Beetroot and orange chutney

For the beetroot I was torn between two recipes - one for beetroot & orange chutney that I found here, and Nigella's recipe for a straightforward beetroot chutney with heavy spice overtones. And you know how much I like spice!

But I had a couple of oranges handy and I figured that I can always try the other recipe with some of the other beetroot that are currently waiting to be harvested!


Beetroot & orange chutney

300ml vinegar (I used a mixture of white wine and malt vinegar)
200g granulated sugar
350g raw beetroot
350g cooking apples
half a dozen shallots
2 oranges
1 garlic clove
1tsp allspice
1tsp salt
1tsp mustard seeds
1tsp coriander seeds
1tsp black peppercorns

Peel and chop the apples, beetroot and shallots/onions into smallish pieces and place in the pan with the vinegar and crushed garlic clove.

Grind together the allspice, mustard seeds, coriander seeds and peppercorns and add to the pan with the salt.

Add the zest and juice of both oranges.

Bring to the boil and cook for about 40 minutes until the apple has gone to mush and the beetroot is tender - if you have used quite large chunks you might want to mash it into smaller pieces.

Add the sugar and cook for another 20 minutes or so before decanting into sterilised jars. You can sterilise the jars by putting them in a low oven (no more than gas mark 2) for five minutes.

I have to say that this chutney was tasty even at the bottling stage - usually it's rather vinegary and the spices haven't had time to permeate, which is why you are recommended to leave it 4-6 weeks before eating. It does bode well for early September!