Autumn Olive Harvests, Fresh Pressings & The Joy of Simple Food
There is something deeply satisfying about olive harvest season at Vineyard Cottages. Especially after last year, when our olive trees…
For the last nine autumns, I’ve wandered 200 metres down Old North Road to collect persimmons from Jim Ireland’s trees. To me, they are the true flavour of the season’s end, rich, glowing and impossibly beautiful.
We love them grilled and wrapped in prosciutto, simmered down into a wicked chilli jam, or baked into a warm crumble on cooler evenings at VC. They taste like autumn slowing down.
PERSIMMON & LIME JAM
Makes approximately 1½ cups
INGREDIENTS
3 ripe persimmons, peeled
1 cup sugar
Zest of 1 lime
¼ cup fresh lime juice
A small pinch of ground chilli
METHOD
Roughly chop the persimmons and place them into a medium saucepan. Add the sugar, lime zest, lime juice and a pinch of chilli.
Cook gently over a low heat, stirring slowly as the sugar dissolves and the fruit begins to soften. Once dissolved, bring the mixture to a gentle simmer.
Continue cooking for around 25 minutes, stirring regularly to stop the jam catching on the bottom of the pot. As it thickens, the mixture will become glossy and slightly frothy — this is perfectly normal.
To test whether the jam is ready, spoon a little onto a cold plate and leave it for a minute or two. If it becomes sticky and holds its shape when pushed, it’s ready.
Pour into warm sterilised jars and seal while hot.
