Regular readers of this site will know by now that we love a good chutney! My previous posts for Beetroot Chutney and Tomato Relish are two of the most visited and commented on recipes that I have posted – Spiced Damson Chutney has also proved popular (see comment below – thanks Sharon!). Here, I suspect is another favourite. Certainly, the half quantity I made was eagerly received and left me wondering why I had not risked making the full amount. However, I still have lots of apples to use up – what a bumper harvest (and generous friends) – we have had this year.
I was first alerted to the recipe for Spiced Apple Chutney by Shaheen at Allotment 2 Kitchen. That was way back last year at the end of November when I did not have enough time (and had also just made a shipping order of different chutneys). I made a note to have a go at making the original recipe for Spiced Apple Chutney which came from BBC Food as it looked so good. The amounts spice used looked rather a lot, especially the paprika, so I used scant quantities, but I think I need not have bothered. Shaheen used Allspice rather than Mixed Spice but I am not sure why as they are not the same: it may of course be a personal tweak adding a flavour she really liked – not uncommon! Allspice are berries from the Pimiento. Mixed Spice is a blend of ground spices especially used in the UK which usually includes Cinnamon (or Cassia), Nutmeg, Cloves and Ginger (occasionally Allspice, Cayenne and/or Coriander as well). It is similar to the French Quatre épices (literally four spices): pepper, cloves, nutmeg and ginger (sometimes substituting allspice for pepper and cinnamon for ginger), commonly used in meat dishes such as paté and terrines. Additionally in the Netherlands (Belgium and Germany too) the Speculaas/Speculoos biscuits contain a spice mixture called (in the Netherlands) Speculaaskruiden, which is a mixture of cinnamon, nutmeg, cloves, ginger, cardamon and white pepper. (I keep promising myself I will make some of these biscuits…) Although this is rather going off on a tangent, there is an interesting post listing Spice mixtures worldwide on Wikipedia. However, back to the chutney… I’m thinking of putting in ginger another time in addition to what is already in the mixed spice to enhance that flavour. The original recipe gave a choice between adding sultanas or raisins (which are similar) and as an alternative, dates. There was never any contest for me as I would find dates just too much in what is already rather a sweet (though delicious) chutney: sultanas it was! The only other tweak I made was to use my usual method of adding the sugar later once the other ingredients have reduced a little. The sugar can be inclined to make the mixture burn before it has fully reduced and I find this helps to prevent this. Overall I would recomment Spiced Apple Chutney as having a lovely mixture of sweet and spicy. It is delicious eaten with pungent cheese, ham or pork (but I am sure it would be a good accompaniment for all meats.
Warning: Do not try to make a double batch in one pan. Reducing the extra liquid will be difficult and leaving it to cook down for a long time could lead to the sugars burning. I speak from experience! I apply this rule to all home made jams and chutneys: nothing worse than a bitter burnt flavour lurking in the background. I find using the widest saucepan I have gives the biggest surface area for the quick evaporation of liquid.
Spiced Apple Chutney
(Makes 4-6 jars)
225g/8oz onions, chopped
900g/2lb apples, cored & chopped
110g/4oz sultanas, raisins or stoned chopped dates
15g/½oz ground coriander
15g/½oz paprika
15g/½oz mixed spice
15g/½oz salt
340g/12oz granulated sugar
425ml/15fl ozs/¾ pint malt vinegar
1. Put all the ingredients apart from the sugar into a saucepan. Slowly bring to the boil and simmer for 1 -1½ hours, stirring from time to time to stop the chutney sticking to the pan.
2. Reduce the mixture until it has thickened. You should be able to draw a channel across the bottom of the pan through the mixture that doesn’t close over too quickly.
3. Add the sugar and stir until dissolved. Continue to cook on a medium/high heat, stirring regularly to avoid burning.
4. Continue to cook until the chutney is very thick and you can once more draw a channel across the base of the pan that does not immediately fill with liquid.
5. Meanwhile wash the jars well and sterilise them. I usually do this by filling the jars with boiling water and putting the lids in a bowl of boiling water. I pour away the water just before filling each jar and immediately take the lid from the bowl and screw it on.
6. Pot while still hot into the pre-prepared sterilised jars. Screw on the lids well and then turn upside down until cool, which helps with the seal, after which they can be labelled. This can be eaten immediately but also keeps well.
7. Store in a cool, dark cupboard for two to three months before eating. (Actually I opened one jar immediately to test it and it was fine: it will be interesting to try a more mature version around Christmas.)
8. This is particularly good eaten with cheese, ham or pork.
Ooh, can’t wait to try this one. If the Beetroot chutney, tomato relish and spiced damson are anything to go by ……can’t get enough of those.
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Hello again Sharon: I was hoping that one or two of my chutney ‘fan club’ might pick up on this – enjoy!
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Lovely recipe, and interesting about all the spice mixtures. But of course, it is so obvious when you point it out, each of them is good for a different dish, cake or biscuit. I make a jar of German Lebkuchen spices every so often, which is great with chocolate or in biscuits, but I think it might be nice in a chutney – it’s mostly cinnamon, but with some ginger, cloves, coriander and star anise. I’ve also just been given a large bag of juicy, tangy apples from an old tree, so some chutney would be a very good idea indeed.
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It is a lovely recipe – I do like your idea of putting some Star Anise in too! Sounds as if you have all the ingredients so hope you enjoy. I make Lebkuchen as well, adding the spices as per the recipe from their individual jars. One of my favourite Christmassy nibbles!
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My late Mum made a chutney like this with green tomatoes and apples. It was an old British recipe. I hope you don’t mind if I adapt this to fill a need as I can’t find Mum’s recipe
Of course you can. The original recipe isn’t mine though.