My Favourite Kind of Preserving.....

My favourite kind of preserving is the kind that is simple, doesn't take up much of your time, stores beautifully and keeps indefinitely. After all you don't want to be eating the same food day in day out (unless it's Garlic Kievs....my weakness, I literally could eat them every day, forever.....but that's another story).

And this sauce is one of the simplest of all, I simply pile all the ingredients in the biggest tin I have, in this case it was Tomatoes, a huge Marrow, Onions, Garlic and a couple of whopping big Chillis, all homegrown and freshly picked. Cover with a couple of glugs of good Olive oil and a squeeze of tomato puree.

Add a handful of freshly picked Basil leaves.

Cover tightly with foil and pop in the bottom oven of the Aga for a few hours. If you haven't forgotten about it check later and remove the foil, give it a good stir and then pop bake into the oven uncovered for another hour or so.

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Once you take it out simply whizz up with a stick blender or liquidise, add a few more fresh basil leaves to the hot sauce and then pour into hot sterilised jars. And Bob's your uncle. Don't forget to label as you need to know that this sauce has a kick, with garlic and Chilli it's slightly fiery and this version needed no seasoning whatsoever, the flavour was delicious.

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We now have nine jars squirrelled away in the larder ....well we had to sample one to check I had it right, we had it poured over chicken breasts with a handful of rice thrown in and cooked again for half an hour.....yummy!

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(Don't you just love my new shopping basket in the top picture....I do. I got it from Twice this week. I think my former handbag obsession has changed to a basket obsession...well...they're so useful!!)

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Sue xx