SEASONAL CHUTNEY

Seasonal Chutney image

Season: June to October. This is essentially Hugh Fearnley-Whittingstall's classic Glutney, or River Cottage chutney, which first appeared in The River Cottage Cookbook. The fruit and vegetable chopping is time-consuming, but important. Whizzing everything up in a food processor would give a very different, sloppy-textured result.

Yield makes twelve to thirteen 8-ounce jars

Number Of Ingredients 54

Ingredients

2 ounces fresh ginger, bruised
12 cloves
2 teaspoons black peppercorns
1 teaspoon coriander seeds
2 1/4 pounds summer squash, peeled (if need be) and diced
2 1/4 pounds green tomatoes or tomatillos, peeled and diced
1 pound, 2 ounces cooking apples, peeled, cored, and diced
1 pound, 2 ounces onions, peeled and diced.
3 cups golden raisins
2 1/2 cups light brown sugar
2 1/2 cups cider vinegar or white wine vinegar
2 teaspoons dried chile flakes (optional)
Pinch of salt
For the spice bag
2 teaspoons yellow mustard seeds
2 teaspoons black peppercorns
2 ounces fresh ginger, bruised
3 pounds, 6 ounces rhubarb, trimmed and chopped
2 1/4 pounds cooking apples, peeled, cored, and diced
1 pound, 2 ounces onions, peeled and diced
2 1/2 cups dried figs, chopped and soaked overnight in the juice of 3 large oranges with the grated zest of 2 oranges
3 1/2 ounces crystallized ginger, chopped
For the spice bag
2 ounces fresh ginger, bruised
1 teaspoon cloves
1 teaspoon cumin seeds
1 teaspoon coriander seeds
2 teaspoons black peppercorns
1 pound, 2 ounces unsulfured dried apricots, chopped, soaked overnight, and drained
2 1/4 pounds summer squash, peeled
(if need be) and diced
1 pound, 2 ounces cooking apples, peeled, cored, and diced
1 pound, 2 ounces onions, peeled and diced
1 1/2 cups pitted dates, chopped
1 1/2 cups raisins
For the spice bag
2 ounces fresh ginger, bruised
2 teaspoons yellow mustard seeds
2 teaspoons black peppercorns
2 1/4 pounds plums, quartered and pitted
1 pound, 10 ounces pears, peeled, cored, and diced
1 pound, 10 ounces cooking apples, peeled, cored, and diced
1 pound, 2 ounces shallots, peeled and diced
1 1/2 cups pitted prunes, coarsely chopped
For the spice bag
2 teaspoons peppercorns
12 cloves
2 cinnamon sticks
2 1/4 pounds peeled and deseeded pumpkin, diced
2 1/4 pounds quince, peeled, cored, and diced
1 pound, 10 ounces cooking apples, peeled, cored, and diced
1 pound, 10 ounces red onions, peeled and diced
3 cups raisins
2 ounces freshly grated horseradish root

Steps:

Make your spice bag by tying up the spices in an 8-inch square of cheesecloth. Put this into a preserving pan with all the other ingredients and bring slowly to a boil, stirring occasionally. This will take awhile, as there will be lots in the pan, but don't hurry it.
Let the mixture simmer, uncovered, for 2 1/2 to 3 hours - maybe even a bit more. You do not have to hover, hawk-eyed, over the pan, but do keep an eye on it and stir regularly to ensure it doesn't burn. It's ready when it is glossy, thick, rich in color and well reduced - but with the chunks of fruit and vegetables still clearly discernible. It is thick enough if, when you draw a wooden spoon through it, the chutney parts to reveal the bottom of the pan for a few seconds.
Pot the chutney while warm in sterilized jars (see p. 21). Pack down with the back of a spoon to remove any air pockets. Seal with vinegar-proof lids (see p. 22). Store in a cool, dark place for a couple of months to mature before using. Use within 2 years.
For each variation, use 2 1/2 cups of light brown sugar, 2 1/2 cups of cider vinegar or white wine vinegar, a pinch of salt, and 2 teaspoons of dried chile flakes (if using) and follow the basic method.