Classic Christmas chutney

Yield:1 recipe

Classic Christmas chutney is not the most obviously festive, seasonally indulgent, must-have foodstuff, but it is the cornerstone of Christmas pantry.

Ingredients:

• 1.85 kg Cooking apples, peeled, cored and roughly chopped, 4 lb 2oz
• 250 grams Sultanas, 9 oz
• 100 grams Crystallised ginger, 4 oz
• 7 Garlic cloves, roughly sliced
• 1/2 teasp. Cayenne pepper
• >1/2 teasp. Salt
• 1/2 teasp. Ground coriander
• 600 ml Malt vinegar, 1 pt
• 750 grams Light muscovado sugar, 1 lb 10 oz

Instructions

1. Tip the apples, sultanas, ginger and garlic into a food processor and pulse until roughly minced, but still quite chunky. Tip the fruit into a saucepan with 100 ml water, cover, then cook over a high heat for 10 mins.
2. Stir in the spices and half the vinegar, then cook, uncovered, for 45 mins.
3. While the chutney is cooking, stir the sugar and remaining vinegar together. When the apples have had the allotted time, pour over the sugar solution and simmer everything, very slowly, for 2-2 1/2 hrs. Stir occasionally at the beginning, then more at the end until the required consistency is reached – this is when a wooden spoon drawn through the mixture leaves a clean path and no trace of unabsorbed liquid. Leave to cool, then fill hot sterilised jars to the brim. Seal with a lid and stick on the labels. (See Know-how, below, for tips on storing chutneys.)

KNOW HOW

• Ideally, use jars with new rubber seals and spring-clip or screwband fastenings. If you are using jam jars, use ones with plasticcoated lids as vinegar will corrode metal.
• Store the chutneys for at least one month before using. This will give enough time for the flavours to develop.
• The chutney will keep for at least 6 months in a sealed jar. After opening, keep in the fridge and eat within 1 month.

total time: 4 hours
preparation time: 15 minutes
cooking/baking time: 3 h 30 minutes