There’s such a glut of Alexanders (Smyrnium olusatrum) at the moment – yes even in mid-January – and I have always wanted to turn it into chutney, so putting on my thinking cap I went to work to create this gorgeous Alexanders recipe.
I based it on an old chutney recipe that my grandmother used to make when I was a young boy.
Ingredients
- 500g alexanders stems (chopped)
- 3 x onions (chopped)
- 7.5oz sugar
- ¼ cup sherry vinegar
- ¼ cup red wine vinegar
- 1½ tsp mustard powder
- ½ tsp turmeric powder
- 1 tbsp cornflour
- eighth pint of water
Suggested Instructions
- Boil alexanders stems and onions in just enough salted water to cover, cook until al dente then strain.
- Put back in the pan with the sugar and vinegar, and boil for 15 minutes. Meanwhile mix the mustard, turmeric, cornflour and eighth pint of water into a smooth paste, then stir into the alexanders and boil for 15 minutes or longer if the mixture needs thickening more.
- Sterilise your jars, then fill with chutney and cap.
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{ 21 comments… read them below or add one }
How much is ‘ ? pint of water ‘ ??
Martin: eighth pint of water
Sounds good. I am collecting recipes for chutneys and jams for a course I am running later this year and I am always interested in old recipes and the way things were preserved years ago. Will; give this recipe a bash. Thanks
John
Alexanders (Smyrnium olasatrum) ????? What are they and where do I find them? There is absolutely nothing about them on the net??.. John
Will have to give this a try. Looks very similar to Delia’s Spiced Pickled Runner beans, which I make every year. She uses brown sugar and demerara and ordinary malt vinegar. Did you consider these options?
Thanks.
Smyrnium olusatrum is correct spelling, I think?
John, try looking in ‘images’ where there are a lot of pictures.
John take a look at http://en.m.wikipedia.org/wiki/Alexanders
Mon, 16/01/12. Thanks for the email and recipe for Alexanders Chutney, but I don’t know what Alexanders is/are or what they look like. Please advise. David
Dear Sir, my email address is registered with your organsation but I don’t recall receiving a FREE copy of the Classic Wild Food Collection. Would you kindly send me one. Cheers, David
Hi. I’m looking for a general chutney recipe which I can use for for sloes. I was listening in the car a couple of months ago to the Food Programme (Radio4) which was being broadcast from Welbeck and they were talking about making a “grown up’s” chutney using the discarded fruit from sloe gin. I’m just about to bottle my sloe gin and would like to make use of the alcoholic fruit – any suggestions?
It is also known, as mentioned above, as Black lovage. Look on google images.
Thanks for the chutney recipe.will give it a go sometime.
I have asked for your free booklet,but as yet have not received one.
Happy hunting John
Please tell me what is Alexander stems fro what plant? thanks.
Like David I to am registered on your site but have not received my copy of “Classic Wild Food Collection” Would you please be so kind as to send me a copy. Thank you very much. Brian.
hii there, can i have a FREE copy of the Classic Wild Food Collection please ?
i am just crazy about food that were made originally, and more about organic and own made.
I don’t like the foods in supermarket now a day, because they are so tasteless and so much chemical in it.
The world totally changed.. to worst.
My email is andrew_ysk@yahoo.com
thanks a lot.
I can not wait to try this one. As a family we eat a lot of foraged food. I too would love a copy of the Classic Wild Food Collection.
Steve: Delia? Gawd knows, I should think variations of the recipe have been kicking around for yonks as I see it being sold in numerous farmer’s markets etc.
Judy: Thanks, just changed it.
David, John, Brian, Andrew, Beverley: Have emailed you the ‘collection’.
There are masses of Alexanders here. Have never eaten them though. I was going to ask what they taste like but realise the best thing would be to go out and try! I’m not a great fan of chutney. Would they be good as a vegetable? If so, would I use the stems as in the chutney or are the leaves good too? Is any part of the plant poisonous?
Hi
Chutney looks delicious. Can I have a copy of the Wild Food collection please.
thanks
Hannah
Lucy: Here are some more Alexanders Recipes…