How to make Peach and Apple Chutney for Christmas

We had a glut of peaches at Les Trois Chenes Bed and Breakfast this year, and what better way to preserve all that summer sunshine goodness, than to make jam and chutney? This recipe makes a chutney so rich, that it looks AND SMELLS just like Christmas Pudding! The perfect preserve for those dark, December days!

• Don't cut down on sugar or vinegar as this preserves the fruit.
• Add the vinegar bit by bit. If you put it in all at once it reduces the flovour. Start with about one quater and add the rest during cooking.
• Use pure malt vinegar for this recipe.
• Cook without a lid to thicken the chutney, stir occasionally.
• As with jam, steralize all your equipment and jars.
• Pour straight into the sterile jars, fill to the top and cover with jam papers.
• Store in a cool, dark, dry place.
• NEVER use copper, brass or iron pans.
  

• For every pound of apples, one pound of peaches and one pound of onions. You can, of course use apples and peaches according to what you have, but keep the ratio of fruit to onions 2:1. Weigh the fruit after peeling, coring and taking out the peach stones.
  
• 1 teaspoon salt
• Half a pint of malt vinegar
• 1 teaspoon of pickling spices
• 12 oz sugar
• 1 teaspoon fresh or ground ginger
• 4oz raisins (or other dried fruit)
• Juice and peel of one lemon
• 2 cloves of garlic
  

Muslin for fresh ginger

Tie the pickling spices and chopped ginger into the muslin. The put the apricots, with a little of the vinegar, the garlic, raisins, lemon and the muslin bag into the pan and simmer gently for 30 minutes. Add the sugar and apples and stir until the sugar dissolves.

Put all your equipment, a ladle, a jam funnel and the jar tops into a pan of water and boil for a few minutes. Steralize your jars by putting a little water into the bottom of each and microving for 3-4 minutes until you see steam. You can also put your jars into the oven to sterilize.

I used old jars here because my chutney if for the family and the guest house, but if you are preparing these for gifts, make sure you choose the nicest shaped jars and clean off the labels properly. I find modern glues a trial, but if you have stubborn glue, try white spirit or even methylated spirits to try to shift it.

This is a messy job, as you can see! (I am a real cook, doing real cooking, so the kitchen shows you the real thing, I'm afraid - mess and all!) It is important to put the chutney straight into the hot jars, fill the jars well and get the steralized tops on fast to reduce the number of germs and moulds getting in. Put on papers if you wish. And there you are - lots of lovely chutney, perfect for gift wrapping and decorating.