Karen Wright: Lemons and onions keeping anxiety at bay
As the date for my surgery approached, I tried to keep busy, cooking, cleaning, shopping, and anything to keep intrusive thoughts at bay.
If you are fully immersed in something, it is possible to keep anxiety at bay.
I had a bag of red onions and a net of lemons in the kitchen, and I knew full well that if I didn't do something with them before I went into hospital, they would be sitting there much worse for wear on my return!
I made preserved lemons and a jar of red onion chutney.
This is what I did. I sterilised a couple of jam jars by washing them and placing them in a hot oven for 20 minutes. Then for the lemons I washed the lemons and cut them into quarters but without slicing right through the bottom, so they were a bit like flowers. Then I put a heaped tablespoon of sea salt crystals into each lemon.
Then I wedged them down into the jar and added more salt to the top, I squeezed in some lemon and juice and then sealed the jar. This will sit in the fridge for a few weeks and then the lemons will be ready to use in recipes, a Tagine often calls for them and other middle eastern dishes too.
For the chutney I peeled and very thinly sliced the onions, about six small ones. Then in a heavy based pan I added a little oil and then very gently cooked the onions for about twenty minutes until they were sticky and slightly translucent.
Then I added a measuring cup of soft brown sugar and let that dissolve a bit before adding two measuring cups of balsamic vinegar.
I turned up the heat and let the onions cook in the sugar and vinegar until the liquid was evaporated and the mixture was jammy. I like to add a few chilli flakes, but that is entirely optional.
The chutney will last for a few months and mature although it can be consumed right away. I love chutney and use it all the time in sandwiches, on cheese boards and even as an ingredient in quiche and sausage rolls!
Now is the time to start making your stash of festive condiments and even mincemeat as all these things get better and mature with age, just like me!