GENTLEMAN'S RELISH

     

RELISH THE TASTE OF GENTLEMAN'S RELISH

The English seem to love condiments. In fact, when I think of definitively English foods, besides Roast Beef, Yorkshire Pudding, Tea and Scones, I think of English pickles and sauces: Branston Pickle, HP Sauce, Piccalilli, Marmite, Coleman's Mustard, Lea & Perrins, to name a few. It would seem that no other country, except the United States, has a love for a diversity of sauces, relishes, conserves, jams, jellies, pickles, and condiments than England.

My partner, Paul, and I are slowly restoring a lovely 1890s Victorian style home in Connecticut's Northwest Corner. While researching Victorian foods and recipes, I uncovered a unique condiment from British days of yore. A salty blend of anchovies, butter, herbs, and spices, "Patum Peperium," also known as "Gentleman's Relish," whose recipe has remained a closely guarded secret since its creation by John Osborn in 1828.

My intention has always been to search out and preserve traditional canning and pickling recipes; with this sentiment in mind, I offer you an old Victorian favorite, Gentleman's Relish. Traditionally spread on toast, this relish also adds a "kick" to other sauces or gravies or may be used as a sandwich spread. Gentleman's Relish is an essential ingredient for Scotch Woodcock - a Victorian snack served at the end of a meal (recipe below).

Throughout the 1800s, lean meat was preserved by cooking, then grinding it into a paste using a mortar, adding salt and spices, packing the mixture into stoneware containers, then covering with a thick layer of butter or lard. Osborn’s secret recipe was passed from father to son for more than a century until 1971 when the last two brothers sold the company to the jam manufacturers, Elsenham. Elsenham has kept the tradition of secrecy but there are several knock-off recipes for Gentleman's Relish bouncing around the internet. After several experiments, I found French Tart's recipe on Food.com suited my tastes. I've converted the recipe to U.S. measurements.

If you are interested in more information on this condiment, this article, written by Tom Parker Bowles, offers interesting insights on this unique spread.

GENTLEMAN’S RELISH

INGREDIENTS

 7.5 ounces anchovies , drained  coarsely chopped

2 tablespoons fresh white breadcrumbs

1/3 pound unsalted butter

1/4 teaspoon cayenne pepper

1 pinch ground cinnamon

1 pinch freshly ground nutmeg

1 pinch ground mace

1 pinch ground ginger

1 dash fresh black pepper


DIRECTIONS

Using a food processor blend the anchovies and butter until they resemble a smooth paste.

Incorporate the spices (I first blended them all together first) into the anchovy paste. Spoon the paste into a large ramekin. Cover with clarified butter and chill.

 Stores in refrigerator for up to a month.



SCOTCH WOODCOCK

SERVES 2

This savory dish was popular in Victorian and Edwardian days when it was served at the end of a meal. This recipe was published on All British Food.com


INGREDIENTS

2 large slices whole grain bread

Sweet Butter for spreading

Gentleman's Relish

4 - 6 tbsp fresh Raw Milk

2 Eggs

Dash cayenne pepper

1 can anchovies (1 3/4 oz), drained or fresh White anchovy fillets


DIRECTIONS


1. Melt a knob of butter in a saucepan. Whisk together the milk, eggs, and cayenne pepper, then pour into the pan and stir slowly over a gentle heat until the mixture begins to thicken. Remove from the heat and stir until creamy.

2. Divide the mixture between the anchovy toasts and top with thin strips of anchovy fillet, arranged in a crisscross pattern.


3.Toast the bread, remove the crusts and spread with butter. Cut in half and spread with Gentleman's Relish.

CHEESE AND MUSHROOM CANAPE

Thoroughly mix cream cheese with Gentleman's Relish, lemon juice, chopped olives and chopped parsley. Cap a raw mushroom and stuff with the mixture.

This post is for Andrea Jensen.

    Andrea liked Preserved and Pickled’s Facebook page and struck up a conversation. “I have a question: my B.I.L. doesn't like pickled ... well, anything. I usually grow peppers, pickle them, and give them as Christmas gifts. He requested non-pickled peppers. I don't have a pressure cooker, so I feel like there is nothing I can do but roast and freeze some. Is that correct? Aren't peppers (yellow banana in particular) low acidic so have to be pickled or pressure canned?”

   “Are you testing me?” I gleefully typed. I have been struggling with the Rough Draft for a paper concerning the existential philosophies and beliefs of the after-life, a comparison between Buddhism and Christianity. Believe me, I was getting too deep – time to switch gears – Mozart for Edie Brickell; philosophy for Preserved and Pickled - so, let’s talk about preserving peppers.

