The autumn equinox, known as Mabon on some pagan paths, is nearly upon us, the nights are drawing in, and my mind turns to ways of using up the glut of autumn fruit.
I found the original version of this recipe a while back on www.lavenderandlovage.com, which is a gorgeous site and full of beautiful recipes. I made it with a view to bringing it out for Christmas parties and the cheese board, and it was delicious. This makes quite a lot, so it is perfect for giving as a gift to the foodies in your life as well. I struggled to find fresh figs in my local supermarket so substituted dried figs instead and it worked just fine, giving this darker, richer colour, though as they tend to be sweeter I used a little less. As a side note, I had a couple of jars left over and a year on it was even more gorgeous and had matured to heavenly proportions.
Apple, Pear and Fig Chutney
Ingredients
- 750 g apples peeled, cored and finely chopped into small cubes
- 1 kg pears peeled, cored and finely chopped into small cubes
- 300 g dried figs stems removed, quartered if whole
- 375 g onions peeled and diced
- 1 tbsp ground cinnamon
- 1 tbsp cardamom seeds from freshly crushed pods
- 1 tsp mace
- 2 oranges zest and juice
- 500 g soft brown sugar
- 450 ml cider vinegar
Instructions
- Place the onions, apples, pears and figs into a large preserving pan with the orange juice and bring to a gentle simmer. Allow to simmer until the onions and fruit are cooked and the fruit has broken down.
- Add the spices, orange zest, vinegar and sugar and bring to a brisk boil, then reduce the heat to a good simmer and cook until the chutney is almost done, stirring occasionally.
- Once it is almost done and it is the desired consistence, after about half an hour, stir it regularly to stop it catching or sticking. The chutney is ready when a spoon drawn through the mixture leaves a trail.
- Ladle the hot chutney into hot, clean and sterile jars, then seal with a new screw-top lid. Store in a cool dark place for at least one month to mature, and keep in the fridge once opened.