A few weeks ago our family was deemed a charity case by someone who works in the food industry.   This person has now developed what seems to be a habit of giving us a box, or two, every week full of fruits and vegetables which are about to go bad within the next twelve hours.  Although in my head I know I should be very grateful for free food, my gut reaction is to feel a little bit annoyed that someone is giving me food with which I have to do something almost right as I am receiving it.  I am inflexible by nature and frankly, these donations screw up my all-important SCHEDULE.
     However, in the spirit of 'enjoy the journey' and 'make time for surprises' and other mantras by which I feel obliged to at least attempt to live, I have rather grudgingly drug myself into the kitchen and thought about what I could do to not waste this food.  Happily, I made some joyous culinary discoveries which I would not have made had the opportunity not been thrust upon me, the most notable one being my original Figgy Chutney.
     Yes, I was given many figs.  I couldn't roast them all with butter and honey, so chutney seemed like a good option.  I kept singing the song 'Oh, bring us some figgy pudding ...', and although I knew that figgy pudding is made with dried figs, the idea took hold of me and I found myself wanting to replicate the figgy pudding experience, but with fresh figs and in a chutney.  Luckily, I had some damsons lying around for which I had no plans, and I thought they could serve as the plum element that is present in the pudding.  I used currants, an apple, Christmas spices, and even vanilla.  The result was, well, a delicious, Christmas-y, figgy chutney.  I cannot wait to put it on the cheeseboard at Christmas.

Figgy Chutney

250 grams onion, chopped
100 grams apple, chopped
210 grams currants
40 grams raisins
700 grams figs, cut into quarters
250 grams damsons or plums (if using plums, stone and quarter them)
300 grams light brown sugar
250 mls cider vinegar
100 mls red wine vinegar
3 balls stem ginger
Juice of 1/2 lemon
Juice of 1 orange
1/4 teaspoon coriander
1/4 teaspoon cloves
2 and 1/2 teaspoon ginger
1 and 1/2 teaspoon cinnamon
1/4 teaspoon cayenne pepper
Freshly grated nutmeg (about 1/8 teaspoon)
1 teaspoon vanilla

Put all the ingredients to a big pot.  The red-ish figs contrast beautifully against the dark damsons in this raw state.

Slowly bring the ingredients to the boil, stirring frequently.  Simmer for a few hours until the right consistency is reached, and then pack them into sterilized jars.  If you are using damsons instead of plums, you will need to fish the stones out after about an hour of cooking.  As the figs and damsons simmer the chutney will cohere and become a gorgeous Christmas-y burgandy color. 

I also tried making fig conserve, which was incredible!  That same reddish burgandy color came out as I watched the conserve cook.  I served it to my husband for an autumn breakfast in bed one weekend:

     While we're on the subject of conserves, I have to say that we, the charity case people, were also given two massive marrows.  I know that marrow is pig food in Italy and France, but, again, part of me wanted to be thrifty and make use of this rather unusable vegetable.  I had seen recipes for marrow and ginger jam, so I thought I would try to do that.  I wondered who would eat it, though, and then remembered that we were having a Harvest Festival celebration at our church on Sunday, and that we were going to all bring food for the homeless to church that day.  What could be more in keeping with the festival than to bring food from the harvest, made into a preserve, to share with the homeless? 
     So, I set to work on my marrow jam.  My husband was in the kitchen at the time, so I shared my charitable plans with him 
'Who do you think is going to eat this jam?' he said. 
'Well, I thought I would bring it to church on Sunday to give to the homeless.'  I answered. 
'What?!!  The homeless aren't going to eat that!'
'So, are you saying that this jam isn't even good enough to give to people who are starving?' 
My husband did some very quick thinking.  'No, I'm saying that it's going to be too good.  They won't appreciate it.  They won't even know what it is.' 
'But on the BBC website it said that this is a traditional jam,' I protested.  
'Look, I'm just saying that they aren't going to want to eat something that isn't familiar to them,' he warned. 
     Well, we are all entitled to our own opinions.  I have finished the jam this morning, and I have to say it's pretty rockin'.  As a charity case myself, I would be only too happy if someone gave it to me.

Marrow and Ginger Jam

1 kilo marrow, peeled and cubed (this is the weight it should be after you have peeled and cubed it)
1 kilo jam sugar
Juice and zest of 2 lemons
4 balls of preserved ginger (about 80 grams), shredded
1/4 teaspoon cloves
1/8 teaspoon freshly grated nutmeg

Place the marrow and the lemon juice in a big jam pot. Cook very gently until the marrow is translucent.  Stir in the zest, ginger, sugar and spices.  Let the sugar dissolve, and then turn up the heat so that the mixture comes to a rolling boil.  Boil for four minutes, or until setting point is reached.  Pack into sterilized jars and seal.