Just A Blog

Just spent a hour putting the 1st coat of Decking stain down, ready for Autumn/Winter. Used about 1/2 a 5litre tin so should be fine for a second coat later this week. Update: total coverage for our decking for 5 litres was just under 3 coats. This post is really only a reminder for future years, so we get the right colour again. Cuprinol anti slip decking stain country cedar, £25 on offer from The Range.

Seedless Blackberry Jam Prep Time 5 minutes   Cook Time 10 minutes   Total Time 15-20 minutes   Servings 300 ml Ingredients 570 g Frozen Foraged Blackberries 200 g Preserving sugar Instructions Microwave the fruit until defrosted. Add blackberries to a preserving pan (large pan), Use a wooden spoon to mash up the fruit. Place the pan on the hob over a very low heat (do not simmer), stirring occasionally for about 10 mins. Take a glass bowl and place a metal sieve over it. Pour into the sieve (Then clean out the pan of any seeds). Use a large spoon to push the pulp through the sieve. Once all the pulp is sieved return to the pan (290g of Juice) , stir in the sugar with a wooden spoon. Bring the pan to a rolling boil and time for 5 minutes. Take the pan off the heat and drizzle a little jam onto a saucer and place in the fridge for a minute. Run a finger through the jam and if it forms a crinkle (tacky) then...

Ingredients: 5g (one) Large Green Thai Dragon Chilli (added just for the heat) 18g (one) Orange Bell Pepper 185g Mild Habanero Chilli (Something like NuMex Suave Orange ) 10 Garlic Cloves (35g) 350ml  White Vinegar 25g White Sugar Method: 1) Remove stems and rough chop the Chillies and Bell Pepper 2) Peel the Garlic 3) Add to the pan, with the Vinegar. 4) Simmer for 10 minutes 5) Liquidize till very smooth, return to the pan, add the sugar and simmer again for 5 minutes 6) Bottle and enjoy Made: About 500ml

For some reason this turned out very sweet and buttery, so this is my version of a Buffalo Sauce. Might be that the brown sugar made it like this . Personally I think it's a great little sauce . Makes one and a bit  Kilner 200ml Handled Clip top bottles full. (about 250ml) Ingredients: 2 tbsp Veg oil 90g Pearls (Biquinho or Roquito) Chillies 1 Small Onion (66g) 2 Garlic Cloves (12g) 3 small vine plumb tomatoes 75ml Vinegar (Home-made Pineapple) 1 tbsp Soft Brown Sugar Large pinch of sea salt. Method: 1) Blitz chillies, onion, garlic and salt in a food processor. 2) Fry mixture in olive oil for around 5 minutes with the sugar. 3) Blitz the tomatoes and add to the pan, and add the vinegar. 4) Simmer for 5 minutes 5) Liquidize till very smooth, return to the pan and simmer again for 2 minutes 6) Bottle and enjoy

Dark Mojito (makes one) 60ml dark rum 8-10 mint leaves   2 tsp. brown sugar juice of 1/2 lime Ginger Ale Gently muddle the mint with the lime juice and brown sugar. Add crushed ice and the rum. Fill to the top of the glass with Ginger Ale. Garnish with a sprig of mint.

A really nice Ketchup alternative, based on this by Jamie Oliver I wouldn't say it is a hot sauce, more like a Ketchup due to the fact I used the tinned tomatoes. I used 9 large red chillies that I don't know what type as they where saved from a skip, but they may be of the De Cayenne variety (15cm's long, ripens from green to red, thin walled, medium amount of seeds. Not massively hot) Makes two and a half Kilner 200ml Handled Clip top bottles full. (about 500ml) Ingredients: 2 tbsp Olive oil 100g Chillies (9 Large Long Chillies) 2 Onions (160-165g) 4 Garlic Cloves 400g tin of plumb tomatoes 150ml Vinegar (Home-made Pineapple) 2 tbsp Sugar Large pinch of sea salt. Method: 1) Blitz chillies, onion, garlic and salt in a food processor. 2) Fry mixture in olive oil for around 10 minutes with the sugar. 3) Blitz the tomatoes and add to the pan, and add the vinegar. 4) Simmer for 20 minutes 5) Liquidize till very smooth, return to the pan and s...