Home made chutney!!!

No recipe with this one for a change! Just wanted to share a few pictures of the ingredients used in my recent pickling and chutney making spree.

Keith Floyd's Green Tomato Chutney

What you need:

* 15g/½oz root ginger
* 8-10 chillies
* 2kg/4lb green tomatoes, chopped
* 500g/1lb apples, peeled, cored and chopped
* 250g/8oz raisins, chopped
* 625g/1¼lb shallots, chopped
* 2 tsp salt
* 500g/1lb brown sugar
* 570ml/1 pint malt vinegar



An now for the easy method:

1. Bruise the ginger and tie in a muslin bag with the chillies.
2. Place all the other ingredients in a preserving pan and suspend the muslin bag among them.
3. Bring to the boil, stirring until the sugar has dissolved, and simmer until the desired consistency is reached.
4. Remove the muslin bag. Pour into warmed sterilised jars, cover and label.

OR!!!! Using my tried and tested methos forget about the muslin bag and just put all the items from the bag in the the mix and after the sugar has dissolved!

Irish marrow chutney

Place all ingredients except the sugar in a large pan and bring to the boil, stirring all the time. Reduce the heat and simmer for 1 1/2-2hrs, [or until the chutney is thick and the consistency of jam] stirring occassionally. Add the sugar about 3/4 of the way through and stir to dissolve. Stir more frequently for remainder of the cooking time to prevent the chutney scorching.

Spoon while still hot into prepared jars. Seal with airtight, vinegar-proof covers


What you need:

# 3lb marrow/courgette, peeled, quartered lenghtways, seeded and diced
# 3lb cooking apples, peeled cored and chopped
# 8oz onions, peeled and chopped
# 1 large garlic clove, peeled and crushed
# 4oz sultanas
# 4oz raisins
# 4oz dried apricots
# 4oz preserved ginger, finely chopped or 1 tabsp ground ginger
# 2oz almonds blanched and chopped
# 4tabsp mustard seeds
# 1tabsp chillies, seeds removed and finely chopped or ground chillie powder to taste
# 1tabsp salt
# 1tabsp ground cinnamon
# 1tsp ground cloves
# 1tsp ground nutmeg
# 1 1/2pints malt vinegar
# 5tabsp Irish whiskey
# 1 1/2 lb sugar
# cooking time: approx 2hrs

This makes about 7lb of chutney. It is best kept in the jars for a few months before opening to let the taste mature!