How One Thing Leads to Another and Mango Chutney

What gorgeous weather we've had here in Mid-Suffolk over the last few days. Absolutely perfect for Autumn outdoor work, although my list of outdoor jobs to do seems to be getting longer as I start doing one bit of clearing which then turns into finding somewhere else that needs tidying.................the straight forward job of cutting back the Lavender ended up in pulling out a lot of  the Phlomis - Turkish Sage that was spreading everywhere - it might look good in early summer but it's a bit of a bully.

 Brother-in-Law using the topper to clear on the meadow gave me access to the small heap of  road planings that were delivered not long before Colin died. They were meant for patching up pot-holes down the track and most were used. Now I've cut away the brambles that were trailing over the heap I can use some of what's left for doing the edge of the track and just inside my gateway............ it turns muddy in winter because I squeeze through one gate to save me opening both! Another job for the list.

Sometimes I have to switch to indoor jobs to use the things that are growing, so here's another chutney to make use of the big red peppers, hadn't made this one for ages. Possibly another  concocted from a couple of other recipes to make something sweet and fruity to go with curry. One recipe  tried years ago before making this one, turned out even hotter than the curry - not what I wanted at all.

MANGO CHUTNEY

3lb Mangoes ( 3 Very large or 5 small)

½ tsp salt

1 Large Red pepper

12oz cooking apples

15 fl oz distilled vinegar

1 large onion chopped

7oz  gran. sugar

1tsp ground ginger

Slice the mango flesh, place in a non metallic bowl, sprinkle with salt and set aside.

Put vinegar and sugar in a preserving  pan and heat gently until sugar is dissolved.

Add the peeled, cored and chopped apples, mangoes,onion and ginger to pan, bring to boil slowly stirring regularly.

Reduce heat and simmer gently for about an hour, stirring more frequently until chutney is thick with no excess liquid.

Pour chutney into sterilised jars and seal with new sterilised lid.

Leave to mature for 2 weeks and use within a year.

 

Chopped in the pan and ready to cook

 

 

This is what I want it to look like when cooked...... after about an hour or so. I gave it a bit of a mash with a potato masher just to squash a few bits of the mango which didn't cook down so well.

 

Just a tad under 4 jars full, 2 will go in the Christmas hampers.

 

 I've eaten several, given some away, put loads in the freezer, made two lots of chutney and there are still 4 huge peppers - gradually turning to red -  on the plants in the greenhouse!

 Back Tomorrow

Sue