Redcurrant Jelly and bossy Delia Smith
- At July 14, 2010
- By Rachael
- In Allotment, Cooking, Craft, Gardening, Home, Photography, Village life
20
This recipe comes to you via the goddess of cooking that is Delia Smith.
When I was 17 and leaving home to go to university, my mum gave me a copy of Delia’s Complete Cookery Course
Anyway, redcurrants. My previous attempt at Summer Pudding was utterly disgusting (although the concept of bread + fruit = delicious is a bit alien to me) so I had to find something yummy to do with them.
Take 2lb of redcurrants, and don’t bother removing them from the stalks (hooray for minimum faff).
Bring them to a gentle boil, and cook until they’ve all burst and are squishy. Add 2lb of sugar, bring to the boil and cook for 8-10 minutes.
Strain through a muslin jelly bag (whilst listening to Radio 4 and thinking that you’re a domestic goddess).
Put it into spotless, warmed jars (straight from dishwasher or put in the oven on low for 5 mins) and cover with a disc of jam paper stuff.
Marvel at the gorgeousness.
Probably don’t take it into the garden and take a photo of it. Because that would be slightly odd. Ahem.
Helen in Switzerland
hello Rachael! I have been a Delia follower all my adult life too – and collect cookbooks all the time…but who do I always go back to when I want to know the real way to do something? Delia of course… I think it helps that her recipes don’t tend to have mistakes in them too. Love your blog by the way and have also just found your running blog – I raise my hat to you, you marathon runner you! maybe I’ll make it next year!
Rachael
Yes, that’s why I love her – she’s reliable. A bit stodgy sometimes, but reliable.
And thank you! I still can’t quite believe I did it either!
English Mum
Gorgeous pictures, Rach. I might venture to the pick-your-own farm this weekend and have a crack at this x
Rachael
Ooh, thank you! Let me know how it goes. My children seem to think the jelly is for sandwiches, rather than for lamb. Never mind. xx
Kitchen Butterfly
Odd is good….and I love the whole redcurrants being cooked – stalks and all! The garden photo is lovely too
Rachael
I like odd too. And yes, hooray for lazy cooking with stalks and all!
Sharon
Love it! Delia taught me to cook too! When I was 22 with 2 children under 2 (is there a pattern there?!) She was on telly every afternoon. I used to look forward to watching her and tried all sorts of things I wouldn’t have normally done.
Rachael
Oh, she is fab, isn’t she? I always check with her before I cook anything new, just to make sure she approves!
Tatjana
Making jam is such a delightful, wholesome homemaking craft! And with this slight hint of harvest=autumn connotation I like it even better
Rachael
Yes, I love the hint of autumn too! It’s been distinctly autumnal outside today. July is always rainy here.
Jane
I love Delia too – my first mother in law bought me a copy of the Complete Cookery Course so I did not poison her son.
Rachael
Ouch. Very lovely to have, but that’s a bit of a double edged sword, isn’t it?!
Sarah, Maison Cupcake
Ah, I’ve said it on several blogs this week already but I am totally in awe of people who manage to get things INTO jars. My jar collection lies dusty in the cellar and even when I have a go I end up with stuf all over the work top instead.
Hurrah for Delia, I am not wild about Tessa Kiros though. My love for Nigella is legendary but I am not blind to her faults.
Rachael
I adore Nigella, but her quantities are dodgy. But Christmas is just beautiful to look at. Likewise Apples for Jam. I have to confess I haven’t cooked out of it, I just like looking at the pictures. I remember when How to Eat came out, I used to sit in bed feeding no1 and reading it like a novel.
Jam is one of those things which seems like a huge faff but isn’t, and it makes you feel all virtuous and smug afterwards. Until the children say they want a jar of rancid old Tesco’s stuff as a treat. But mine also see bought cake as a novelty.
Cat
Ooh this looks and sounds delicious! I’m determined to grow both fruit and vegggies when I get my own place
One day…
(PS. The last photo is lovely!)
Rachael
Redcurrants and blackcurrants are good ones to start with – mine are horribly neglected, but they always produce loads of fruite every year. I don’t prune them properly, or feed them. Poor starving fruit bushes. Oops.
Deer Baby
I’ve just bought Apples for Jam because I liked the red shoes on the front. I saw some redcurrants and stuff on a farmer’s market stall today (as I live in the city and no allotment or garden) but they seemed really expensive. Then again I’ve no idea how much redcurrants should be. I see we use Bonne Maman pots too?
Delia is lovely but bossy. I wish she hadn’t done that Cheats book though.
I think we should see you do this on video next time – you could lick the spoon like Nigella.
Rachael
I suspect that redcurrants are one of those things (like raspberries) that are hideously expensive to buy in real life but which grow like weeds in the garden. If you bought a bush today, you’d have some by next summer.
Sadly we don’t have a video camera, so the world is saved the horror of me simultaneously making jam, drinking tea, tweeting on the iPhone and vlogging. Hahahahaha!
Becky
I love her books – we call her St Delia in my family!
My complete cookery course has died as my mum gave me her original copy. I must get a replacement
Rachael
She is fab. She is like a slightly eccentric aunt, and becoming more so with age when you see her on television. Every time I roast a chicken I can hear her reminding me to baste it well. Madness.