Jewelled Mincemeat Food

CRANBERRY JEWELLED MINCEMEAT

Steps:

• Tip the dried fruits and mixed peel into a large bowl. Pour over the brandy, zests and juices. Stir, then cover and leave to soak for 24 hrs.
• Tip the mixture into a large saucepan with the remaining ingredients and stir well. Set over a medium heat and, once the suet has melted, turn up the heat and bubble for a few mins. Pack while hot into sterilised jars (see tip, below). Leave in a cool, dark cupboard for at least a fortnight, or for up to 6 months.

JEWELLED MINCEMEAT

Steps:

• Peel, core and chop the apples, then put them in a large pan with the spices, sugar, citrus zests and juices. Bring to the boil then cover and simmer for about 10 mins until the apples start to soften. Add the cranberries, raisins and alcohol. Bringto the boil, stirring well, then reduce the heat and simmer for 20-30 mins, uncovered, until thickened. Stir in the apricots, nuts and tropical fruits. Remove from the heat, leave to cool, then pack into sterilised jars. Seal, label and keep for up to one month in the fridge, or six months in the freezer.

HOMEMADE MINCEMEAT

Steps:

• Mix all the ingredients, except the brandy, in a large ovenproof glass or ceramic bowl.
• Cover with a cloth and leave for 12 hours.
• Preheat the oven to 225 degrees F.
• Place the bowl in the oven and leave it there for 3 hours.
• Remove and let the mincemeat cool.
• Now stir in the brandy and spoon into clean jars.
• Cover with waxed discs, seal and label.

MINCEMEAT BARS

Steps:

• Preheat oven to 400°F.
• In large bowl, mix dry ingredients.
• Add the oil and milk, stirring until mixture is well moistened and crumbly.
• Reserving 1 cup of the mixture, press the remainder into 9"x13" baking dish; spread with mince meat.
• Sprinkle evenly with remaining mixture and nuts.
• Bake 30 minutes or until golden brown.
• Cut into bars.
• Store, loosely covered, at room temperature.

ALL-FRUIT MINCEMEAT

Steps:

• Mix all the ingredients together, stirring well.
• Spoon into clean, screwtop jars and cover.
• Allow to sit atleast 2 weeks before using, turning the jars every so often to redistribute juices.
• The mincemeat keeps months like this.

VENISON MINCEMEAT

Steps:

• Simmer venison neck or roast in unsalted water until tender.
• Cool and remove meat.
• Run meat, suet, raisins and currents through meat grinder with a fine blade attached.
• Combine all the ingredients.
• Place in a roasting pan.
• Stirring occasionally, cook at 325F until the apples are tender and mincemeat is hot.
• Pack in hot pint jars and seal.
• Place in hot water bath for 10 minutes.
• Makes 10 pints.

JEWELLED MINCE PIES

Steps:

• Put flour, almonds, butter, orange zest and sugar in a food processor and whizz into crumbs. Add the egg yolk and a teaspoon of cold water and pulse to form a dough. Wrap in cling film and chill for 30 minutes.
• Preheat the oven to fan 180C/ conventional 200C/gas 6.Roll out the dough thinly and, with an 8-9cm plain cutter, stamp out 18 rounds - they need to be larger than the bun tin holes. Use to line one and a half 12-hole bun tins, pinching and fluting the dough edges above the level of the tins with your fingers.
• Put a heaped teaspoon of mincemeat in each case. Quickly knead the trimmings and roll out. Use a star cutter to make 18 stars.
• Put a star on top of each pie. Brush stars and pastry edges with egg white and dust lightly with caster sugar. (The pies can be frozen at this stage in the tins, then removed, packed into freezer bags and frozen for up to 3 months.) Bake the pies for 12-15 minutes (18-20 minutes from frozen) until the pastry is crisp and golden. Cool in the tins for 10 minutes before transferring to a wire rack. Dust with icing sugar before serving.

MEATLESS MINCEMEAT

Steps:

• Remove seeds from orange and lemon.
• Using coarse blade, force fruit through food chopper with raisins and unpeeled apples.
• Add cider.
• Put in kettle and bring to boil.
• Simmer, uncovered, for 15 minutes.
• Add remaining ingredients, and simmer for 20 minutes longer, or until thick.
• Makes enough filling for three 9-inch pies.

MINCEMEAT

Steps:

• Put meat, suet, citron, peel, peeled and cored apples, lemon and orange through the meat grinder.
• Mix throughly with sugar, currants. rasins, spices, salt, brandy and sherry.
• Pack into quart jars and process or freeze.
• Every few months add a couple of tablespoons brandy, sherry or rum if the mix looks dry.