Just in time for summer cooking and perhaps some Christmas gift making, Rowan Bishop has released her delightful book Relish, Fine Chutneys, Pickles & More.
With the rise in temperatures and longer daylight hours, barbecues and summer don’t seem to far away and with that comes the need for some tasty condiments, of which Relish has plenty.  Along with the classics there are also plenty of innovative flavour combinations such as Kumquats in Vodka Syrup, Szechuan Plum Sauce, Spiced Banana & Kumara Chutney plus a long held secret recipe for Life’s Too Short Marmalade!
Close to 100 pages of recipes with gorgeous images from Carolyn Robertson, this fabulous little book will soon become your go to preserving guide for full flavoured recipes that rely heavily on the key ingredients as opposed to sugar and water.
Whether it is tomato kassundi in summer or preserved lemons in winter, the seasons are covered in style.
I thought I might make the sherry mustard (below) for some Christmas gifts and with a garden of coriander and mint, the following pesto may well be made this week!

Coriander, Mint & Cashew Pesto

Coriander pesto is delicious stirred into hot pasta, spooned onto crackers, added to soups or enjoyed as a side for fritters or egg-based dishes. It’s also very good loosened with extra oil and lemon juice for a potato salad or as a dressing for hot carrots or beans.

Makes approximately 1 cup
½ cup finely chopped coriander
¼ cup finely chopped mint leaves
½ cup roasted salted cashews
½ tsp salt or to taste & freshly ground black pepper
1/3 cup extra virgin olive oil

Place the chopped coriander and mint leaves in a food processor and add the nuts, salt and pepper. Process until the mixture resembles breadcrumbs, then add the oil through the feed tube with the motor running.

Transfer to a serving bowl — the pesto can be refrigerated at this point until required. Before serving, mix in a squeeze of lemon juice if you wish; it will ‘fade’ the green of the herbs if added sooner.

Recipe doubles easily and may be frozen, but will keep up to a week, covered, in the refrigerator.

Sherry Mustard with Honey & Herbs

Mustards must be the simplest condiment to make ever, and most of the ingredients can be changed to accommodate individual preferences or impulses.

* Makes 1½–2 cups

¾ cup yellow mustard seeds
¼ cup brown or black mustard seeds
¼ cup water
¾ cup white wine such as a Riesling (not a dry wine)
¾ cup sherry vinegar
3 Tbsp liquid honey
2 tsp dried basil or oregano
1 tsp salt & some coarsely ground black pepper

Place the mustard seeds in a non-metallic bowl and stir in the water. Sit for 10 minutes to take some heat out of the seeds. Add all the remaining ingredients and combine thoroughly.
Cover and refrigerate for 2–3 days, stirring occasionally.
Briefly use a stick blender if wholegrain mustard is preferred, or transfer to a blender and part-purée for a smoother result. Transfer to sterilised jars and screw on sterilised lids.

To enter into the draw to win one of 3 copies of Relish enter your details below.