Green Tomato Chutney

I absolutely am delighted that I have picked the last of the produce from the vegie patch that requires any work at all to become a preserve. There is no more to do, the vegie patch is now pretty much dead & it just needs to be refreshed (yay!). Yesterday I cooked up 6kgs of green tomatoes & made a Green Tomato Chutney - 18 jars of the stuff. I don't think I have ever eaten a green tomato chutney before, so I look forward to trying this one.



Green Tomato Chutney

1kg cooking apples, chopped.
3 onions, chopped
6 garlic cloves, chopped
2 cups raisins
2kg green tomatoes, chopped
2 tbsp ginger, chopped
2 tbsp mustard seeds
6 allspice berries, crushed
1/2 tsp dry chilli, chopped
3 cups sugar
1 tbsp salt

4 cups vinegar

1. Combine all the ingredients in a large saucepan
2. Bring to the boil.
3. Simmer for about 3 hours, stirring frequently, especially towards the end of cooking.
4. When it is thickening & you can stir a wooden spoon through it without any free liquid, it is done.
5. Ladle into sterilised jars & seal.

Eggplant Chutney

I harvested about half of the eggplants recently & got a great amount. I've never grown them before & I must say they are dreadfully easy to grow. I have also never really cooked with them, not sure why, but they do scare me. I love their colour though, & my wedding dress was an eggplant purple colour. So, what to do with the eggplants - of course I found a recipe & made a rather spectacular eggplant chutney. It is so very easy to make, & doesn't take long at all. Enjoy!

Eggplant Chutney

800gm eggplant cut into 1cm cubes
2 onions chopped
4 tbsp oil
200ml malt or red wine vinegar
100gm raisins
2tsp ground ginger
½ tsp ground allspice
250gm brown sugar

1. Combine all the ingredients in a large heavy-based saucepan.
2. Stir over high heat until the sugar dissolves & bring to the boil.
3. Reduce heat to medium-low & boil gently, stirring occasionally, for 1 1/2 hours or until all the excess liquid has evaporated & the mixture is thick.
4. Stir the chutney more frequently towards the end of cooking.
5. Remove the saucepan from the heat.
   
6. Stir and then ladle into hot sterilised jars.
7. Label, date and store in a cool dark place for at least 1 month before using.
8. This chutney will store in a cool, dark place for 6 months.
   
9. Once opened, keep in the fridge for up to 8 weeks.