Tomato Chutney

This classic spicy and dark tomato chutney is delicious when served with a cold cut selection of regional cheeses, with cold roast meats such as ham, turkey, or lamb.

Tomato Chutney Recipe

Makes about 2.5 Kg of chutney to pot.

Recipe Ingredients:

• 1 Kg ripe tomatoes (skinned, chopped roughly)
• 750g cooking apples (peeled, cored and chopped small)
• 1 green pepper (deseeds and chopped small)
• 110g raisins (cut in half)
• 110g dried dates (chopped small)
• 225g onions (chopped very small)
• 110g caster (superfine) sugar
• 110g light brown muscovado sugar (or demerara)
• 1 tsp ground chutney spice blend (see below)
• 300ml white wine vinegar
• 300ml cider vinegar

Recipe Method:

Stone (pit) and chop the dates. Deseed and chop the green pepper. Peel and chop the onions fine.

Blanch and skin the tomatoes. You need two medium sized bowls and a sharp knife. Do the tomatoes four at a time. Use the knife to place a small, skin deep, cut into the tomatoes. Put them in a bowl with boiling water from the kettle in it, remove them after 30 seconds to a minute, with a slotted spoon, and place them into a bowl of cold water. Then peel at the place where the skin was cut. Refresh the hot water if it starts too get too cold. Chop the tomatoes roughly and place in a preserving pan.

Peel, core and chop the apples. Add to the preserving pan.

Add the raisins, chopped dates, onions, chutney spice blend (see below) and both sugars to the preserving pan.

Pour the cider vinegar and white wine vinegar into the pan, and bring the mixture up to the boil. Simmer for 2 hours, uncovered, until soft and thickened. Simmer for a shorter or longer time if needed, to get the right chutney thickness and texture.

Transfer the chutney to warm, sterilized jars. To pot the chutney: it is best to use a wide-necked jam funnel to transfer the chutney into the sterilized jars. Use a long-handled teaspoon (or similar) to press and poke the chutney right down into the pots to exclude any trapped air pockets. Press wax discs on the surface of the chutney before sealing the jar. Wipe the jars immediately, then label them when they are cold.

To Store: store in a cool, dark place and leave to mature for at least 1 month. The chutney will keep unopened for up to 1 year. Once the jars have been opened, store them in the refrigerator.

Chutney Spice Blend

All the spices below need to be crushed very fine using a pestle and mortar, or run through a spice grinder, into powder. Store the chutney spice blend in a small seal-able jar and use with a few months to retain freshness.

• 1 or 2 teaspoon chilli flakes (to taste)
• 1 tablespoon ground cinnamon
• 1 tablespoon of ground ginger
• 2 tablespoons mustard seeds
• 2 tablespoons coriander seeds
• 2 tablespoons allspice berries
• 2 tablespoons black peppercorns
• 2 teaspoons whole cloves
• 2 teaspoons mace blades
• 8 small dried bay leaves

This spice blend will keep for a few months sealed, use in any chutney recipe.