Tis the most wonderful time of the year

12th Dec - Festive Chutneys

There are so many yummy chutneys out there to choose from that I’ve decided to select three of my favourites. Store these in a cool, dark place in unopened, sterilised jars, and make sure you chill in the fridge once opened. On the whole they’ll last for about 6 months.

Bramley and walnut chutney
This will keep for about a year.

         Ingredients:
                    1.6 kg Bramley apple, or any other cooking apple (peeled, cored, and chopped)
                    500 g eating apple (peeled, cored and sliced)
                    450 g onion (sliced)
                    1 red chilli (deseeded and chopped)
                    500 g light muscovado sugar
                    250 ml cider vinegar
                    100 g raisins
                    85 g stem ginger (chopped)
                    1 tsp ground cinnamon
                    1 tsp salt
                    85 g walnut (roughly broken)

         How to make it:
                    Put all the ingredients, except the walnuts, into a large saucepan over a low heat until sugar dissolves – you may need to stir
                    occasionally.
                    Lightly toasted walnuts in a separate pan over a low heat – make sure they don’t burn by stirring.
                    Once sugar has dissolved turn up the heat and boil until the cooking apples have broken to a pulp. The eating apples still
                    need to hold their shape. This can take up to an hour.
                    When the chutney is ready, stir in the walnuts and cook briefly.
                    Decant into sterilised jars.


Apple and Cranberry:
This will keep for up to 6 months

         Ingredients:
                    500g cranberry
                    250 cider vinegar
                    500g granulated sugar
                    1 tsp peppercorns
                    50g fresh root ginger (finely chopped)
                    450 onion (sliced)
                    500g eating apples (peeled andchopped into large chunks)
                    1kg cooking apples (peeled and chopped into small chunks)

         How to make it:
                    Add all ingredients, except cranberries, to a large saucepan and gently heat until sugar dissolves.
                    Once sugar has dissolved, bring to the boil and then reduce heat to a simmer for 50 mins, or until the apples and
                    onions are tender – make sure you stir frequently.
                    Add cranberries and cook for a further 10 mins, or until just softened.
                    Decant into sterilised jars and seal.


Spiced Beetroot and Orange
This will keep for up to 6 months. Once opened, refrigerate, and eat within 2 months.

         Ingredients:
                    1½ kg raw beetroot (trimmed peel and diced)
                    3 onions (thinly sliced)
                    3 eating apple (peeled and grated)
                    Zest and juice of 3 oranges
                    2 tbsp white or yellow mustard seeds
                    1 tbsp coriander seeds
                    1 tbsp ground cloves
                    1 tbsp ground cinnamon
                    700 red wine vinegar
                    700 golden granulated sugar

         How to make it:
                    Mix all the ingredients in a large saucepan and bring to a gentle simmer.
                    Cook for 1 hr or until the chutney is thick and the beetroot tender – you will need to stir occasionally to ensure it doesn’t stick.
                    Once ready, let the chutney sit for 10 mins, and then carefully spoon into the sterilised jars and seal while still hot.

Notes
          The chutneys are ready when you can run a spoon through the mixture, leaving a channel, but there's no liquid pooling into the space.
          All of these make excellent presents and keep fairly well. Perfect for neighbours or work colleagues.
          These recipes originate from the Good Food website: www.bbcgoodfood.com