This is the time of year for the arrival of the first game if you are lucky enough to live near a shoot, and for foraged wild mushrooms, but please don’t pick any without suitable advice. It is also the season for shellfish mussels, oysters, and scallops, and we are lucky the waters around Jersey are perfect for all of these as they are some of my favourite ingredients.
Mince pies are a peculiarly British pie or tart now eaten across the English speaking world particularly America. They are traditionally served over the Christmas period.
It is difficult to trace the origins of the crumble, the sweet golden-brown topped pudding, The Oxford Companion to Food suggests the recipe for crumble was developed in the second world war, as an alternative to pastry, using whatever fat was available. Crumbles can be made throughout the year and made with plums, rhubarb, greengages, gooseberries and most popularly apples or apples and soft fruits such as raspberries, blackberries and brambles.
So, I only made Chorizo Jam for the first time three week ago and I have eaten Chorizo Jam on toast, stuffed Chorizo Jam into Chicken breasts and used Chorizo Jam as a garnish for soup, but this sweet, slightly spicy, slightly smoky, relish is a must with a cheese board, absolutely delicious in fact.
