Hazel Tindall, renowned world wide for her knitting skills, also makes a wicked marmalade from the redcurrants growing in abundance in her garden. She was given the perfect formula for making jam by her Aunt Annie many years ago, and it never fails, she says. She recommends not using this formula for rhubarb though.
Hazel has been knitting for over 50 years and she has developed her own efficient technique which has earned her the title of the 'World's Fastest Knitter.' This technique has been captured on film by Dave Donaldson and JJ Jamieson as Hazel knitted an entire Fair Isle Jumper which she's named 'Shetland Star'. You can buy the DVD of this intriguing process through Hazel's website www.hazeltindall.com.
It takes many hours to knit a Fair Isle cardigan so they [Dave and JJ] have done well to condense it to just under 3 hours without losing any of the steps taken to knit it. I am delighted with the quality of the finished film. For me the icing on the cake is the addition of my favourite knitting poem, "Da Allover" narrated by its author, Stella Sutherland.
Redcurrant, Grapefruit & Lemon Marmalade
Ingredients:
- red currants - 2 pints (washed & stemmed)
- red grapefruit - 1 (finely chopped)
- lemon - 1 (finely chopped)
- water - 1/2 pint
- preserving sugar - 1.5 lbs ((per pint of liquid - see instructions))
Instructions:
- Place the prepared red currants into your pressure cooker (or a large heavy bottomed pan) along with the chopped up grapefruit and lemon.
- Place the pips of the grapefruit and lemon into a muslin bag and add to the fruit. Pour over the water.
- Bring the pressure cooker slowly to pressure. Once pressure has been reached, turn off the heat and slowly let the pressure reduce. If you don't have a pressure cooker, cover and simmer gently until the fruit rind has softened.
- Remove the pips and measure the quantity of boiled liquid.
- Add more water to round the quantity up to whole or half pint if necessary. (If the liquid is very viscous add more water.) Return the liquid to the pan.
- For every one pint of liquid, add 1.5 pounds of preserving sugar. Warm a cooking thermometer before fixing to the side of the pan.
- Slowly dissolve sugar, stirring frequently. Bring to boil.
- Boil steadily till setting point is reached (marked on thermometer) and/or test. To test for setting point put a teaspoonful on to a plate, leave for 2 minutes - if surface wrinkles it is ready. Heat should be turned off while waiting the 2 minutes.
- Pot, cover and eat!
Elizabeth Atia
I am a self taught home cook, feeding my family on the west side of Shetland with as much local produce, flavour and love as I can. I am no expert by any means, but I do enjoy learning and writing about food, flavours and techniques.