Spicy Green Apple Chutney

 A Great Summer Canning Recipe

 

Chutney is a great condiment to add zest and dimension to any meal. There are many varieties. The best is to make your own with fresh fruits from your local market or your own fruit trees. They tend to use less sugar than jams or jellies and are an additional way to make the most of seasonal foods to enjoy through out the year.

 

We have this young apple tree that has produced an abundance of apples. In fact, there were so many apples that we were advised to reduce their numbers by half! Of course, the Midwesterner in me could not just throw away the little green apples…I had to come up with something fun to do with them. So here is the result…Spicy Green Apple Chutney! Seems this is a very British thing to do…all recipes were from uk sites. The one I liked best and used as a basis for the recipe below was from Ball. It is actually yummy and will be great with meats.

Our little green apples required a lot of cutting and coring…we did not bother to peel them…which makes the chutney even higher in fiber and antioxidants.

 

Spicy Green Apple Chutney

Ingredients

• 6 granny smith apples (about 8 cups), cored and quartered
• 2 cups apple cider vinegar
• 1 ½ cups sugar
• ¾ cup firmly packed light brown sugar
• 2 ½ tsp mustard seeds
• 1 ½ tsp dried crushed red pepper
• 1 ½ tsp grated fresh ginger
• ½ tsp ground cinnamon
• ½  tsp ground black pepper
• 1 ½ tsp  butter or olive oil
• 2 cups thinly sliced shallots
• 2 ½ ounces water
• 1 ½ cups thinly sliced dried apricots

Directions

1. Cut each apple quarter vertically into 3 chunks. Place apple, vinegar and next 7 ingredients in a stainless steel or enameled Dutch oven. Cook, stirring often, over medium-low heat 30 minutes or until apples are tender.
2. Meanwhile, melt butter in a large skillet over medium-high heat. Add shallots and water; cook, stirring often, 15 to 20 minutes or until shallots are caramel colored.
3. Add shallots and apricots to apple mixture. Cook, stirring often, 15 to 20 minutes or until thickened.
4. Ladle hot apple mixture into hot jars, leaving a little headspace. Wipe jar rim with a clean cloth. Centre lid on jar. Apply band, and adjust to fingertip-tight.

Makes about 8 - 8 ounce jars of chutney.