Friday 12 November 2010

Basic Chutney Recipe with variations

This is my base recipe that I tweak depending on what ingredients are in season.

2 tbsp olive oil
1lb roughly chopped onions
2 large red peppers, cored, seeded & roughly chopped
1 garlic clove, crushed
1 tsp ground allspice,
1 tsp ground ginger,
1 tsp paprika
1 tsp salt
2 lb ripe tomatoes, peeled & roughly chopped
1 lb sugar
300 ml vinegar (malt, white or red wine, or plain white – depending on taste, dietary restrictions)


Add all ingredients to heavy bottomed pan, cook on a medium heat at a lively simmer, stirring regularly, until the chutney is ready. You’ll know when it’s ready to go as you can drag a spoon through the mixture creating a channel that takes a while to fill back up.

Ladle into sterile warm jars. Cover and leave to cool. Label and store in a dark place for 6-8 weeks before use. The longer it has to mature, the nicer the chutney.

Once open keep refrigerated and use within a couple of weeks.




  • For chilli chutney I add a handful of chopped and deseeded chillies.
  • For very hot chilli chutney, I keep the seeds in ;)
  • For plum chutney, substitute stoned and peeled plums for the tomatoes.
  • For onion chutney, double the onions and halve the tomatoes.
  • For onion relish, triple the onions, leave out the tomatoes and use a blender to get a smoother consistency.
  • For apple chutney, replace the tomatoes with 3lbs of apples and add a handful of raisins.

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