'Tis the seaon......

for chutney making.....

Our tomato plants HAD to be pulled up last week..... seriously, it was so cold and there was no way they were going to give us anything that could be put into a salad so they had to go.

I ALWAYS save the green tomatoes though (of which there are usually plenty) and this year was no exception.

A kilo of green tomatoes and a recipe by Marguerite Patten from this book has resulted in a small congregation of yummy green tomato chutney-filled jars on my pantry shelf.....


I used this particular recipe (she has more than one recipe for green tomato chutney in her book - how's that for choice!) because it doesn't call for pickling spices - I had no pickling spice in the cupboard and was not going to rush out to get any especially when I did have everything I needed for this recipe within arms reach......

Anyway, here's the recipe incase you have any green tomatoes hanging around that you are unsure what to do with!!

900g green tomatoes
450g onions
450g cooking apples, weight when peeled and cored
450mls malt or wine vinegar
1/2-1 tsp ground ginger
1/2-1 tsp ground mixed spice
350g sugar
300g sultanas (I used about half this amount - just personal preference)
salt & freshly ground pepper to taste

Skin and chop the tomatoes (I do not skin green tomatoes - WAY too hard!!).
Peel and finely chop the onions and dice or grate the apples.
Put all the ingredients, except the sugar, sultanas and seasoning, into the preserving pan and simmer gently until tender.
Add the sugar and stir over a low heat until dissolved, then put in the sultanas and seasoning.
Simmer steadily until the chutney is the consistency is of a thick jam.
Spoon into warmed jars and seal


When cool, put pretty fabric circles on top to remind you of the jars of jam your mother used to buy from the Women's Institute Summer Fayres every year and then enjoy your homemade bounty.....