PARSNIP WINE (MADEIRA)
Contributed by Tom Keys
Shop parsnips are no good--you need fresh from Allotment or Farm Shop after a couple of good frosts--usually November to end of year.
Ingredients
4Lb Parsnip,
1 lb Bananas,
1 pint Orange Juice,
2 lb Sultanas*,
2 lb Sugar,
1 small pkt Dried Elderflower,
2 tsp Pectic Enzyme,
2 tsp Amalyze Enzyme,
1 tsp Malic Acid,
1 tsp Tartaric Acid,
1 tsp Wine Tannin,
1 tsp Yeast nutrient,
2 Vit B1 tablets,
1 sachet Sauterne/Burgundy /HT Yeast, and when wine finished 2 campden and 1 tsp Potassium Sorbate.
Alternatively * 2 pints White Grape Concentrate.
Method
Parsnips must be well frosted to release sweetness and flavour, scrub thoroughly, peeling only as a last resort--slice or cube--bring to boil in 3 pint water, simmer until cooked, about 20 mins, removing scum from surface, strain liquor onto 1 lb sugar, in bucket. Peel banana discarding skin, slice flesh into saucepan 1 pint water, bring slowly to boil stirring all the time, DO NOT LET BURN-simmer for 10 mins continue stirring, add saucepan contents to bucket, still to mix in, allow to cool. Wash sultanas in hot running water to remove oil, mince and add to the bucket with the other ingredients (except Elderflowers).
Ferment in bucket covered only with cloth for 5 days, stirring twice daily, strain liquor into clean bucket, add elderflowers and 4 oz sugar cover and stir for another 4 days--strain off adding and dissolving 4 oz sugar, put into demijohn to shoulder keeping surplus in bottle plugged with cotton wool, when ferment slows add topping up to neck, when gravity drops to 1.010 continue to feed with 2 oz sugar increments, rack and top up every month, when completely finished, rack and add crushed campden and Sorbate.
This was the Dudley Wine Circle recipe for 1978 and has been winning Dessert Wine classes ever since.
Do not drink for 2 yrs--the parsnip pulp can be frozen and used to thicken stews.
