Tomato and roasted pepper chutney

Ingredients

• 1 red pepper
• 1 orange pepper
• 1 yellow pepper
• 1.35kg (3lb) ripe tomatoes
• 2 onions, roughly chopped
• 450g (1lb) granulated sugar
• 600ml (1 pint) white wine vinegar

Method

Prepare the peppers

Preheat the oven to 200°C (400°F/Gas 6). Arrange the peppers on a baking tray and roast for 25–30 minutes until they are slightly charred. Meanwhile, prepare the tomatoes by plunging them into boiling water for 1 minute and then peeling. When the peppers are cooked and still hot, put them in a plastic bag and leave to cool. Once cool, take the peppers out of the plastic bag and simply pull off the skins with your fingers and discard. Deseed, remove the stalks, and chop the flesh roughly.

Why? Cooling the peppers in a plastic bag creates condensation and makes them easy to peel.

Chop the vegetables

Put the peeled tomatoes, chopped peppers, and onions in a food processor and blitz briefly until chopped but not mushy. Alternatively, chop the vegetables by hand.

Cook the ingredients

Put all the ingredients in a preserving pan or large, heavy-based, stainless-steel saucepan. Cook over a gentle heat, stirring until the sugar has dissolved. Bring to the boil, then reduce the heat and simmer the mixture gently for about 11⁄2 hours, until it thickens to a jam-like texture.

Careful! Stir continuously towards the end so the mixture does not catch on the base of the pan and burn.

Ladle into jars

Test whether the chutney is ready by drawing a spoon across the base of the pan to see if it leaves a clear trail. Ladle into sterilized jars making sure that there are no air pockets where mircoorganisms can thrive. Cover with a waxed paper disc and seal with non-metallic or vinegar-proof lids. Label and store in a cool, dark place, allowing the flavours to mature for at least 1 month. Once opened, keep refrigerated.

A Little Course In.. Preserving