Monday 13 November 2017

Monday night preserves - souper mix

This is a preserve that I've wanted to do for ages but haven't pulled my finger out and planned it well enough.

Souper mix is the second attempt I am having at using home made stock. This recipe, along with my pork stock, will keep us in flavoursome food for a good while I hope. There's another one I'll try soon too, so between the 3 recipes we shouldn't need to buy stock cubes again.

Now according to Pam Corbin, the queen of preserving, you would use the following ingredients for this recipe:

250g leeks

200g fennel

200g carrots

250g celeriac

50g sun dried tomatoes

2-3 garlic cloves

100g parsley

100g coriander

250g salt

Part of the reason I haven't made this yet is I've never had those ingredients to hand together. Instead of another week passing where I don't make this, I've decided to use the following, as Pam advocates changing to what you have in stock. I'm all for that, adapt and move on.

The ingredients I used are leeks, carrots, garlic, sun dried tomatoes, red and green pepper and swede. I used the same amount of salt as it's the preserving ingredient. 

Roughly chppping the ingredients up I blitzed them all in the food processor.


I used mixed herbs and added it all in. The end result was fairly wet and I'm pleased with it.


As I use stock pretty much daily, I didn't put this into sterilised containers as it'll be gone quickly. If I wanted to keep it I would and then it'd be ok for 6 months according to Pam.

The benefit of this is it takes up a lot let space than the freezer stock from bones. Next week I have another version to try and then from the 3 options I will choose the best and use that version next year.


7 comments:

  1. Interesting, looking forward to hearing which you prefer and why.

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  2. Hi Tracy

    Next year when you grow Fennel... The recipe that Pam gives with the Fennel in is lovely and just has that extra something. I have tried different versions too. I pop into sterilised jars and just keep in a cool place. One is usually lodged in my flavourings/sauce cupboard (of stuff that is in use) in the kitchen and seems to keep pretty well. I have also found it to make a nice hot drink - one to two teaspoons of stock mixture topped up with boiling water. I am glad that you got round to making it - making your own stocks and flavourings is well worth it. I also do what is called "burnt onions" which I also use in the gravy for a bit more flavour especially with darker meats. Why pick between the different methods make some of each and use a bit of each in each lot of gravy - more flavour as you will have three different types which will layer the flavour. For me it is always about the flavour. My mum always used to reckon that it was a tasty gravy that always made the meal especially if there was some left over to mop up with a little bread. Hope Grace is okay after losing her chicken. It is always so sad.

    Keep up the good work.

    Pattypan

    x

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    Replies
    1. Sorry for be late reply Tricia. I'm really struggling with how quickly each week is passing at the moment. A fair question as to why pick, I guess o don't have to but still want to see which one works best for us here. The souper mix has been going in to everything but I need to use less as it is very salty. Trial and error isn't it.
      Thank you for asking re grace, she's being a really big girl over it and I'm very proud of her. She knows it happens but this one was the saddest for us all, bless her x

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  3. Replies
    1. Haha occasionally when I feel like I need it but I enjoy it most of the time. I am slightly panicked by how quickly Christmas is coming this year though! Work is non stop and I am not getting as much done at home as I hope to x

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