Grape chutney 1.0
We have so many grapes!
I'm overwhelmed ... this crop is only about a quarter of what is hanging on the vines. We washed, seeded and crushed half of these this weekend - enough to fill my pot to the 3 litre mark ... and made seven jars of grape chutney version 1.0 ... and it's fab!
Here's the approximate recipe ...
3 litres of red grapes, torn in half and seeded
Two large onions, finely chopped
Four shallots, finely chopped
One large apple, chopped into small chunks
Half a mug each of cider vinegar and red wine vinegar
A large slug of maple syrup
A large handful of raisins
Cinnamon
Ginger
Mild curry powder
Medium curry powder
Salt
Fresh ground black pepper
Cook all that up for about an hour, til it's all squishy, then remove from the heat and dissolve in sugar - about 2 cups of brown and half a cup of white. Return to the heat and simmer for about 45 minutes (half a football match).
Serve with dairy-lea cheese triangles and wholemeal toast :)
I think I will be making at least another two batches, varying the recipe. And I will be seeding grapes in my sleep for weeks!
Labels: chutney, grape chutney, grapes
posted by Stray at 10:54 PM
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6 Comments:
How fabulous to have all this bounty on your doorstep and how delicious it sounds. Will you be turning into a winemaker as well? If so, reserve me a caseful.
Sadly Natalie I don't drink so the process of making wine might have been difficult without a taster ... and then I discovered from the previous owner's daughter that the grapes are for eating, preserving and making raisins - not a wine variety.
A relief really - home made wine sounds highly dangerous to me - I seem to remember a cupboard under the stairs in one of my childhood homes filled with bottles of something, threatening to explode. Even if you get through the manufacturing process without an insurance claim I'm pretty certain it could still end in tears the day after you drink it :)
It is amazing though to have this stuff just growing around us ... the man who lived here and built this wonderful place and planted all these fruit trees and vines would, according to his daughter, be over the moon that we had such a bumper crop and are making use of it.
xx
The light in that second photo is especially wonderful!
Mmm lovely, can imagine someone will be searching ebay for a secondhand dehydrator - wonder if freecycle will bring one forth? Home grown and made raisins what a thought for wet cold Britain:0) Eccles cakes, rasin bread, garabaldi biscuits, scotch pancakes.... endless possibilities but only a limited time span to pick them before the weather really gets into seasonal swing with frosts and low temps generally.
No swinging from the vines eh:0)
I might try this stray! lovely to finally take time to see your stunning pictures!
thanks Ruth - welcome! I think it will taste even better on your side of the splash ...
MB, I'm afraid I can't actually take credit for the light, only for mindfully capturing it. The sun did that all by itself!
D-W, I'm hoping to use them ALL as grapes, because I have a cupboard full of raisins .... but hey - a dryer ... I might check ebay after all!
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