Pickled Loquats 

    Ingredients:

      1 kg loquats (yellow to orange)

      bay leaves (fresh)

      stems of fresh rosemary (about 10 cm long)

      3 heaped tablespoons of cooking or rock salt 

      1/2 litre vinegar

      1/2 litre water

Clean jars with lids for storage – heat in a warm oven to sterilize.

Methodology:

Pick yellow to orange loquats without blemishes.

Halve the fruit. 
Remove all seed pits and the blackish end of each fruit (end opposite the stem). 
Leave the skins on. 
Do not worry if the cut fruit browns.

Rinse the prepared loquats with water. 

Place in a bowl and add 3 heaped tablespoons of salt 
per kg of prepared loquats. 
Leave for 24 hours in a bowl. 
Stir whenever it is convenient to allow the fruit 
to make contact with the salty juices.

Drain the salty juices. 
Rinse the loquats with water to remove excess salt.

Mix vinegar and water in a stainless steel saucepan; 
bring to boil and allow it to cool for 3 minutes.

Put a fresh bay leaf and two stems of rosemary into each jar. 
Firmly pack the washed salted loquats into the jars. 

Carefully pour hot mixture of vinegar and water over the loquats. 
Ensure that there are no trapped air bubbles. 
Fill to the top of the jars. 
Seal jars with thin plastic wrap to stop any rusting under jar lids.

Place in the fridge and store for at least a week before using.

Examples of recipes using pickled loquats

Avocado vinaigrette: 

Halve an avocado. 
Remove the seed. 
Cut up a slice of capsicum, 6 olives and 6 pickled loquats. 
Anoint with extra virgin olive oil and white vinegar.

Canned tomatoes on bread:

Open a can of tomatoes. Place in a small saucepan.
Add one small slice of bacon broken into small pieces, 7 olives and 7 pickled loquats.
Boil slowly for two minutes and then pour over two slices of buttered bread.