wine or cordial (opt 1111 III lOOg chopped walnuts 50rnl brandy or sloe gin

Wash the plums, halve and remove the stones, then put into a sau 'pllll wlill " orange juice. Cook gently until tender, about 15 minutes. Blend 10 .1 1'1111,11 liquidiser or push through a sieve. You should end up with about 700,"111111111 1" Put the puree into a large bowl and add all the other ingredients,
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or gin. Mix thoroughly, then cover and leave to stand for 12 hours, Preheat the oven to 130C/Gas Mark Yz. Put the mincemeat in, hlll'l 1111I1 and bake, uncovered, for 2-2Y2 hours. Stir in the brandy or gin, till 11 I't warm, sterilised jars (see p.29), making sure there aren't any nil 1'1111.1 p.30) and store in a dry, dark, cool place until Christmas. Us ' wit" 11I ' I

Variations
You can vary this recipe, but keep the fresh fruit puree to ,110111111 1111 II total amount of dried fruit to 600g. For an apple, p ,,,,' .IIld 1',1111"1 I replace the plums with Bramley apples, the russet appl 's wlt l: 111111 Ihi' of the raisins or sultanas with 100g crystallised stem ging -r, olllllldt!.1 the walnuts for almonds and add a couple of teaspo nflllN pi 1\111111111 I1
82 PRESERVES

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