In which I share a secret with you all.........

As I have had so many comments on my 2 chutney related postings, I thought I would share my chutney recipe!

My chutney recipes are basically 600 ml vinegar, 20 g salt, 500 g sugar, assorted spices usually around 2 teaspoons of them(I use ground spices quite happily!),500 g onions and then 3 Kg of assorted fruit and veg. This makes around 10 "chutney/relish" sized jars, the 350 g ones.

I find SOME fruit is needed, even if its only 500 g apples and 500g dried fruit, as apples especially help to thicken the chutney, the 500g dried fruit is part of the 3 Kg of assorted stuff though! I also always use Cider vinegar or wine vinegar occasionally, I use Aspalls Organic and finds it makes for a smooth result without a harsh vinegary tang...it IS possible to eat my chutney immediately but I would reccomend keeping it for at least 2 months, longer if you can!

I made an Autumn Polytunnel Harvest chutney a couple of years ago which was basically what was left in there…tomatos, peppers, aubergines, courgettes, to a total of 2.5 Kg, 500g apples and then the onions, sugar, vinegar salt, spices. It was YUM and we have just finished the last jar…I will have to make some more!

I don’t know if it would be ok to leave out onions and use more of some other fruit and veg, but I guess it would be fine!

As I only make chutney out of what we grow here ( except the raisins!) I make small quantities of experimental chutneys and play around with the ingredients!

Someone has asked me what books I use...well I sort of make things up as I go along because I find , as long as you stick to the basic proportions it works!

The River Cottage Preserves book is good, as is The Complete Book of Home Made preserves by Jill Nice I got from a charity shop, the Piers Warren How to store your garden produce is very good as well..I use that a lot! Also I like Margurite Pattern Jams Preserves and Chutneys. I think these are still available!

Hope this is helpful to those of you who have asked, but don’t blame me if you don’t like what you make, chutneys are definately for experimenters and I suggest you make a very small batch by scaling down the ingredients list, BEFORE you make a larger batch!