With gluts of feral apples, and bags of wild spice in our kitchen, I played around until I came up with this uber-delicious Wild Spiced Apple & Beetroot chutney recipe.
Nourishing, warming and truly scrummy it will warm your ‘cockles’ on these cold, wet Autumnal days.
Wild Spice Recipe Ingredients
- 2lbs beetroot (peeled and cut into small cubes)
- 2 onions (finely chopped)
- 1lb apples (shop bought, but best if scrumped)
- 2oz raisins
- 500ml cider vinegar
- 2tbps of wild spice (equal parts of ground hogweed, alexanders & wild fennel seeds)
- 1inch piece of fresh root ginger (peeled and chopped finely or grated)
- 1lb dark, soft brown sugar
Wild Spice Recipe Instructions
- Put beetroots, onions, apples and raisins in a preserving pan. Pour over vinegar, add spices and ginger and mix well.
- Bring the mixture to the boil, then reduce the heat and simmer for 45 minutes or until vegetables are soft, stirring occasionally.
- Add the sugar, stir until it has dissolved, then continue to simmer for 1 – 1½ hours until the chutney is thick and the liquid has been absorbed. Stir continuously near the end of the cooking time. It’s ready when you can pull a spoon through the mix and it stays back so you can briefly see the bottom of the pan.
- Spoon into warm sterilised jars. Cover with a waxed paper seal (optional), then screw on the lid.
- Store in a cool, dark place for one month before using, although I couldn’t resist the temptation and the first jar got cracked open the very next day. This Wild Spiced Apple & Beetroot Chutney recipe will keep for about a year.
Serves: 3 jam jars