Need inspiration for entering our Virtual Village Fete? Try these recipes!
Lucie Wilson, a dedicated Hampshire WI supporter, brings us recipes every month to inspire you to use the produce from your gardens and growing spaces.
And all through October, we're running our Virtual Village Fete competition - but you don't need to leave the house and stand in a muddy field all day. You can join in from wherever you are! There are seven categories and you can find all the details here. And we know that sometimes, cooking doesn't always go to plan - so if your jam glows in the dark, your drop scones like more like you dropped them out of a window, or your cakes simply can't, don't despair! Take a photo and share them with us in the "Food Fails" category. If the fail was more down to taste, add your description in the "additional information" part of the form and we'll judge you on your way with words!
(Can't see the form? It goes live on 1st October!)
Obviously we hope that everything you bake tastes and looks amazing. To help you, why not try one of Lucie's recipes that she's specially shared with us this month! And if it goes wrong and you have to enter it into the "Food Fails" category, don't worry - we won't tell her...
Lucie Wilson
Sweet Chilli Jam
Ingredients
150g long red chilli-mostly deseeded and quartered
150g red bell pepper-cut into same sized pieces as chillies
1kg jam sugar
600ml apple cider vinegar
Method
To make this delicious sweet chilli jam, place the chillies and red pepper into a food processor and blitz to finely sliced pieces. Place the jam sugar and vinegar into a large preserving pan and heat until the sugar has dissolved.
Place the chillies and pepper into the preserving pan and bring to a rolling boil. Leave for 10 minutes then turn off the heat and leave for 20 minutes in the preserving pan to settle. You can give it a stir before you put it into jars.
Using a jam funnel, gently ladle into sterilised jars and seal. Leave to completely set. This is amazing in a cheese toastie or simply with a chunk of cheddar or your favourite cheese. I would advise making it 1 month before you want to use it as it gets better with age. This will last for 1 year being stored in a cool dark place and lasts in the fridge for 1 month after opening.
Lucie Wilson
Preserved Pears in Spiced Syrup
Ingredients
2x 500g sterilised jars
1 small lemon
600g ripe pears
200g granulated sugar
2 small cinnamon sticks
10 cloves
Method
To sterilise your jars, wash well to remove any smell of previous foods, then place the wet jars in a hot oven on a low temperature for 20 minutes. Be very careful removing them from the oven as they will be piping hot.
To make these delicious preserved pears, fill a bowl halfway up with cold water and squeeze in the lemon juice. Peel the pears and then cut them in half or quarters but leave the stalks attached. Place the pears in the bowl of lemon water as you go to prevent them from going brown.
Place the granulated sugar and all the spices in a saucepan with 800ml water and gently bring to a boil, then simmer for about 10 minutes.
Transfer the drained pears to the sterilised jars and very carefully pour in the hot syrup and spices. Make sure the pears are completely covered in the syrup, then seal the jars. Keep in a cool dry place, these pears last unopened for around a year and about 10 days in the fridge once opened.
Lucie Wilson
Cinnamon Apple and Blackberry Pie
Ingredients
3-4 cooking apples-peeled, cored and chunked
300g blackberries
100g caster sugar
1 tsp ground cinnamon
1 lemon
Pastry
200g unsalted butter
50g caster sugar
3 egg yolks
375g plain flour
1 egg-whisked for egg wash
Method
First of all, make your pastry. Rub the butter and flour together, then add the sugar and egg yolks and bring together to form a soft pastry dough. Chill for 30 minutes. In a saucepan cook the apples and blackberries with the sugar until almost cooked, then leave to cool. Once the pastry has chilled, preheat your oven to gas mark 4/180c.
Split the pastry into two pieces, one slightly larger than the other. Roll the bigger piece out on a floured surface to fit your pie dish slightly overhanging and line the dish. Place the apples and blackberries into the lined pie dish.
Now roll out the other piece of pastry on a floured surface to fit your pie dish. Brush the overhanging pastry with egg wash and place the other piece of pastry on top. Crimp anyway you like and add any pastry decorations you choose. I love making pastry leaves.
Poke a few holes in the top of the pastry, then brush with egg wash and sprinkle over a little caster sugar and bake for around 45 minutes until the filling is bubbling and the pastry is golden. Serve with homemade custard for a truly scrumptious autumnal pudding.