Making chutney

[BlueCowWonders]

Does anyone have a good resource for chutney? I don't really want a recipe, more a beginner's guide where I can ad lib a bit.
Thank you!

[ChaosMoon]

I made this one today and it's delicious - www.google.com/amp/s/amp.theguardian.com/lifeandstyle/2009/oct/04/nigel-slater-green-tomato-recipes.

It's nice because it doesn't make huge quantities. So you can have a play around and then scale up when you have a flavour combination you like.

[BlueCowWonders]

Thank you! That's exactly what I've been looking for

[sashh]

I make an easy mango chutney that does about a jar.

2 mangoes, one peeled both chopped
a handful of raisins

Get the jar you are going to use, half fill with sugar, then our into a pan,so the same with vinegar.

Andthe fruit to the pan with any spies you like and cook on low until, well until you get chutney - you can draw a wooden spoon across the bottom of the pan and the 'trail' stays dry.

[SalemSpellman]

@sashh this sounds brilliant, which type of vinegar do you use?

[magimedi]

I've been making chutney for years (am v.v. old!) & one tip I would give is always start by warming the sugar & vinegar alone until the sugar dissolves.

Lots of recipes say to add all the other stuff at the same time & it is then much easier for the sugar to catch on the bottom of the pan.

[BlueCowWonders]

Good point Magimedi - jam recipes often tell you to warm the sugars first so I'll do the same with my chutney making.

[sashh]

I use prickling vinegar

[magimedi]

Pickling vinegar already has some spices added to it. I use it for pickled onions but for other pickles I use cider vinegar.

[sashh]

Magi

I add spicestopickledonions do they are double spicef,but top them off with raspberry vinegar - try it.

[Gotthetshirt23]

Any pickled onion recipes ?
Apologies for hi jacking

[magimedi]

Sashh That sounds lovely. No longer make pickled onions as I'm the only one who likes them & they give me awful indigestion these days!

THIS is very similar to the recipe I use but make sure the vinegar/spice mix is cold before adding it to the onions or they won't be crunchy.

[PurpleDaisies]

www.bbcgoodfood.com/recipes/spiced-beetroot-orange-chutney

This is a really nice one, especially for Christmas time.

[sashh]

magimedi

It was an accident the first time, I'd done a batch and ran out of pickling vinegar, it was all I had in the house.

Gotthetshirt23

Try Delia Smith. Then adapt it.

[ByeByeMissAmericanPie]

River Cottage has a ’Glutney’ Recipe which gives lots of alternatives for substitutes.

Good tip about the sugar and vinegar MagiMedi

[ByeByeMissAmericanPie]

Have just made quince paste.
Do not make it if you’re in a hurry! It took me 3 goes yesterday to get it reduced down.

[magimedi]

There are some nice chutneys on THIS thread

[BlueCowWonders]

@ChaosMoon
@magimedi
I've just (just this minute!) made the Nigel Slater tomato chutney
Started by dissolving the sugar
But it took so much longer than the recipe - not the hour it said but probably double that before it got to the gloopy stage.
But last question for now - how long to keep it before it tastes right? (Min? I'm sure the max is pretty open)
Thank you 😊

[magimedi]

I haven't made that particular chutney, but I reckon that 4 weeks is the bare minimum before you start to eat your chutney & 6/8 weeks even better.

If you eat them too early they will taste really 'vinegary' - the vinegar mellows as it keeps.

I have often eaten chutney that is 3 years old & it's been lovely.

[RickOShay]

I just love prickling vinegar
Any good apple chutney ideas?

[BlueCowWonders]

Coming back to this thread to say thanks again to @ChaosMoon and @magimedi
The Nigel Slater recipe was all right at Christmas- 2 months after i made it. But it's really lovely now, 7 months in! All mellowed together and delicious
We're now nearly at the end though so I'll need to find another recipe to add to my collection til I have green tomatoes again.

[ChaosMoon]

Oh good! I found a forgotten jar the other day. I must crack it open.