Cranberry and clementine chutney

Much as I try to avoid anything Christmassy until at least the 1st December, this needed to be made so it has time to mature.

While most chutney turns a shade of brown, this is a lovely red colour. I'm looking forward to my turkey sandwiches already!

The recipe is based on one from November 2012's Good Housekeeping magazine. I only ad libbed a little....

To a large pan add:
650g chopped apples (I didn't bother to peel them)
6 clementine oranges (peeled and roughly chopped)
2 large onions (peeled and chopped)
200g sultanas
700g cranberries
15 peppercorns (approximately!)
500mls red wine vinegar
500g light brown soft sugar
1tsp chilli flakes

Bring to the boil, stirring, and then simmer for about 45 minutes until fairly thick.

Stir in 300g cranberries and cook for another 5 minutes until they have softened.

Put into sterilised jars and open at Christmas.

Give extra jars as Christmas pressies.

Enjoy!

Irish marrow chutney

This is my favourite! It's won prizes at Saintfield Show and it is great on a bacon sandwich. However it varies year on year as inevitably I don't have some of the ingredients.

This year I used courgettes from my chum's garden, as well as apples from the orchard. And I pretty much followed the recipe as I remembered to buy all the other ingredients!

The recipe is adapted from Home Preserves by Jackie Burrow (St Michael Cookery Library 1979).

3lb marrow (or courgettes or both), chopped
3lb apples, peeled and chopped
8oz onions, peeled and chopped
1 clove garlic, peeled and crushed
4oz sultanas
4oz raisins
4oz dried apricots
1 tbsp ground ginger
2oz ground almonds
4 tbsp mustard seeds
1 tbsp ground chilli powder
1 tbsp ground cinnamon
1 tsp ground cloves
1 tsp ground nutmeg
11/2 pints malt vinegar
4lb sugar
5 tbsp whiskey

Hint: if you are putting in a glug of your hubby's Glenfiddich, make sure he's not watching!

Put everything into a large pan, bring to the boil and simmer for about 2 hours until thickened. Stir occasionally.

Spoon into sterilised jars while hot and seal.

Let the chutney mature for a few months before enjoying.

Green tomato chutney

One of the main reasons I like to make chutney is that I hoard jam jars for the occasion and so need to use them up.

The main thing I hate about making chutney is that you start with a large pan of lovely veg and end up with just a few jars full...

Anyway, there were green tomatoes left in the greenhouse so it was green tomato chutney time.

The chutney bible in this house is "Home Preserves" from the St Michael cookery library circa 1979. It's full of marmalades, pickles, preserves and chutneys of every description.

I have adapted the green tomato chutney recipe as follows:
4lbs green tomatoes, chopped
1lb apples, peeled and chopped
1lb onions, peeled and chopped
2 garlic cloves, crushed
8oz sultanas
1 tablespoon pickling spice
1 teaspoon ginger
1 teaspoon chilli
1 pint vinegar
1lb sugar

Place tomatoes, apples, onions, garlic, and sultanas into a very large pan. Add the spices. Add half the vinegar and bring to the boil, then simmer for about an hour until the mixture is thick.

Dissolve the sugar in the remaining vinegar and add to the chutney.

Simmer, stirring frequently, until the chutney is thick (up to 1 1/2 hours).

Put chutney while hot into sterile jars and seal with lids or airtight covers.

Makes about 51/2lbs.

Enjoy.