The mincemeat recipe was probably from me. I was inspired to make it after a holiday that year visiting inland Spain.
Fig and sherry mincemeat.
250g dried figs chopped very small
250g dried apricots chopped very small
175g raisins
125g mixed dried fruits
75g cherries roughly chopped
125g soft brown sugar
125g vegetable suet
pinch cinnamon
pinch freshly grated nutmeg
zest of 1 orange and 1 lemon
juice of 1 orange
200mls dry sherry (Solera Reserva Palomino Fino extra dry from Tesco is good)
In a large bowl, add all ingredients and stir well to combine. Cover and leave to sit for 2 hours. There is no cooking involved until you bake the pies.
Sterilise jars, and then spoon the mincemeat into them; seal and keep in a cool dark place.
To sterilise jars, wash in a dishwasher on a regular cycle, or wash by hand in hot soapy water, rinse clean and dry out in the oven at gas mark 2/150 C, or 140 C in a fan oven.
The recipe says this will fill two 450g jars, I think it will fill more, so have an extra jar ready. There is no information about whether it needs to 'mature' or how long it keeps after making, but it is steeped in sherry, so it is fine.
I include the juice of the orange, because the sherry evaporates when you bake the mince pies, and it could end up slightly dry. The dried fruits soak up quite a bit of liquid. But it has a wonderful flavour. I substitute sultanas for the mixed dried fruits, and Whitworths sour cherries for the cherries, by which I presume they mean glace cherries.
Hope you enjoy it!