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by Thane Prince

Chutney is great make ahead gift for Christmas – you can substitute marrows, pumpkin, green tomatoes or other fruit for some or all of the apples and the results will be just as good.

Equipment and preparation: You will need eight 330ml/12fl oz jars.

Other

Storage

Transfer chutney to sterilised jars, seal well and store for up to a year. Most English chutneys need to be left to mature for about three months before eating - this allows the ingredients to absorb the vinegar and the vinegar to mellow. Freshly made chutneys can be very vinegary and harsh, even unpleasant.

Preparation

To test if a chutney's ready, run a spoon gently across the top of the chutney. The spoon should leave a trail and no excess vinegar should run into it - if vinegar quickly fills the trail then it's not ready.