The annual pre Christmas lunch is looming, a tradition that has been going on for about 18 years. It started pre kids with 5 couples and now with all the kids there will be 18 for lunch.
As we do not have a table large enough to seat 18, this year I am going for a Boxing Day buffet theme. The cola baked ham is out of the oven, encrusted with treacle, mustard and demerara sugar. The turkey has been smoked on the BBQ. The brussels and carrots have been peeled and prepped and a bottled of chilled wine has been opened to start the festive dinner preparation.
For me, the best bit of the Boxing Day buffet are all the pickles and chutneys to accompany the cold meats and cheeses. I have already made a Port and Cranberry sauce but I still need a special chutney to go with the European cheese mountain one of the guests always brings.
I came across Nigella Lawson’s aptly named “Christmas Chutney”. With a little adaptation I now present my “Boxing Day” chutney, full of festive cranberries, satsuma, apples, figs and Christmas spices. Delicious as an accompaniment to your cold meats and cheeses or slathered on a turkey and ham roll.
Ingredients
Makes: 4 jam jars
375g cooking apples
1 small onion
250g cranberries
125g soft dates
1 clementine or satsuma
200g caster sugar
1/2 teaspoon ground ginger
3/4 teaspoon ground cinnamon
1 teaspoon mild chilli powder
250ml cider vinegar
1 teaspoon Maldon sea salt
Instructions
1. Sterilize your jars. I put mine through a hot cycle on the dishwasher.
2. Peel, core and roughly chop the cooking apples. Peel and roughly chop the onion. Put in a large saucepan. Add cranberries (defrost if frozen) and chopped dates into the pan.
3. Zest the clementines/satsumas into the pan and squeeze in the juice.
4. Add the sugar, ginger, cinnamon, salt and chilli powder, then pour in the vinegar.
5. Give the pan a good stir, bring to a boil, then turn down the heat to simmer gently, uncovered, for about 45 mins to an hour or until you have a sticky mix that bubbles like lava.
6. Fill your sterilised jars and seal.
7. This matures with age, store in a dark, cool, dry place. It should store well for 6-12 months. Once open keep in the fridge and use within a month.
- 375g cooking apples
- 1 small onion
- 250g cranberries
- 125g soft dates
- 1 clementine or satsuma
- 200g caster sugar
- ½ teaspoon ground ginger
- ¾ teaspoon ground cinnamon
- 1 teaspoon mild chilli powder
- 250ml cider vinegar
- 1 teaspoon Maldon sea salt
- Sterilize your jars. I put mine through a hot cycle on the dishwasher.
- Peel, core and roughly chop the cooking apples. Peel and roughly chop the onion. Put in a large saucepan. Add cranberries (defrost if frozen) and chopped dates into the pan.
- Zest the clementines/satsumas into the pan and squeeze in the juice.
- Add the sugar, ginger, cinnamon, salt and chilli powder, then pour in the vinegar.
- Give the pan a good stir, bring to a boil, then turn down the heat to simmer gently, uncovered, for about 45 mins to an hour or until you have a sticky mix that bubbles like lava.
- Fill your sterilised jars and seal.
- This matures with age, store in a dark, cool, dry place. It should store well for 6-12 months. Once open keep in the fridge and use within a month.
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