Sweet Chilli Christmas Chutney Recipe

For the last four years, I have made Christmas Hampers packed full of some of my favourite treats I like to share with close friends and family.  I usually vary the contents each year, but a hamper wouldn't be complete without a Christmas chutney to delve in to to accompany left over meats on Boxing Day.  That's how I like to imagine them going down, anyhow. 

This chutney (actually adapted from Mary Berry's) really reaches its peak in taste by 6 months, although still delicious before this nonetheless, it can be stored for up to two years, proving you've sterilized the jars properly as explained in a blog post last week.  I know it's tempting, but do not skip this bit and risk spoiling your home made creations.

I got a chance to use my homegrown vegetables for the job straight from my back garden, so even more love has gone in to my chutneys over time and then I finally gave them the look they deserved by dressing them up using my new labelling set by Tala.  Normally I dig out my bag of pretty patterned fabric offcuts and print labels but this year I opted for quickness so I can move on to my next hamper gift sooner.

I know, you might be thinking "but there's only three months left until Christmas!"  Yes, but you can still make them now and it will still taste lovely and who's to say they won't open it straight away?  I always find when I give someone a much more personal gift which I've put thought and effort in to, it is always much more appreciated than something generic off a store shelf that anyone can go and buy.

So here's the the recipe and I don't doubt you'll love it.  If you're worried it will be too hot (I like a bit of heat to my food and love medium chillis but not too hot or mild on my tastebuds), then use just one chilli or none at all.  My fiance thought it was too hot for him but I said once you've got it on a meat and cheese sandwich or whatever you want, I'm sure you'll only get a hint of it.  I suppose just know your audience.

Recipe

Ingredients

900g Tomatoes, skinned in boiling water
900g easy cook veg (I used: 1 red, green & yellow pepper, deseeded, diced & 1 very large courgette, diced
2 small green chillis, deseeded & finely chopped (optional)
700g onions, peeled & diced
4 large cloves of garlic, minced
350g granulated sugar
300ml white wine vinegar
1 tablespoon salt
1 tablespoon coriander seeds, crushed in a pestle & mortar
1 tablespoon paprika
2 teaspoon cayenne pepper

Method

1. First skin the tomatoes by placing in boiling water until the skins have cracked and can be peeled easily.
2. Dice all of the veg, garlic, chilli and tomatoes and transfer to a large jam pan (you may struggle with a regular large pan).
3. Put a lid on your pan and gently simmer, stirring from time to time for 1 hour until all veg is tender.
4. Now tip the rest of the ingredients into the pan and stir the sugar until it has dissolved.
5. Now boil for around 30 minutes, stirring regularly until there is no excess liquid.
6. While hot, pour into hot sterilized jars and screw the lid on tight and store in a cool dark place, preferably for 6 months before giving as a present or eating.  I hope you're inspired to giving something you made this Christmas and if there's something you have to make every year, then please share it with me in the comments below.  I am always looking for new ideas.

More Recipes You Might Like

• Eating Apple Chutney
• Low fat chutney in a slow cooker
• Easy mincemeat cake recipe, which you may want to start first, so you can recycle the jars for this chutney

📖 Recipe