   Andrea is right, non-pickled peppers should be pressure canned, as should most vegetables. The National Center for Home Food Preservation notes that vegetables cannot be canned in a Hot Water Bath, peppers included.  http://nchfp.uga.edu/how/can_04/peppers.html. Roasting peppers still leads to freezing or pressure canning; if you are going to make a small batch and use them in a few weeks, they can be refrigerated. And as far as I can tell, all peppers have low-acidity, and acidity is a vital concept when canning. In general, low acidity equals pressure canning, higher acidity equals hot water bath. Click to can vegetables safely.

   Coeli Velky joined the conversation, commenting that dehydrating and making a pepper powder was an option. I haven’t really dehydrated much, except for citrus peels, which I did in the oven, but now that she’s mentioned it, that’s a preservation option I want to explore. In the meantime, if you want to pickle peppers here is how I do it : I combined Italian style preservation with my New England vinegr-ess  http://preservedandpickled.blogspot.com/2012/01/pickled-peppers-in-oil.html . These pickles are cooked in an herb infused brine, packed, and hot water bathed, and if I do say so myself, they taste delicious.

   Have a question or a comment, please visit Preserved and Pickled on  Facebook.

Red Currant Jelly – Red Currant Sorbet

Making jellies is a bit more involved than making jams, but when red currants are in season I make the time. This jelly is classic and so is the recipe – simple and straightforward – currant juice, sugar, a splash of lemon juice and a dab of butter - et voila!

The results are fit for a King (or his Queen); you will feel like royalty when spread that scarlet sweetness across your morning scone. With the pulp that is left over from the jelly-making you can throw together a quick Currant Sorbet: Red Currant Jelly for breakfast, Red Currant Sorbet for dessert…what a wonderful life!

RED CURRANT JELLY


INGREDIENTS

6 lbs Red Currants

4 ½ cups White Sugar

2 Tablespoons Lemon Juice

1/2  Tablespoon Butter



DIRECTIONS 

Place the currants into a large pot, and crush with a potato masher, flat back of a large spoon,  or berry crusher if you have one. Pour in 1 cup of water, and bring to a boil. Simmer for 10 minutes. Strain the fruit through a jelly cloth or cheese cloth, let drain for a minimum of 2 hours, then measure out 5 cups of the juice. If you do not have enough juice boil some more water and pour gently over pulp, let drain. Reserve pulp for a simple sorbet (recipe below). You may keep pulp in the refrigerator for several days.

Pour the juice into a large saucepan. Turn heat to high, add sugar all at once. Stir constantly.When sugar is dissolved add Lemon Juice and Butter. Bring to a rapid boil over high heat; continue stirring constantly. Allow to boil for 5 minutes continuing to stir.

Remove from heat and skim off foam (if you have any) from the top. Ladle or pour into sterile 1/2 pint jars, filling to within 1/4 inch from the top. Wipe the rims with a clean damp cloth. Cover with new sterile lids and rings. Process covered in a bath of simmering water for 10 minutes.

Remove, let cool, check seal.  Store on cool, dark shelf for up to one year.

Simple Red Currant Sorbet


INGREDIENTS

1 1/2 cups Water

2 cups Sugar

4 cups Red Currant juice made with leftover pulp

2 Tablespoons Lemon Juice

2 Tablespoons Vodka (makes a little less icy)


DIRECTIONS

Take the 4 cups of pulp you reserved from making jelly, place in the work bowl of a food processor, process until smooth, but not puréed.

Combine the water and sugar in a medium-sized pan. Bring the mixture to a boil over medium heat, stirring to dissolve the sugar. Add Lemon Juice . Turn down heat. Add pulp. Simmer for 5 - 10 minutes,  stirring gently. Remove heat, stir in Vodka let cool slightly.

Strain the fruit through a jelly cloth or cheese cloth, let drain for at least 2 hours.

Place the strained juice in a shallow pan; an 8" x 8" or 9"x 9" cake pan works well. Place the pan in the freezer. There is no need to cover it.

After 2 hours, stir it around, bringing the frozen edges into the center. Return to the freezer.

Sorbet should be ready to serve about 4 to 6 hours after you first put it into the freezer. Longer than that it will be difficult to scoop,but you can cover and keep in the freezer for a week or two.  Soften at room temperature for maybe 10 minutes before serving. Scoop into dishes and serve.

You may also follow this recipe using other fruit juices...try pineapple, lemon, mango or what have you.

BOURBON PEACH PRESERVES

Preserved and Pickled is once again honored to have been chosen as a Canbassador for the Washington State Fruit Commission. Last year we preserved some Pickled Italian Plums, Nectarine Jelly and Boozy Peach Sauce. This year we received a big box of peaches and decided to keep with the boozy theme.  What can I say, there is just something about the peach and bourbon combination that tickles my taste-buds.

