Waatlemoen Konfyt (Watermelon Jam)

It's been a while since I posted a good recipe and I recently made some Waatlemoen Konfyt, so I figured that it would be a good thing to share. This recipe requires quite a bit of waiting around - so plan to make this over a day or two, when you've got other things on the go (but not too much).

Last year some time (or maybe it was even the year before that) I had a watermelon and once I'd finished eating the yummy inside goodness, I remembered about a jam I'd heard about - Waatelmoen Konfyt (Watermelon Jam). This jam/preserve recycles watermelon rinds and turns them into something tasty. I found a recipe on the internet ages ago and can't remember where it was from, but I've modified it a bit and will be sharing my modified version with you.

Ingredients:

• 2 cups peeled and diced watermelon rind
• 2 spoons bicarb
• 4 litres of water (separate into 1 litre and 3 litres)
• 3 cups sugar
• 3 tsp powdered ginger (or a finely diced ginger root)
• 1/2 tsp cinnamon
• 1/2 teaspoon nutmeg
• 20ml lemon juice

Method:

• Add your diced rind to 3 litres of water and add in the bicarb. Leave the rind to soak for 12-18 hours.
• After soaking, remove the rind, rinse it and then soak it in fresh water for another 1-2 hours.
• Rinse the rind and put it in a pot of hot water and bring this to boil. 
• Boil the rinds, uncovered, until just tender.
• In a separate pot, prepare the syrup.
• Add the remaining litre of water, spices, sugar and lemon juice.
• Put this on a low heat and stir until the sugar has dissolved.
• Bring the syrup mixture to the boil.
• Drain the rind and add it to the syrup mixture.
• Boil rapidly until the pieces are tender and translucent and the syrup is thick. (This can take quite a while).
• Pack the peel into hot, dry, sterilised bottles, fill with syrup and seal immediately.

This is delish on toast or with some cheese and crackers - enjoy!

Recipe for Pineapple Chicken

Do you ever have leftover tinned pineapple (you know, from making epic pizzas) and for the hundredth time in a row you find yourself eating the leftover pineapple straight from the tin and slurping surreptitiously from the can when no one is looking...

The other day I was searching for a recipe that I could use in conjunction with chicken pieces, and I came across this one. The only problem was that I didn't have any soy sauce and I wanted to make it a bit creamy. So I improvised and this is my take on the recipe I found.

Ingredients:
8 chicken pieces (I used thighs and drumsticks)
1/2 cup flour
1 teaspoon butter/marge
1 x 400g tin of pineapple in juice
2 tablespoons grape vinegar (instead of the soy sauce)
2 tablespoons brown sugar
1/2 teaspoon nutmeg
1/2 teaspoon crushed garlic
3 tablespoons mayonnaise
1 tablespoon Mrs Balls Chutney
Salt and pepper

Method:

1. Put you oven on to about 160 degrees C.
2. Cover your chicken pieces in flour (you can add some nutmeg to the flour as well).
3. Heat up the pan to hot and brown your chicken pieces (especially if you're keeping the skin on!).
4. If you have got pineapple rings, chop them into pieces.
5. Mix your pineapple (and pineapple juice) with the vinegar/soy sauce, sugar, nutmeg, garlic, mayo and chutney.
6. Put your sauce in a casserole dish, then add the browned chicken.
7. Cover you dish (either with a lid or you can use tin foil).
8. Leave to cook for about 1.5 hours.
9. At the very end, take the cover off and put the grill on to brown the top of your dish a bit more.

I served this dish with rice and peas, but you can do whatever floats your boat! Enjoy!

Cool Cucumber Soup

I haven't posted a recipe for a while, and since the days are becoming longer and warmer, I thought that I should share with you a recipe for cucumber soup. This is a quick and easy recipe and is best eaten chilled from the fridge with a dash of cream on a warm summer's day/evening.

Although many people may wonder at cold soup, if you like cucumber and something that tastes fresh, this is definitely worth a try! And really easy to make as well.

Picture from http://www.marthastewart.com/315733/chilled-cucumber-mint-soup
Go to the link above to try Martha Stewart's version of cucumber soup!

Ingredients

butter/oil/marge for frying
1 small onion, finely chopped
1 english cucumber, sliced but not skinned
15 ml flour
600 ml milk
300 ml chicken stock
Salt and pepper
nutmeg 

Method

1. Heat butter/marge/oil. Add onions and cucumber and cook gently for 5 minutes.
   
2. Add flour and stir constantly.
   
3. Remove from stove and gradually add warm milk, then stock. Replace on stove plate and bring to boil.
   
4. Add seasoning and simmer gently for 20 minutes.
   
5. Puree soup in a blender, you can add more milk if needed.
   
6. Chill and serve with cream and freshly chopped mint.