Mincemeat

To be clear, I am talking about the fruit version of mincemeat and not the one that is actually made with chopped animal flesh! I made mincemeat quite a few years ago and I really liked it; then I never thought about it again until last year. I made Mary Berry's version and then I found another one online which I liked a bit better. I do apologize because I have no idea where the second recipe came from--I'm usually better about keeping track of those things! But pushing on!


Here's today's cast!


The brown sugar, candied peel and dried fruits were combined in a large pot. I didn't have enough currants so I put in what I had then added a combination of dried cherries and cranberries to make up the weight. Regular raisins and golden raisins, AKA sultanas, are the other fruits.


Cinnamon, allspice, nutmeg and cloves were put in next--it smells, as Mary would say, "of Christmas!"


I think one of the reasons I like mincemeat is it includes so many of my favorite smells. Lemon and orange zest went in next. 


Along with their juice.


A nice firm apple is cored, then chopped. The pieces should be a bit smaller but Luna was starting to complain. I used a honeycrisp.


The original recipe called for suet but I can't always find it here and since this is the only recipe I use it for, it's a bit of a waste. In addition, subbing coconut oil means my vegetarian daughter can eat it, too. The mixture is heated until the sugar melts and the fruits have softened--I bring it to barely a simmer and then stir it around for a few minutes.


Once the mixture cooled, I added the bourbon. The recipe called for brandy but I didn't have any. I don't think it matters much. It's funny that I don't drink bourbon but I do like the smell when I'm cooking.


When the mixture has cooled completely, pack it in a jar and refrigerate. It keeps for quite a few months.

Next stop: mincemeat tarts!

Here's the recipe:





Comments

Post a Comment

Popular posts from this blog

Kincaid's/Ryan's Grill-Style Pea Salad

Image
I was so sad when Ryan's Grill in Ward Centre closed down. For many years it was a favorite gathering place for both my family and my friends. Similarly Kincaid's, formerly Horatio's, at the now demolished Ward Warehouse was, too. I always ordered the pea salad that both restaurants served and have been wanting to re-create it. Today's recipe is the closest I've come! Today's cast! Sour cream, mayo, salt, and pepper are combined for the dressing. In the meantime, I put the frozen peas into a colander to help them thaw and drain. After that, it's just a bunch of chopping. Interestingly, the recipe mentioned that Hormel bacon bits work much better than bacon that has been cooked up and drained. Who am I to argue? I added the bacon bits to the dressing along with chopped water chestnuts and red onions. I de-stringed the Chinese peas. Sugar snap peas can also be used. The peas and pea pods were combined with the dressing, then I popped it into the fridge. The re...
Read more

Anthony Bourdain's Macau-Style Pork Chop Sandwich

Image
I read, and own, all of Anthony Bourdain's books except Kitchen Confidential.  It seems like an odd omission considering it's the book that made him famous and brought to light a dirty side of the restaurant business that the public apparently loved hearing about, but no, for me, it was his first show, A Chef's Tour, followed by No Reservations,  that really made me a fan. Yes, the show was about food, but more importantly it was about the people who made the food and the places the food grew out of. That cultural and historical connection has always been the key factor in my own burgeoning food obsession. Bourdain was sarcastic and edgy but he was also intelligent, well-read and so adept at putting words together to unite the food with its people into an appreciative, thoughtfully crafted whole. His suicide in 2018 saddened me in a way I would never have anticipated. I decided that henceforth I would honor his influence on my culinary interests and every year, on his bir...
Read more

Ethereally smooth hummus

Image
I swear I didn't name it. My sister had sent me the link after I posted about making falafel. My friend, D, loves hummus but doesn't like it when it's gritty or chalky. This seemed like it would be right up her alley. Today's cast! Once the skins began to loosen, I drained the water and put the beans into a pot on the stove. Over medium heat, I sautéed them with some baking soda. The soda is supposed to make them less gassy. I'll keep you posted on that one. After a few minutes I added the water and brought it up to a boil. There's a whole lot of foam at the beginning. Skim it off and discard it. Let the beans simmer for about 20 minutes or until they can be easily split. Here's a perfectly cooked bean; the skin slides right off of it and it separates easily into two halves. In order for the hummus to be "ethereally smooth," all the skins must be removed. I don't mind doing this (see my post on Falafel) but cooked ...
Read more