It began with the last 1.4 kg overripe tomatoes from our garden, but after I peeled them and removed all the water, I only had 4 cups of tomato flesh left. This is so little I thought I better make it into something special. With one eye on this spicy tomato chutney recipe, I came up with this milder version. It turned out so mild and tasty, a child could enjoy it! I didn’t want oil in my chutney so I used small amounts of ground spices instead. We had a bit of this chutney with our poached salmon last night and now I wish I made more while I had the chance! Who will want ketchup after this chutney? But Sissi is correct; you do need good quality, fully ripe tomatoes for good chutney. We have 3 small jars until next summer. But it’s all mine.
SWEET TOMATO CHUTNEY
4 cups of chopped and well drained tomatoes
1/2 cup sugar
1/2 tsp pickling salt
1 tsp allspice
1/2 tsp ground cinnamon
sprinkling of ground nutmeg
sprinkling of ground ginger
1/2 cup wine vinegar
1/8 cup dark corn syrup
1 cup raisins
Fruit Fresh
1/2 cup sugar
1/2 tsp pickling salt
1 tsp allspice
1/2 tsp ground cinnamon
sprinkling of ground nutmeg
sprinkling of ground ginger
1/2 cup wine vinegar
1/8 cup dark corn syrup
1 cup raisins
Fruit Fresh
• Fill a large pot with water and bring it to the boil.
• Only use blemish-free, healthy tomatoes.
• Add some tomatoes and continue cooking.
• The tomato skin will first split and then begin to curl up a little. Remove these promptly.
• Peel and core and chop the tomatoes.
• Place the chopped tomatoes in a colander and let stand for 15 minutes.
• Discard the liquid.
• Place the chopped tomatoes in a large pot.
• Add the sugar, pickling salt, spices, wine vinegar and the corn syrup.
• Slowly sauté this mixture until it has the consistency of ketchup.
• Stir in the raisins and remove from heat.
• Cover the pot and let the raisins plump up for an hour or so.
• Then return the pot to the stove.
• On very low heat reheat the chutney and bring to simmer.
• Simmer the chutney for 3 minutes all the while continually stirring.
• Pack the hot chutney into hot sterilized jars.
• Add 1/2 teaspoon of Fruit Fresh to each jar.
• Wipe the rims, place on the snap lids and screw on the caps. Check the box and make sure to follow manufacturer’s suggestion for softening the cap seals. In the past we had to boil the caps for 5 minutes to soften the seal. Recently purchased caps had to be heated only with boiling water.
• Place the jars in 210F oven for 40 minutes or until jars are very hot to the touch.
• Prepare a dry pack: line a basket or a box with tea towels.
• Remove from the hot bottles from the oven and transfer them to the prepared dry pack.
• Encase the dry pack into an old quilt or several blankets and leave it to cool.
