A guide to modern cookery

Allow twelve oz. of loaf-sugar per lb. of stoned plums. Dissolve the sugar; skim, set it to boil for seven or eight minutes, and proceed for the cooking as directed under apricot jam. Remarks :—(1) It is a mistake to let the plums macerate in the sugar for some hours previously, for the acid they contain causes them to blacken, and the colour of the jam is thus spoiled. (2) In order to have greengage jam of a fine, green colour, do not cook more than from six to eight lbs. of it at a time, and cook that quantity as quickly as possible. 2961—RHUBARB JAM Rhubarb jam is one of the most difficult and tedious to make owing (1) to the abundant moisture contained by the vegetable ; (2) to its proneness to burn on the bottom of the saucepan, especially towards the close of the cooking process. If it be desired very green, select suitable natural rhubarb; if it be desired pink, only take the central stalks which are bordered with red, or use forced rhubarb. In any case, it is best not to make more than five or six Ibs. at once. Suppress the ends of the stalks, cut what remains into pieces ; by means of a small knife, scrape off the adhering skin and cut the stalks into three-inch lengths. Allow thirteen oz. of loaf-sugar per lb. of rhubarb. Dissolve the former, boil it for seven or eight minutes and then throw the rhubarb into it. Cover the preserving pan and, put it on the side of the stove for about twelve minutes that the fibres of the rhubarb may be disaggregated, and at the end of that time become like vermicelli. Then set the saucepan upon a fierce fire, and stir constantly until the preparation reaches the “appe” stage, whereupon the jam is finished. 2962—TOMATO JAM There are also several ways of making this jam, of which the following seems the most expeditious: The first fact that should be grasped is that the amount of pulp that can be used represents about one-fifth of the tomato, and this itself depends upon the kind of tomato used, and whether it be just ripe, nearly so, or very ripe. In order to obtain one lb. of pulp, therefore, five lbs. of tomatoes should be used, or thereabouts. Finely slice the tomatoes, and rub them through a sieve. Put the juice and the purée into the jam-saucepan, and boil for five minutes, stirring the while. This done, pour the whole into a napkin, stretched between the four legs of an overturned stool, as for straining a jelly; and let it drain thoroughly. At the end of the operation, therefore, all that remains on the napkin is the mere vegetable pulp, freed of all moisture. Allow the same weight of sugar as of pulp. Put the former into the jam-saucepan, together with a small glassful of water ; let it dissolve, and cook it to the small-ball stage (see the cooking of sugar); taking care to skim it well as soon as it begins to boil. A stick of vanilla may be put with the sugar before boiling it; or the jam may be flavoured with a good tablespoonful of vanilla sugar when it is taken off the fire; in any case, the jam ought to be flavoured with vanilla. When the sugar has reached the small-ball stage, add the tomato pulp to it, and one-fourth pint of red-currant juice per Ib. of pulp. Owing to the fact that tomato pulp of itself has no cohesive properties the mixing of red-currant juice with it is essential, Set the preserving pan upon a fierce fire, stirring incessantly the while, until the “appe” stage is reached; then let the jam cook for a few more minutes. 2963—BLACK-CURRANT JELLY Take some very ripe black-currants: clean them; put them into the preserving-pan with half a glassful of water per two lbs, of fruit, and let them boil.