Nigella Lawson’s Christmas Chutney makes the perfect gift, being both tasty and homemade – but at the same time it is easy to make a decent amount, allowing you to take care of nine gifts at once
Home made presents are the best kind, as everyone loves to receive something that has had real time and effort put into it – and if it tastes amazing, that’s even better.
Nigella Lawson’s Christmas Chutney makes the perfect gift, being both tasty and homemade but at the same time it is easy to make a decent amount of the delicious condiment, allowing you to take care of a whole raft of gifts in under an hour in the kitchen.
The TV chef described it a “cornerstone of my Christmas pantry” adding, “cold cuts and Christmas Day leftovers are impossible to contemplate without chutney (and the Christmas ham first-time-out must have it as well)”.
The recipe will make nine 250ml jars of chutney and can be made up to two months in advance before it is used or gifted – and it can be stored in a cool, dark place for up to a year before opening.
To make this festive treat start by gathering nine jars of 250ml each, they need to be sealable and have vinegar-proof lids, like Kilner jars or re-usable pickle jars.
Sterilise the jars by giving them a good wash in soapy water, rinse and then dry them off in a cool (140C/gas mark 1/275C) oven. If you’re putting warm chutney into them, all jars must be warm. Or use dishwasher-clean jars fresh from the machine when they are still warm.
To make the chutney put 750 grams of peeled, cored and chopped small cooking apples into a large pan along with 1 medium onion (peeled and roughly chopped) and 500 grams fresh or frozen cranberries (allowed to defrost) along with 250 grams soft pitted dates which have been chopped into thirds.
Then grate the zest of 2 clementines or satsumas over the top before squeezing in the juice and scraping in the pulp. Add to this 400 grams of caster sugar, ½ teaspoon of ground cloves, 1 teaspoon of ground ginger, 1½ teaspoons of ground cinnamon and ¼ teaspoon of cayenne pepper.
Then pour in 500 millilitres of white wine vinegar and sprinkle over 2 teaspoons of Maldon salt or 1 teaspoon of table salt and turn on the heat underneath it while giving it a good stir. Once it has come to the boil, reduce the head and let it bubble uncovered for about an hour until it has reduced to a pulpy mass.
Then all you need to do is spoon it into your warm, sterilised jars and seal it up. Once opened the chutney can be stored in the fridge and used within one month.
