Green Tomato Chutney

This recipe is in Delia Smith’s Complete Illustrated Cookery Course. (Makes about  8 lbs)

2 1/2 lbs green tomatoes (washed and cut into quarters)

2 lbs onions (peeled and quartered)

2 1/2 lbs cooking apples (quartered and cored, leave the peels on)

1 lb raisins

6 large cloves of garlic (peeled and crushed)

1/2 tbsp cayenne pepper

1/2 tbsp salt

4 tsp ground ginger

1lb 6oz soft brown sugar 

1 oz pickling spice

3 pints genuine malt vinegar (1 3/4 litres)

Equipment

A small preserving pan, eight 1lb preserving jars, a mincer or a food processor, string and some gauze.

Pulse the tomatoes in a food processor for a few seconds until they’re finely chopped, and then place them in the pan. Pulse the onions, raisins and the apples (don’t worry if they turned brown), and add them all to the pan. Now add the crushed garlic, cayenne, salt, ground ginger and brown sugar, and blend everything thoroughly. Tie the pickling spice in a small piece of double thickness gauze, and attach it to the handle so that it hangs down into the other ingredients.

Pour in the vinegar and bring to simmering point. Remove any scum from the surface and let the mixture simmer very gently for approximately 3 1/2 hours with out covering. Stir occasionally, especially towards the end to prevent the mixture from sticking. The chutney is ready when the vinegar has almost been absorbed, and it has thickened to a nice soft consistency and the spoon leaves a trail. Be careful not to overcook.

When the chutney is ready fill the hot jars as full as you can. Cover with waxed sealing discs and seal with a tight lid immediately. I wash my jars and lids in the dishwasher, so that they’re sterilized and won’t crack when I pour in the hot chutney.

This chutney is delicious with cheese and cold cuts, and excellent with a ploughman’s lunch. I keep intending to make extra so that I can give some chutney as a gift, but it's so delicious I can't bear to give it away. Maybe next year I can make three batches!