Here is a straightforward chutney recipe full of lovely gentle spice flavour. It is my first go at chutney (courtesy of www.bbc.co.uk/food) and is very easy. I love having it in the fridge to add to cheese (especially cheddar, cheshire or stilton) or anything I decide it will go with e.g. a pasty/quiche/a picnic. And if I ate meat I would recommend it alongside meat of course!
Allow about 20 mins preparation plus approx 1.5 – 2 hours to occasionally stir it until it is ready. Don’t be tempted to add extra raisons/sultanas as they plump up when cooking. This recipe makes 4-6 jars of chutney and you can re-use old olive/jam jars (see below recipe for simple sterilising instructions). Your friends will love you if you give them a jar!
For further preserves recipes that make excellent edible gifts (or just for you) try this sweet chilli jam recipe https://katielovescooking.wordpress.com/2012/07/03/easy-sweet-chilli-jam-recipe-plus-rocky-roads-good-to-make-with-kids-9/ or this mega quick marmalade recipe https://katielovescooking.wordpress.com/2013/01/25/easy-quick-delicious-marmalade/.
Ingredients for spiced apple chutney
225g/8oz onions, chopped
900g/2lb apples, cored and chopped
110g/4oz sultanas, raisins or chopped dates
15g/½oz ground coriander
15g/½oz paprika
15g/½oz mixed spice or a good pinch of ground cloves
15g/½oz salt
340g/12oz granulated sugar
425ml/¾ pints malt vinegar
Put all the ingredients into a big saucepan. Slowly bring to the boil until the sugar has dissolved. Gently simmer for 1½-2 hours, stirring from time to time to stop the chutney sticking to the pan. When it is very thick and you can draw a wooden spoon across the base of the pan so that it leaves a channel behind it that does not immediately fill with liquid, the chutney is ready.
Turn into sterilised jars, seal and cool.
To sterilise jars: ‘Wash them well in hot, soapy water, rinse well with hot, clean water and dry with a clean cloth. Then put the jars in an oven preheated to 140c/Gas Mk 1/275F for 10 minutes. Put the contents into the warm jars’ (from www.nigella.com).
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