I thought I might I have a bash at chutney, using my present glut of wild plums and hedgerow apple, but looking at the recipe here, I'm a bit daunted by watching a pot slowly simmer for 5 hours.
Any reason why I shouldn't boil up the plums tonight in vinegar to destone tomorrow, then just shove them and the apple into a slow cooker with cider vinegar (I have that, but not wine vinegar in stock), sugar, onion, and what bits and bobs of dried fruit and spices that I've got around, maybe buying the bit of something?
David
Well, it's on. Not quite to recipe, but close enough, especially as regards to quantity of plums, apple, sugar and vinegar.
I've made a smallish batch to start, just as well as only a small slow cooker, and as I somewhat untypically had a bit of wine left from last night's bottle, shoved that in too.
Will leave to run till this evening, when I'll sterilise jars and bottle.
I think I'll try an idea from another thread, viz, to sterilise the har tops in the oven along with the jars, and, in case that buggers the seal, wrap the entire jars in clingfilm until ready for use.
No idea if this will work, but has to be tried.
David
David B said:
and as I somewhat untypically had a bit of wine left from last night's bottle, shoved that in too.
Look, and you should know by now after 130 posts, it is not acceptable to not finish the bottle unless you are on the second then you are granted privileges....get it....
You don't have to watch the slow cooker you know...they do their stuff.....
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Well, it's done, and, for my taste I might have overdone the ginger and cayenne a bit. Not too much though. I'll certainly eat it, and it might not taste as hot on a cheese sandwich as it does on a teaspoon. Most people, I think, like more hot spice than I do, anyway.
The texture is good, the pot was easy to clean, and when (not if) I make chutney again I will certainly use the slow cooker.
I don't fancy simmering for 5 hours on an electric hotplate, stirring frequently, and still (as I'm pretty sure I would) ending up with some horribly hard to remove gunge at the bottom of the pan.
I just had a thought. Beans on toast is a very good quick lunch when one is short of time, but a spoonful of chutney in the beans might transform it from something that is OK, filling and nutritious, but a bit bland into something that is really tasty.
David
And an update. Just had a cheese and chutney roll, and find that though the chutney was rather hot as a spoonful, when eaten with cheese, bread and butter it is just fine. Like it better than Branston pickle, and Sainsbury's chunky tomato chutney.
Now for more stewed hedgerow apple and wild plum, with yogurt, and that will do for an early lunch.
David
I used to eat chutney quite a lot but for some reason I seem to have stopped eating it recently. I still have a jar of last years pumpkin chutney in the back of the fridge so I might try that again soon to see how it has aged.
A few weeks ago we were given a bag of courgettes which have got to the stage where they really need eating, along with the sack of onions which are also getting on a bit and the fridge which is rapidly filling up with tomatoes and chillies from the garden, this all suggests throwing in a pan to make a chutney.
We don't have a slow cooker but we do have a huge electric wok with a lid and a 'low' setting which would probably do the trick... This might be an experiment for next week...
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David B said:
A further thought is to stick a spoonful of chutney into the next stew I use the slow cooker for.
Wondering whether to try it at the beginning of cooking, or just a few minutes before eating
I'm a fan of a tablespoon or two of mango chutney stirred into curries mi-way though cooking. I'd be be willing to experiment with other chutneys too.
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