Wickham Market Allotments

Wondering what to do with all that wonderful produce you’ve grown? Here is a collection of some of the favourite recipes of our members listed by main ingredient to give you some inspiration. But we are always on the lookout for yet more recipes:  please send them to wmallotments@gmail.com or give them to Micky Elliott.

Elder Flower and Lemon Cordial
End of May / June

Ingredients:
20 clean Elderflower heads
1 orange
5 lemons
675g castor sugar
25g Citric or, tartaric acid (from Pharmacies usually to be ordered in advance)
Small storage pots.

End of May / June
Collect 20 clean, flowering heads of Elder into a large clean mixing bowl.
Add grated rind from 1 lemon and 1 orange.
Pour over 1.5 litres of boiling water cover with tea towel and leave standing overnight (24 hours).
Next day pour the mixture through a fine sieve into a large preserving pan add 675g of sugar and juice from 5 lemons.
Cook over low heat until all sugar has completely dissolved, add 25g of tartaric or, citric acid, skim off any scum and bottle up.

Store in a cool dark cupboard and use within 2 months of making, alternatively can also be frozen and keeps well.
Try freezing in ice cube trays, once frozen transfer to storage bags.

Elderflower Cordial
Dilute 1 part elderflower cordial to 4 parts water, still or, sparkling, pour into tumblers or, glasses.
Try adding one or two blocks of frozen cubes to a tumbler of lemonade for a refreshing cordial drink.

Submitted by Peter Wild


Elderflower Jelly
Ingredients:

250fl ounces fresh or frozen cordial
500 fl ounces boiling hot water
4 full sheets of gelatine
Grapes – optional

Soak Gelatine in cold water for 10 minutes then squeeze out and place into a medium size mixing bowl, add hot water , add cordial or frozen blocks and 1 handful of halved grapes.
Pour into mould or, dish and leave to cool and then allow setting in fridge.

Submitted by Peter Wild


Rhubarb, vanilla & lime cordial

A very tasty mouth watering cordial. Summer or winter especially when working on the allotment.
Method:
Chop 1kg of rhubarb into small pieces and place into a pan with 500g sugar, add 1 litre of cold water. Bring to the boil.
Add one beetroot cut in two and the zest of one lime. Bring to the boil for five minutes to break down the rhubarb then allow to cool. Squeeze in the lime juice and add two capfuls of vanilla extract. Strain through muslin or a fine sieve into a jug, and then pour into a sterilised bottle.

Once opened cordial should be used same week.

Dilute to taste.

Note: This cordial can be frozen. Do this in plastic bottles (not glass!) and leave enough space in the tope of the bottle for the liquid to expand on freezing.

Adapted from an original recipe by Delia Smith. Submitted by Peter Wild.


Rhubarb (or Apple) Special Fruit Dessert Cake

Ingredients:
150g butter
225g caster sugar
225g self raising flower
2 large eggs
1½ teaspoons baking powder
600g apples
Or, 600g rhubarb

Put 150g melted butter together with 2, large eggs, 225g sugar and 1 teaspoon almond essence, beat well then add 225g self raising flower, 1½ teaspoons baking powder. Spread ⅔ of the mix in 20cm cake tin then add 600g freshly peeled, chopped apples (Cox’s are good) or, 600g of lightly poached rhubarb.
Spread the remaining mix over and bake at 160°c for 1¼to 1½ hours
Best served warm for dessert or, cold with cream or, ice cream.

Note: If using rhubarb, drain and dry then sprinkle a little caster sugar on fruit before adding to cake.

Submitted by Peter Wild


If you are a WMAA member and have a tried and trusted recipe you would like to share, email it to us as wmallotments@gmail.com Don’t forget to include a credit if the recipe is not one of your own invention.