The Cottage Smallholder

1kg green eating apples  - quartered, cored and coarsley chopped (unpeeled)

15g garlic - peeled and chopped

1 ltr malt vinegar

450g dates, stoned and chopped

450g raisins

115g preserved or crsp saltystalised stem ginger, chopped

450g soft light brown sugar

half tsp cayenne pepper

2 tbsp salt

Put apples and garlic in preserving pan with vinegar, bring to boil and simmer for 10 mins, add all other ingeredients and cook gently for another 45 mins, stirring regularly. When it's nice and thick jar up into sterilised hot jars and seal immediately.

Simple eh?

Notes " I use sultanas or raisins, whichever I have in, I use demerara or even golden caster sugar sometimes " depends what's on offer at supermarkets. I've used all sorts of eating apples, not necessarily green ones. I have made it with cookers, but the texture is a bit mushy and it's supposed to be a bit chunky.