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Living here in Sardinia it is wonderful to see and taste all the home made produce, it seems everyone around here makes something of their own and we have caught the bug. I have put down here a couple of my latest recipes to use our produce and I will add others as the year progresses and other ingredients become available. So keep looking.

Fresh Fig Jam

We are lucky enough to have several fig trees on our vineyard and in August and September we get so many figs we cannot eat them all, no matter how hard I try. So I make jam with the surplus.

Firstly juice the lemons and put the juice in the bottom of your jam pan, then take the skins and pips of the lemons and place in a small saucepan and cover with water, set this boiling and leave to simmer whilst finely chopping the figs. Strain the water from the simmering lemon skins and pips into the jam pan getting as much juice as possible from the fruit skins. now add the chopped figs and bring to the boil add the sugar and stir until dissolved. Now simmer gently for about an hour stirring occasionally. Bring the jam to a fast boil for about 10 - 15 minutes and test for a set by dropping a small amount onto a cold saucer letting it cool for a few moments then pushing with your finger if the jam wrinkles you have reached a set and you can put the jam in sterilised warmed jars and seal.   We discovered this jam in Corsica where it was served with strong cheese after a meal. Give it a try its wonderful.

David's Pickled Walnuts

In June we have a huge abundance of green walnuts.  The tree we have is huge and gives us a wonderful shady area to eat under during the summer, and is stacked with fruit. So if you can get them you could try this recipe.

First you will need to prick the walnuts (it is essential you use gloves as the stain from the walnuts will turn your hands yellow), prick each one once or twice then make a brine solution by stirring the salt into water until dissolved. The walnuts need to stand in brine for 3 to 4 days changing the brine daily. When ready the walnuts should be rinsed thoroughly in clean water and then placed on a tray to dry, over a day or two the walnuts will turn black all over. When the walnuts are all black, prepare the pickling vinegar. To do this place the vinegar in a pan  add about a teaspoon each of salt, pickling spice and black peppercorns, I also add a couple of the small hot chillies but if you do not like things too spicy you can leave these out. Boil the vinegar with the spices for about 6 minutes then add to this one pint of boiled wter. The walnuts can then be placed in sterilised jars covered with the spiced vinegar mix (once cooled but not cold) and sealed. All you need to do then is leave for 6 months to mature. Lovely with the cold leftover turkey after Christmas.

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