And now for today’s second preserving recipe. I was given a large bag of (mostly) windfall Bramley apples. They weren’t going to keep, and one can eat only so much apple crumble, so I decided to make some apple chutney. And as we have Scotch Bonnet chillies ripening on the plants in the study, I thought to make it a hot one.
Again this is infinitely adaptable and very easy. Depending on availability you could replace some or all of the apples with green or red tomatoes, pears, marrow, courgette, runner beans, plums, rhubarb, even carrots or aubergine.
Hot Apple Chutney
Makes about 8 1lb jars.
Ingredients
- 2.5kg apples (prepared weight)
- 600ml pickling vinegar
- 1tbsp salt
- 3cm piece fresh ginger (or 2tbsp ground ginger)
- 500g onions (I tend to double this)
- 3 cloves garlic
- 450g sugar
- 150g tomato paste (optional)
- 1 Scotch Bonnet chilli (or less hot ones if you prefer)
- 3tbsp pickling spice (to add more kick to the vinegar)
- 200g sultanas (optional)
Method
- Peel, core and chop the apples, removing any damaged parts.
- Chop the onion, chillies and garlic, and grate the ginger (if using fresh).
- Throw everything into a large pan and simmer carefully stirring very regularly (so it doesn’t stick to the pan) until reduced and thick. (This may take a couple of hours!)
- Sterilise clean jars in the oven at 140°C for at least 20 minutes. Ensure the lids are clean, dry and warm. (See https://zenmischief.com/2020/09/recipe-sweet-spicy-crab-apple-cheese/ for my notes on sterilising jars etc.)
- Decant the chutney into the hot jars and seal while hot.
- This should mature and keep a few months, but I’d put it in the fridge once opened.