Vegetarian Mincemeat without Suet

Ingredients

400ml medium cider

450g soft brown sugar

2kg cooking apples

450g currants

450g raisins

125g glacé cherries chopped

125g sweet almonds chopped

grated rind & juice of a lemon

1 level reaspoon (5ml) of mixed spice

1 level teaspoon(5ml) of ground cinnamon

1/2 (2.5ml) of ground cloves

2 tablespoons (2x15ml) of rum

Method

Place the cider and sugar in a large saucepan, and heat gently until the sugar dissolves. Peel, core and roughly chop the apples, add to the pan and stir in all the remaining ingredients except the rum. Bring the mixture slowly to the boil stirring all the time, half cover with the lid of the pan and simmer for about 30 minutes or until the mixture has become a soft pulp stirring occasionally. Test for sweetness, add more sugar if necessary. Remove from the heat and leave to cool, then stir in the rum. Pack into clean dry jars, and cover with a waxed paper disc and cellophane as for jam (I use a lid) store in cool dry place until needed.

The recipe comes from Sara Paston Williams’ Country Kitchen Store Cupboard.

I add 3-4 tablespoons of rum. It keeps very well. It will keep if properly bottled and stored for at least a year and the flavour improves.

Enjoy!