There are still plenty of apples out there and you might be running out of ideas by now. Well, you could do a lot worse than stockpile some jars of this delicious spiced chutney. It goes brilliantly with sharp, mature cheddar and other hard cheeses and is a bold accompaniment to pâté, sausage and mash and roast pork. Alternatively, try stirring it into casseroles for a bit of extra oomph. This recipe is based on Nigella Lawson’s from How to be a Domestic Goddess.
For about a litre you will need:
500g apples
1 medium onion
2 bird’s-eye chillies
250g brown sugar
1 teaspoon ground allspice (or a mixture of nutmeg and cinnamon)
1 teaspoon ground cloves
half a teaspoon sea salt
freshly ground black pepper
1 heaped tablespoon chopped or grated fresh ginger
1 teaspoon turmeric
350ml cider vinegar
Peel and roughly chop the apples – you might need to pick them over first to remove any badly bruised flesh (ours were all windfalls). Chop the onion. Seed the chillies and chop finely. Put all the ingredients in a pan and bring to the boil.
Cook over a medium heat for 40 minutes or so, until the mixture thickens. Spoon into sterilised jars. Try to wait a few weeks before using as it needs time to mellow, otherwise, it will taste too acidic and vinegary.
