Pollypaprika

Wow, this is great thanks

While I am here, the following is my version of Vegetarian Hungarian Lecso.

1 to 2 onions chopped
About 6 to 8 tomatoes chopped,
same amount of peppers sliced
Butter or oil,
2 small cups of rice.
Paprika powder,
brown sugar,
salt and pepper.
I also use Eros Pista for some extra 'heat'

Heat the onions in a large pan with oil or butter (add a bit of paprika) then put in peppers, cover with tomatoes and then add the rice. Add some hot water where necessary to make sure the rice cooks well. Leave to simmer for about half and hour (making sure you stir and the rice doesn't take up all the juice) During that time also season with lots of paprika, salt,pepper and brown sugar. You can also add egg as an option. I like both versions but use the non egg one more frequently as I like to keep some for later and the egg doesn't keep as long.

The quantities are only estimates, I tend to make it up as I go along.

Rural Hungary

Sounds great Plogardi, surprised at the addition of sugar but will give it a try. I ended up making a tons of apple, cucumber and mint chutney. I made the recipe up as I went along and was really pleased with how it turned out, light, fresh and will go lovely with salads - bonus is the amount of cucumbers it used up. That said, I get new arrivals by the day! Why do my neighbours never have surplus of asparagus, artichokes, tomatoes or even corn Mind you, we did get some corm yesterday, baked it in the oven with some chili butter, it was delicious.

Have you started your cider yet? I'm starting some tomorrow, will let you know how it goes.

PaulinEger

Just made a small 12 litre batch of cider. I'll make some more when I collect more apples and try slightly different methods.
So that's 10 litres of redcurrant wine, 12 litres of cider and the next will be plum wine. I'm going to collect some this afternoon.

fidobsa

My plum tree was loaded down with fruit this year, so much so that a big branch broke off. We picked a washing up bowl full but there are loads left on the tree. I made jam but it was a bit experimental! All the recipes I read called for pectin, which I've never used. I'm thinking in hindsight that the pectin is needed because you use less sugar than for other jams I've made, such as gooseberry and blackcurrant. The fruit was not fully ripe and I was originally intending to use equal fruit to sugar. I prepared 3kg of fruit but decided to initially add 2 kg of sugar then see how it tasted. It was too sweet so I prepared another kilo of fruit, boiled it up and added it. I then boiled the whole lot until I was melting in the heat of the kitchen, as this was on one of the hottest days! It has still not set properly but makes a nice syrup for pouring on vanilla ice cream.

Rural Hungary

Somebody is well stocked up for the winter then I experimented a bit with about 5 litres of cider but only had baking yeast. Just racked it and well.... it's different, alcoholic yes, very dry, absolutely, would I use bakers yeast again - definitely not. Will make a larger batch next week with champagne yeast and compare the difference.

Rural Hungary

Plums should have enough natural pectin to set the jam though the pectin content is highest when the fruit is fully ripe. Relying on the sugar to set the jam is, I have found, more difficult with slightly unripe plums and a better result can be obtained by adding pectin. They had some in Lidls last week, on offer. It was on the reverse side of the Greek aisle, next to the citric acid.

Rural Hungary

Paul what was your cider recipe?

fidobsa

I want to make cider but I don't have a liquidiser or anything. Perhaps I can adapt the log splitter into a cider press!

PaulinEger

After my last attempt which resulted in 90 litres of vinegar, this time I was extra careful to make sure there were no fruit flies around! I simply quartered, pessed and added yeast nutrient then yeast.
In the next batch i will use the Hungarian equivalent of campden tablets a day before adding the yeast. I'll also make a batch with added sugar.
By making smaller batches I won't lose everything if something goes wrong.

....and as for being stocked up for winter! I've got about a month's supply at the moment

Rural Hungary

I wondered about added sugar as I added some to this batch, mainly because it was unbelievably dry. Guess it's about experimenting!

Pollypaprika

We recently had a garden party and I found the winners with the locals was my potato salad and Pimms (not in the same bowl of course). :-)

Rural Hungary

Considering the amount of vegetables grown here and the length of the summer, I was surprised at the absence of more dishes like potato salad and coleslaw - though I suppose these are replaced by the various pickled dishes.

Pollypaprika

I think like most people, we just like to try anything different. And yes, the pickle plates seem to do the job of coleslaw etc. I have also made quite a few apple crumbles for people which have gone down well

Rural Hungary

Oh, I hate you..... The way I feel now is all your fault as I would never have made scrumpy in a lifetime! As I can now speak from personal experience, yes you can make a drinkable and highly alcoholic cider with bread yeast

Pollypaprika

And ready in such a short time....I am inpressed