Medley of medlar tastes

I am always looking for something to add interest to the pan juices from the Sunday roast. Something to introduce richness to a simple gravy or a knife edge to juices that are too fatty. Other times I want to tease out the sweetness of the meat, to make it all the more sumptuous.

Fruit jellies such as apple or redcurrant work, adding gloss and a sweet-sharp edge.

But my favourite is medlar. There is something fig-like about them when they are baked — sweet and rich. Whenever there is talk of this fruit, it is not long before the word "bletting" comes up. It is the name for the process of leaving the picked fruit to ripen to the point where they can be made into jelly. I put mine on large dishes in a single layer in the kitchen. (They rot if you pile them up.) Over the next ten days or so, they darken and become soft. This is when they are ready to make jelly from. If the jelly is to set, you will need a few hard, unripe medlars to provide the necessary pectin.

Medlar jelly

A quantity of hard, unbletted medlars is essential for the jelly to set. Keep the jelly's beautiful clarity by not stirring the fruit too much as they cook.

Servings: About 4 jam jars

II 1.6kg medlars, bletted

II 400g medlars, firm

II 3 lemons 3

II 2 apples, small and sharp

II 2 litre water

II 800g sugar

Remove any leaves from the medlars. They should be dark and soft. Slice the fruits in half and put them in a large, deep saucepan. Halve the lemons and apples and put them in with the medlars. Pour over the water. Bring the water to a boil and lower the temperature and partially cover with a lid. Leave to cook for an hour. Take care that the water doesn't evaporate.

Give the fruit an occasional squash with a wooden spoon. Try not to stir or mash the fruit too much. Pour the fruit and its liquid into a jelly bag suspended over a large jug or bowl. Let the juice drip into the jug, giving it the occasional squeeze until all the juice has dribbled through. You should be left with a lump of fudge-like medlar debris and a jug full of clear, amber-red juice.

Pour the juice back into the cleaned saucepan and boil for six minutes, then add an equal amount of sugar (about 800g). When the sugar has dissolved, boil for two more minutes and ladle into warm jars and seal. Leave to cool. If your jelly is still liquid by morning, pour into a pan and boil for four to eight minutes.