Recipes

Pear & Ginger Chutney

This tasty, rich dark chutney is an ideal accompaniment to spice dishes, curries and the like as well as a condiment to accompany cold meats.

The secret to this chutney is the crystallised ginger and cayenne that pack a great punch! It also has the advantage of being a long keeping chutney, so make plenty to see you through the year!

You will need

A good preserving pan, stockpot or a large heavy bottomed saucepan.
Sterilised jars and lids for bottling

2kg of Pears, Peeled, cored and diced
1 Green Capsicum. De-seeded and small dice
500gmsa peeled sliced and diced Onion (optional
225g Raisins
500g white sugar
1 teaspoon cayenne pepper
½ teaspoon salt
100g fine slice/dice crystallised ginger
1 litre of cider vinegar

Muslin bag containing
½ teaspoon of allspice berries (bruised)
½ teaspoon cloves (bruised)
3 small cinnamon sticks, broken up
Hint…no muslin...a new chux cloth or similar works just as well!

Method

Prepare the chutney ingredients and place in preserving pan. Heat until a rapid boil occurs, stirring well. Place the bag of spices in mixture.
Turn heat down to a simmer and continue cooking for anything up to 2 hours or more.
The chutney will thicken and gradually take on a rick dark golden brown colour, thickening as it goes. Keep a steady on how it is going, stirring every 20 minutes or so. After about 1 ½ hours as the chutney is coming together keep a very close eye on it and the heat as there can be a tendency to burn the bottom if left unwatched or getting too hot.
The chutney is ready once it is thick and dark. Remove muslin bag and squeeze juices back into chutney.
Bottle, top with a paper seal on the chutney to exclude air and seal tightly.
Makes about 4/5 average sized jars.
Store in a dark place. Enjoy!!

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