What exactly is the Canbassador program, you might ask? Well,  I received a box of stone fruit (this year it is strictly peaches) from Washington State which I was encouraged to preserve (like I needed encouragement), blog about my efforts, and use SweetPreservation.com as a resource - great resource, check it out, so noo problem, right?

Since my Boozy Peach Sauce is so delish, and since its really sweet to have that summer-peachy-sunshine taste during those cold winter months (here in the Northeast, anyway), it was a no-brainer. 

Since I practice preserving, believe in simple, elegant pairings, and am always on the lookout for unique combinations of flavors for my pickles and preserves, Jim Beam is my bourbon of choice for these highly distinctive, divinely delicious, uniquely Bourbon Peach Preserves.  

Bonus, Kentucky Bourbon is part of American history: "Bourbon history, much like the Beam family bourbon dynasty, mirrors U.S. history. Rebellion. Progress. Heroes. Facts. Legends. It's why bourbon is, and will always be, America's Native Spirit—a spirit the Beam family has had a tremendous hand in helping to create, foster and grow, both in the U.S. and abroad, as key players in a great American story" (find link below). 

"America's Native History", "The Canning Revolution" - it just goes together like Apple Pie and Vermont Cheddar. So get in the kitchen and tell me you don't agree.

BOURBON PEACH PRESERVES


INGREDIENTS

10 pounds or 20 large Peaches (more or less), Pitted and  Sliced into halves or quarter segments

1/4 Cup Honey

1/8 Cup Sugar

 3 1/2 Cups Water

1 Pint Bourbon, more or less

2 slices Lemon or 2 Tablespoons Lemon Juice

8 Quart Jars

I used wide-mouth jars and I highly suggest you do to, because it is easier to get your ingredients in and out.

Simple Syrup - Syrups should be made at least the day before, it needs to be cool when packing your fruits.  The good news is it can set in the refrigerator for a bit. According to Putting Fruit By, you can estimate 3/4 pint of syrup for each quart jar of fruit. For a Light Syrup dissolve 2 cups Sugar to 4 cups water. Bring to a boil stirring constantly.  When sugar is completely dissolved, remove from heat and return to room temperature.  Place in container. Refrigerate at least overnight. Can be stored in refrigerator and used within a few weeks.


DIRECTIONS

Peel and cut peaches.  To keep them from browning, place slices in a gallon of water mixed with 1/4 cup lemon juice. Combine Honey and Water and in a non-reactive pot over medium heat (or have your Simple Syrup ready).  

Bring honeyed water to a boil for 2 minutes stirring constantly.  Allow to simmer about 15 minutes. Remove from heat. If using Lemon Juice, you will add directly to jar with Bourbon when packing.

Have sterilized canning materials and Hot Water Bath read to go.  Pack Peach Slices into hot, sterile jars. Discard lemon slices from honeyed water.  Ladle over fruit, leaving 1/2 inch head room and making sure there are no air pockets. 

Alternatively, add 3/4 tablespoon Lemon Juice and 4 tablespoons Bourbon to each jar (I prefer this method). Fill to 1/2 inch of rim with Simple Syrup leaving 1/2 inch head-room and checking for air pockets.  Cap. 

Either method, boil in Hot Water Bath for 10 minutes. (This means do not start the timer, after you have immersed the jars, until the water is rolling.) Remove jars, set to cool, check lids.

Rest for a minimum of two weeks on a dark, cool shelf before opening so the flavors can mingle.  May remain on cool, dark cellar or pantry cupboard for a year.  Refrigerate after opening.


What To Do With Them:


UPSIDE-DOWN CAKE - Sprinkle a well-buttered, flat (9x9 is nice) cake pan with brown or raw sugar, then layer with slices of drained fruit. If halved put the pit side down. Cover with butter cake batter (or yellow cake batter) and bake until done. Serve with crème fraîche or fresh whipped cream with a splash of the juice. (You can follow this recipe for any variety of preserved fruits - try Rhubarb)

ROASTS - Warm Bourbon Peach Preserves and serve with roasted pork, chicken, or especially  duck.

CAKE GLAZE - Mix the preserved juice with enough confectioners’ sugar to make it thick and creamy, but still runny enough to pour, then spoon it over simple cakes, muffins, cupcakes, or sweet rolls.

BOURBON PEACH POPSICLE - Puree the peaches and juice, pour in a mold, freeze with Popsicle stick.  Need I say more?

ICE CREAM – Pour it on.

STRAIGHT OUT OF THE JAR


http://www.jimbeam.com/about-bourbon/bourbon-history