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This is our modification of an old English recipe from the booklet, “Country Preserves” by Carol Wilson. We found the recipe made two and one half quarts of mincemeat, using local fruits and nuts. It is best made one to three months before using, to allow the flavors to develop. It is easy to make your own candied peel using the recipe below. If you buy peel, buy the whole peel and chop it rather than the already chopped peel. For a vegetarian version, of if you can't find suet, substitute hard vegetable fat or butter.
The Ingredients:
1 pound cooking apples, cored and chopped, but unpeeled
8 ounces shredded suet
12 ounces raisins
8 ounces currants
8 ounces sultanas
4 ounces candied orange peel (see recipe below)
4 ounces candied lemon peel (see recipe below)
4 ounces slivered (or chopped) almonds
Grated zest and juice of one lemon
12 ounces soft dark brown sugar
2 heaped teaspoons allspice, freshly ground
One half teaspoon nutmeg, freshly ground
One half teaspoon cinnamon, freshly ground
One half teaspoon dry ginger, freshly ground
7 tablespoons brandy
Putting It Together:
Mix all the ingredients, except the brandy, in a large bowl, stirring well until thoroughly combined. Cover the bowl and leave overnight for the flavors to blend. Next day, stir the ingredients well, place into baking pan and cover with foil. Place in a very cool oven, 225 degrees, for 3 hours. Remove from the oven and leave to cool, stirring occasionally until all the ingredients are coated in the melted suet. When the mixture is completely cold, stir in the brandy. Pack into jars and place in the refrigerator until ready to use.
Candied Orange or Lemon Peel
The last of the Valencia oranges are a good choice as they most resemble the bitter Seville oranges probably used in the original recipe in England. Navel oranges will be ok if you don’t have Valencia. Lisbon or Eureka lemons are a better choice than Meyer lemon as the Meyer lemon peel is too thin. You can make these well ahead of time.
The Ingredients:
3 lemons or oranges
3 quarts and 2 cups water
One and a half cups granulated sugar
Putting It Together:
Cut a thin slice from the top and the bottom of each fruit. Cut through the outer skin to the fruit inside, spacing the cuts about one inch apart. Peel the citrus. If you are using the peel for presentation as a candy verses chopping the peel, cut each of the peel sections lengthwise into long strips one-quarter inch wide, otherwise the wide strips are fine and easier to work with. Reserve the fruit for another use. Pour the water into a saucepan and add the peel strips. Bring the 3 quarts water to a boil over high heat, and then reduce the heat to medium. Cook, uncovered, until only an inch or so of water remains in the pan, about one hour. This liquid will be bitter and should not be used. Using a slotted utensil, remove the peels from the pan and set them aside in a bowl.
In a stainless-steel or other non reactive saucepan, combine the 2 cups water with one cup of the sugar. Bring to a boil over high heat, stirring until the sugar dissolves. Remove from the heat and stir the still-warm peels into the syrup. Let the peels stand for 1-2 hours at room temperature. Return the pan to low heat and cook the peels are transluscent and have absorbed most of the syrup, about 30 minutes.
Remove the cooked peels from the pan and spread them in a single layer on a piece of aluminum foil or waxed paper. They will be very sticky and supple. Let the peels stand for about 12 hours to dry slightly. The next day, roll the peels, one by one, in the remaining one half cup sugar. Leave them at room temperature for 2 or 3 hours to dry. Loosely pack the candied peels in layers separated by wax paper and store in a paper bag in a cool, dry place. |
