Christmas Chutney

One thing I like to make each year for the Holidays is my Christmas Chutney.   It's sooooo good and makes a wonderful change from the regular Cranberry Sauce.



It has a tiny bit of a bite, which you can adjust by the amount of chili's you add.  I usually err on the side of caution because we don't really like things that are tooooo hot, but by all means you can adjust it to your own tastes.



I always make enough for us to have here at home (it goes so well with all sorts of meats and cheeses) and I make some to give as gifts to our friends.  I think they would be quite disappointed if I didn't have some for them each year!



There is nothing really out of the ordinary in it.  It's basically just fresh cranberries, chopped onion, sultanas, citrus peel, vinegar, two sugars, and a mix of tasty spices.  It goes together lickety split, and tastes better with each day that passes.



It's great with your Christmas Dinner, and then after Christmas with the leftovers, but where it really shines is on a cheese board.  This is some of that Castello Tickler Cheddar I got last week.  Oh boy did it ever go good with that!  Delicious!  Those crackers are fabulous as well.  I got them at Aldi, from it's line of Gourmet Crackers.  They're really nice!  I'm going to go back and get some more.  (They come in three flavours . . . salted, black pepper and rosemary and are a real steal at only 99p a pack!) 

I hope you will give this chutney a go this year.  I guarantee you won't be disappointed!





 *Christmas Chutney*
Makes 4 cups
Printable Recipe

This lovely chutney makes a wonderful gift and is such a lovely change from the usual cranberry sauce.  It goes beautifully with turkey, ham or chicken.  We just love it.

3 cups fresh cranberries (300g)
1 cup sultanas (150g)
1/2 cup chopped candied peel
1/2 cup chopped peeled onion (1 medium onion, peeled and chopped)
3 cloves of garlic, peeled and crushed
1 cup white vinegar (225ml)
1 cup water (225ml)
1 cup white sugar (190g)
1 cup dark brown sugar, packed (200g)
1/4 cup lemon juice (60ml)
2 tsp salt
2 whole cloves
2 tsp celery seed
1 tsp ground ginger
1/2 tsp dried chilies

Place the vinegar, water, both sugars, lemon juice and salt into a heavy non-reactive saucepan.  Bring to the boil, stirring to help dissolve the sugar.  Once the sugar has dissolved add the cranberries, sultanas, candied peel, onions, garlic, cloves, celery seed, ginger and chilies.  Simmer gently, stirring often, uncovered for 45 minutes.  Pour into hot sterilized jars and seal.  Process in a hot water bath for 15 minutes.  This will keep for up to a year.  You can, of course, just put it into jars for giving away and immediate use, but if you do want to keep it longer, you really must prodess it in the water bath.  Enjoy!