Tangy chutney

I hate the waste we get in the garden at this time of year so I thought I’d attempt some preserving. I’ve never done it before so only time will tell whether it will keep. Need to leave it for at least 2 weeks before getting the full flavour so will report back. Original idea from a River Cottage book.

Ingredients

• 2 onions
• 3 courgettes
• 6 tomatoes
• 2 cooking apples
• 2 big handfuls raisins or sultanas
• 300g sugar
• 500ml white wine vinegar
• 2 tsp dried chilli flakes
• 2 tsp salt
• thumb-sized piece of ginger
• 10-12 cloves
• 10-12 black peppercorns
• 1 tsp coriander seeds
• a few blades mace

Preparation

All quantities are approximate so feel free to change depending on what you’ve got.

Peel onions, courgettes and apples – no need to peel tomatoes. All fruit/veg needs to be pretty finely chopped. I used the magimix.

Place in a big heavy bottomed saucepan with the raisins.

Add the vinegar (+a bit of water), chilli flakes, salt and sugar. Start heating and bringing to the boil slowly.

Make a spice bag from a scrap of muslin or cotton and put in all the spices. Tie tightly with non-colour string(!). Push into the centre of the chutney.

You need to simmer the chutney for up to 3 hours. It needs to look rich and brown and quite thick when done.

Turn off and leave to cool for 10 mins while you prepare the jam jars. You need plastic coated screw top lids (because of the vinegar). Wash the jars and lids thoroughly in hot water. Or in the top shelf of the dishwasher.

Place jars and lids in a baking tray and heat for 10 mins in oven at 140’c.

While jars are still hot put chutney into a pouring jug and pour into each jar – as close as you dare to the top. Put lids on as tight as possible and tighten again when totally cold.

Needs to mature for at least 2 weeks before serving.