CATAWBA JAM – GLIPPERTJIE KONFYT
Ek het die naweek Catawba (Glippertjies) konfyt gekook. Dit is ‘n baie lang proses om die individuële druifies uit te druk. Die smaak maak dit egter die moeite werd. Jy kan seker, soos party resepte voorstel, die heel druifies net so kook. Ek dink net dat dit moeilik sal wees om die pitte (en daar is duisende) op daardie manier uit te kry. Ek wou juis die voordeel van die kleur en tekstuur van die skille behou, maar ook seker wees dat daar geen pitte in is nie. Ek het ‘n gedeelte van die pulp na dit met die suiker en suurlemoensap gemeng is, eenkant gehou om druiwejellie te maak. Ek het van die donker pers sap wat veroorsaak is na die skille gekook is daarby gegooi vir die kleur. Die proses is basies dieselfde vanaf die gedeelte gemerk met ‘n “*”, behalwe dat die skille self nie ingegooi word nie. Toets die smaak net voor die konfyt begin kook – dit mag te suur na jou sin wees. Voeg nog bietjies suiker by, los op en proe weer. Indien dit reg proe, gaan voort met die proses. Lees asseblief die notas aan die einde van die resep. Ja, ek weet jou ouma het ander metodes gebruik en dit oorleef. Maar vir die hoeveelheid tyd, gas en moeite is ek nie bereid om kortpad te vat nie. Indien jy die kans wil neem, is dit jou saak.
- 8 cups catawba grapes, washed
- 6 cups granulated sugar (white or light brown)
- juice of half a lemon
Put a couple of desert spoons in the freezer before you start the process to test whether your jam has set. Fill a large pot with water. Put some crumpled up tin foil or some rack in the bottom to keep the glass bottles from direct contact with the heat of the burner. Put clean glass bottles into the water and bring to the boil to sterilise them. Leave bottles in the water until just before you are ready to fill it. Leave the water in the pot – you are going to need it to water bath the finished product.
Separate the grape skins from the pulp by squeezing the grapes between your fingers. Transfer the skins to a large heavy-bottomed pot and add one cup of water. Bring to a simmer and cook until the skins have softened a bit, about 10 – 20 minutes.
Meanwhile, place the grape pulp in a medium saucepan and bring to a boil. Reduce the heat and simmer until the grapes loose their shape, about 10 minutes. Pour the grape pulp through a fine mesh sieve into a large bowl. Force out as much pulp as you can and discard the seeds.
*Add the grape pulp to the pot with the grape skins and stir to combine. Add the sugar and lemon juice, stir till sugar is dissolved. Bring the mixture to a boil, stir frequently, until the jam has reduced and thickened and reached the gel stage, about 45 minutes. To test the jam, drip some into one of your chilled desert spoons to see if it is set (see picture). If not, simmer the jam for a few minutes more.
Ladle the hot jam into hot sterilized jars, leaving six mm head space. Wipe rims of the jars, cover with cleaned lids that has been dipped in hot water to soften the seal, and screw on until just barely tight. Place jars on rack in pot completely covered with water. Cover pot and bring to a boil over high heat. Boil for 10 minutes. Use tongs to remove jars from pot and allow them to rest undisturbed on counter top for six hours or overnight.
Notes:
Do not use old, damaged lids. Do not fill bottles to the top. Yes you do need the head space. The head space will provide a vacuum once the excess air has escaped from under the lid while in the water bath. That is all you need to make it safe. The whole contents is now sterile. Do not put candle wax/wax paper/paper dipped in brandy/or any of the other ancient ‘preserving rubbish’ on top. Do not turn your bottle over while cooling. All you are achieving is to have the jam hang on to the lid, nothing else.
Resep: aangepas deur Petro Borchard
Fotos: Petro Borchard
