Foragers Plum Chutney or Jam??

Not much of a decision really as we pretty much never eat jam but do eat all meat and cheese. I started with foraged apples and plums and here it goes:

1kg chopped and stoned plums
1.5kg chopped, cored and skinned apples
250g stoned and chopped ( roughly ) prunes
500g chopped ( roughly ) shallots
500g soft light brown sugar
600mls cider or white wine vinegar
2 ( or 4 as I used) tspn chilli flakes
salt to taste

For the spice bag
Piece of muslin
2 tspn mustard seeds
2 tspn whole black peppercorns
50g fresh root ginger - bruised

Place all ingredients in a large pan with spice bag ( I simply tied up my bag into a knot as my muslin was sock shaped ) and bring to the boil slowly stirring every now and again. Once bubbling turn down the heat to a kind of gentle bubble and let it cook slowly uncovered  for about 2-3 hours.

Stir now and again but don't let it turn to mush. You want to still see chunks not goo.

Pot chutney into warm sterilised jars patting mixture down to avoid air pockets. Cover top with waxed disc and lid. Put in a cool dry place for a couple of months to mature.

This should keep for a couple of years - if it lasts that long!

Hey presto - foragers chutney.

This recipe actually made 8 largish jars of various size.
Thanks to Hugh Fearnley-Whittingstall for this recipe. Happy Mr Debs last night. He came home to a stepford wife

Debs