A good jam or chutney requires good ingredients. When you are preserving or pickling, choose the fruit that looks good and that has a strong fragrance. If the fruit passes the look and smell test, then it will pass the taste test too.

Do not be too scared to experiment; for example, a tart berry can help offset the sweetness of the jam. Preserves make original gifts and will be appreciated in the winter months.

The high content of sugar preserves the jam without the formation of syrup, crystals or mould and stops fermentation.

If you need to follow a reduced-sugar diet, you can use stevia or another alternative. However, jams will need to be stored in the fridge.

To test the setting point, use the simple cold plate method. Place an empty saucer in the freezer. Pour a teaspoon of jam on to the cold saucer and push the jam with your finger. If it wrinkles and feels stiff, the jam is ready.

Sterilisation

Use a large pot to boil the jars and lids for 20 minutes. Using tongs, take two sets of jars and lids, fill with hot jam, cover immediately with a lid and turn the jars upside down for a few minutes. Keep the water temperature on low boil while you finish the filling process. An alternative way is to sterilise jars in the oven by placing the jars and lids on a baking tray in a preheated oven at 25°C for at least 30 minutes.

Fig, zucchini and ginger jam

1 kg zucchini, skin on, chopped
1 kg figs
1 kg sugar
The juice of 4 freshly-squeezed lemons
4 tbsp honey
Zest of 1 lemon
2 knobs fresh ginger, 1 left whole, the other peeled and grated

Method

Place zucchini into a large pot with the chopped figs and lemon juice. Cook on a medium heat, stirring often, until the pieces are turning translucent and soft – but do not let them get mushy. Add the sugar, citrus zest, grated ginger, whole ginger knob and stir. When the fruit is cooked, you will need to remove the knob of ginger. It gives delicate ginger flavour to the jam.

Bring to a boil and stir. Simmer and keep a gentle steady boil until the jam reaches setting point. Mine took a good 45 minutes.

Pour the jam into sterilised jars and secure lids tightly.

Pomegranate Jam

3 kg pomegranates
White sugar (calculate the amount according to the yield)
Juice of 6 lemons or limes
Pectin (follow instructions on packet) or 6 apples, peeled and finely chopped

Method

Peel the pomegranates and juice them. Do not use a juicer as this will give the jam a bitter taste. I place a large pot in the sink, cut the pomegranates in half and squeeze the fruit with skin on with my hands. Strain the seeds.

Weigh the juice on a measuring scale and weigh an equal amount of sugar. Place in a pot with the juice and the sugar. Add the pectin or apples. Bring to a boil, lower the heat and keep on a rolling boil for half an hour.

Skim the pink foam from the top of the jam while it is cooking. Use the saucer test and, when it is the right consistency, remove from heat and transfer to jars.

Dark Apple Chutney

2 carrots
1 turnip
1 cauliflower
2 onions
2 large apples
1 courgette
10 mini, chopped gherkins
4 garlic cloves
125g chopped dates
1 tsp salt
Juice of one lemon
500 ml malt vinegar
2 tsp mustard seed
2 tsp ground allspice
1 tsp cayenne pepper
1 tbsp whole peppercorns

Method

Brown sugar and white sugar: weigh all the fruit and vegetables and use equal amount of brown sugar and white sugar. Eg. 1 kg fruit and vegetables requires 500g brown sugar and 500g white sugar.

Combine all ingredients with the exception of the sugar and gherkins in a large saucepan and bring to boil. Reduce heat and cook until the vegetables and fruit are soft. Add the sugars and cook for a further 20 minutes. During the last 10 minutes add the gherkins. There is no need to do a saucer test with this as the chutney will need at least 4 weeks to mellow in flavor and texture.

Prickly Pear Jam

Use one colour of prickly pear; the yellow ones tend to be the best.
2 kg prickly pears, peeled
Sugar
Juice of 3 lemons
Grated rind of 1 lemon
Pectin (follow instructions on packet) or 6 apples

Method

Place 500g prickly pears in a pot and mash them. Wrap the other 750g into a large piece of gauze and squeeze the juice out of them. Weigh the combined fruit and juice. Weigh out the same amount of sugar and keep aside. Add the lemons, rind, pectin or apples to the prickly pear mixture. Using moderate heat, bring to a boil and cook for 15 minutes. Add the sugar and keep on boil for 15 minutes. Do the saucer test until you are happy with the consistency. Pour the hot jam into sterilised jars.

Use a large pot to boil the jars and lids for 20 minutes. Using tongs, take two sets of jars and lids, fill with hot jam, cover immediately with a lid and turn the jars upside down for a few minutes. Keep the water temperature on low boil while you finish the filling process. An alternative way is to sterilize jars in the oven by placing the jars and lids on a baking tray in a preheated oven at 250˚C for at least 30 minutes.

You can watch Lea cook on TVM2 and follow her blog on www.goodfoodeveryday.wordpress.com. Her recipes are available on www.timesofmalta.com.