SoCamJam Cilantro Crab and Saffron Jelly

For Halloween I thought it could be fun to experiment with some with my SoCamJam recipes. 

Crab apple and Saffron is a great combination – if you want to try an Award winning artisan version then I’d recommend “Gernot’s Gold” (www.gernotsgold.co.nz) – and am told it goes great with venison or reindeer meats.   

But, I tend towards jelly and cheese as a combo of choice.  Rosemary, tomatillos, chilli, sage, quince, Medlar, elderberry and most recently mahonia (the Oregon grape) all have been played into crab apples gathered from leafy Dulwich and Herne Hill (Southwark Labour run Council have terminated the Orchard Green in Camberwell so, I am afraid, nought from Camberwell this year) .

My first taste of saffron and apple jelly was in Strasbourg during a Kerstfeest market and it was just amazing with a selection of local cheese. 

Crab apple jelly is easy as high pectin content merely needs to be combined with a bit of careful preparation and patience (I always double strain my boiled apples through good muslin cloth, hard to find in England these days). 

Getting just the right touch of flavours less so!

Earlier this month, I made some crab apple with lots of lemon thyme and common thyme growing on Dog Kennel Hill. 

At first taste it seemed to edge towards a medicinal. Nnow it has settled and works perfectly with a really, really strong Wookey cheddar. 

So what for all Hallows Eve?   The hint came from the Coles-side of my family and a note I’d found in an old box of letters from Australia.

Uncle Gerald passed away recently in Adelaide so I am thinking of him tonight on this holy evening before All Hallows Day.

Cilantro Haters, it is also your Fault!  I could not find any reference to crab apple and cilantro jam or jelly (just tried Google again) so the notion of a Cilantro Crab with Saffron Jelly found no contraries at all.

To add the touch of love what then better than “Hot Lips” Salvia microphylla.

The EU required label reads:” Purely and only made from:  "Silver Spoon" Preserving Sugar, Thames Tap Water, Crab Apples (Malus x zumi "Golden Hornet" from Greendale, Dog Kennel Hill, Ruskin Park & Denmark Hill + "Rudolph" malus rudolph from Dog Kennel Hill Open Space), Saffron (imported from Afganistan), Cilantro (corriander leaf and corriander root from imported from Vietnam via Longdan, Walworth), Rosemary (Albrighton CC), Sage (4 types from the Dog Kennel Hill Estate including "Hot Lips"  Salvia microphylla), Mint (3 types from the Dog Kennel Hill Estate incluiding "Carl's Peppermint" M. balsamea Willd and Mentha spicata 'English Lamb Mint')  and some love.  

With thanks to Jasia who helped pick a few magic apples and who keeps Dog Kennel Hill such a special site of importance for nature conservation.

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