GRAPE CONSERVE

From "The Woman's Day Encyclopedia of Cookery":

Yields: 10 half-pints

4 lb. Concord grapes

1/2 cup water

juice & grated rind of 1 lemon

juice & grated rind of 1 orange

1/4 tsp. salt

1 1/2 cups golden raisins

4 cups sugar

1 cup walnuts or pecans, chopped

Prepare clean jars by placing them on a heavy cookie sheet in a 350 degree oven. Prepare lids and rubber seals by boiling and then simmering them in a saucepan of water. Keep hot and sterile during conserve preparation.

Make sure all the grapes are of the freshest quality. Wash, drain and remove stems. Slip skins from pulp and reserve. Heat pulp to boiling in large, tall pot. Rub through a course sieve to remove seeds. Return the pulp to cooking pot.

Remove rind from lemon and orange making sure not to include any of the white pith. Grate or julienne finely. Ream the juice from the orange and lemon. Remove any seeds. Set this aside in a separate bowl.

Add water, rinds, salt and raisins to the grape pulp. Cook for 15 minutes. Add the citrus juices and grape skins. Heat to boiling. Add the sugar and cook until conserve is thick. When the proper consistency is reached the conserve will still appear liquid but a thin layer on the back of a spoon will leave a "track" if you draw a line through it with a spatula.

Add the nuts during the final minute of cooking.

Pour finished conserve into hot jars to 1/4 inch from top. Wipe rim of jar clean and put on a sterile seal and top. Process jars in a hot water bath that is at least 1 inch over the jars for 10 minutes. Remove jars and set aside on a rack or several layers of kitchen towels to cook. Check jars for a vacuum seal when cool. Store sealed jars. Any that did not successfully seal can be placed in the fridge for immediate use.

June