Sally Wise has been a passionate preserver of fruits and vegetables for over three decades. Easy to make, nutritious and additive-free, preserves are sensational as stand-alone products - but that is just the beginning of their potential. A jam can be far more than an accompaniment to scones and cream, and a pickle is far more than a mere friend to meats or cheese. A simple dish can be turned into something sublime by the addition of a spoonful or two of home-preserved product - and that is why Sally′s pantry shelves are lined with dozens of bottles of preserves each year, a veritable storehouse and toolbox from which to create amazing dishes.

OUT OF THE BOTTLE contains tips and basic methods for the novice home preserver, as well as a collection of Sally′s favourite preserving recipes and the dishes in which they play an integral part. From stir-fries to roasts, curries, vegetable dishes and savoury tarts; from delicious Mini Cherry Mud Cakes to Hummingbird Muffins, Sally′s recipes have been developed over a lifetime of experimentation. They range from comfort food to contemporary dishes, and always focus on flavour, quick and easy preparation and natural ingredients.

Never again will you reach for a bottle of pasta sauce - not when your own tomato relish will have friends and family demanding to know what your secret ingredient is, and keep them coming back for more!

Sample Recipe

Zucchini Pickle

1 kg zucchini, chopped
2 large brown onions, finely chopped
1 red capsicum, finely chopped
1/4 cup salt
2 cups (440g) caster sugar
2 cups (500ml) white vinegar plus 2 tablespoons extra
2 tspn mustard powder
2 tspn ground tumeric
2 tspns cornflour
(I also added 2 tspns of yellow mustard seeds for extra bite)

Place the zucchini, onion and capsicum in a large bowl, add salt and mix well. Leave to stand for 3 hours, then drain.
Combine the sugar, vinegar, mustard powder (yellow mustard seeds if using) in a large saucepan over medium heat and bring to the boil, stirring to dissolve the sugar. Add zucchini mixture and bring back to the boil. Reduce heat to low and simmer for 25 minutes.
Mix cornflour with the extra vinegar and add to the pickle, stirring. Simmer for 3 minutes or until you have a pickle-like consistency.
Spoon mixture into sterilised jars and seal.
You can eat the pickle immediately or store in a cool, dark place for a year.

About the Author

Sally Wise is the author of the bestselling A YEAR IN A BOTTLE and SLOW COOKER. She has a weekly newspaper column, and owns and runs a catering business as well as teaching cookery to high school students and hospitality and TAFE students. She lives in Tasmania.