There were still LOADS of apples left over after making an apple & blackberry pie a few weeks ago. I hate wasting food so had to do something with them. “I’ll make apple chutney!”, I thought.

My Cordon Bleu Preserving book contains recipes for 4 different versions of apple chutney however it was the spiced one that took my fancy (for this read, “It was the one where I already had all the ingredients in the house.”) This recipe makes a humongous amount of chutney, but it’s easily adapted if you don’t have that much fruit to preserve. It’s a steeper, the flavours mellow if the chutney is left a week or so before consuming. So far, we’ve discovered that it makes a delicious accompaniment to a cheeseboard. It really suits a creamy brie and sharp cheddar – not so much blue cheese. I’m vegetarian, but I’ve had it on good advice that it’s also very good with pork pie (Justin) and sausage rolls (Duncan). What do you recommend?

Spiced apple chutney

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Ingredients

  

• 36 large apples - peeled cored & sliced
• 1½ lbs/680g sultanas
• 3 lbs/1.4kg demerara sugar
• 4 oz/115g mustard seeds
• 2 fresh chillies sliced into rings
• 2 rounded tsps ground turmeric
• 2 oz/60g ground ginger
• 1½ lbs/680g onions halved & thinly sliced
• 6 cloves garlic peeled & crushed with salt
• 2 pts/1L vinegar I used distilled white vinegar, but you can use ordinary malt vinegar

Instructions

 

• Put all the ingredients into a large pan (a jam pan is ideal) and simmer for 1½-2 hours until very soft and pulpy
• Turn into sterilised jars and cover

A few tips for making successful chutneys, relishes & ketchups:

-1- Once opened a jar must be refrigerated and consumed within a week.

-2- Don't allow the vinegar to come into contact with with metal whilst in store.

-3- When preserving with vinegar, don't use copper or brass preserving pans. Use aluminium or stainless steel and only use enamelled iron pans if there are no chips to the enamel.

-4- It's important to cook chutneys and sauces thoroughly otherwise they will not keep.