Why I love this...
OK, I admit this one is a far cry from my easy and quick recipes, but I promise it is worth the effort! This tangy and sweet, syrupy yet chunky chutney makes a great seasonal alternative to classic cheeseboard choices (think red onion chutney) and it's not one you can easily find on a local supermarket shelf making it an ideal foodie present. It also make an awesome addition to a sourdough cheese toastie, if that is your thing ;-)
Ingredients
700g Pumpkin
2 Bramley apples
1 Red onion
1 Red chilli
2 Satsumas or Clementines
3-4 Garlic cloves
3cm Piece of ginger
1/2 Cup raisins (rehydated in some boiling water)
350g Soft brown sugar
200 ml Cider vinegar
1 Tbsp Oil for frying
1 Tsp Cumin seeds
1 Cinnamon stick
8 Cardamom pods: split open and use seeds
3 Star anise
8 Allspice berries
1/2 Tsp Brown mustard seeds
1 Tsp Salt
50ml Whisky (optional)
Equipment
Chopping board
Chopping knife
Peeler
Small bowl
Two dinner plates to prep your ingredients
Teaspoon
Tablespoon
Large saucepan
Stirring spoon
Scale
Appliances: Hob, Kettle, Oven (to disinfect jars)
Preparation
Put the raisins in the bowl and just cover with boiling water to rehydrate
Peel your squash and cut into 1/2 -1 inch chunks. Set aside
Finely chop the red onion, red chilli, ginger and garlic and keep in seperate piles on the plate
Put the oil to your saucepan and place on a medium heat. Add the cumin seeds and gently fry before adding the onion. Soften the onion without browning over a low to medium heat, stirring occasionally.
Meanwhile peel and core the apple and chop into 1/2 inch pieces.
When the onion is softned and sweet, add the chilli, garlic, ginger, star anise, allspice berries, mustard seeds and cardamom. Increase the heat to medium and fry for 10 seconds before throwing in the apple and cinnamon stick. Stir well and keep moving everything so it's well mixed.
Pour in half the whisky (or alternatively water) and 30 ml of water and let it bubble for a minute whilst cutting the clementines in half. Add the juice of one clementin and stir in the squash. Cover, reduce the heat and let this cook away for around 15 minutes.
Then stir in the sugar, vinegar, salt before covering the pan again and letting it gently bubble away until the squash is soft but still has shape. This should take about 30 minutes depending on the type and gives you time to sterilise your jars.
Check in regularly, give it a stir and at around 15 minutes pour in the rest of the whisky and add the juice of the second clementine.
When it's deliciously syrupy but the squash still has texture check for flavour and adjust for sweetness or saltyness.
Then fill into the warm sterilised jars and seal immediately.
TOP TIP: This is best left in the cupboard for a couple of weeks for the flavours to deepen.