The best tomato chutney
Warming spices elevate this tomato chutney to something you'll always want it in your store cupboard. It’s delicious with cheese, sausages, barbecue foods, oily fish, cold meats; in fact most things.
Brining (salting) the tomatoes and the onions draws off much of their excess wateriness and reduces the cook time considerably. The addition of a small amount of cornflour at the end of cooking is optional, but it does bring the chutney to an agreeable consistency.
Ingredients
- 1.5kg/3lb 5oz tomatoes
- 500g/1lb 2oz onions (approximately 400g/14oz prepared weight)
- 1 tbsp fine salt
- 3 or 4 fat garlic cloves, crushed
- 300ml/½ pint cider vinegar or white wine vinegar
- 250g/9oz golden granulated sugar
- 2 tsp cornflour (optional)
For the spice mix
- 1 tsp cumin seeds
- 1 tsp coriander seeds
- 1 tsp celery seeds
- 1 tsp black mustard seeds
- ¼ tsp paprika
- ½ tsp crushed black pepper
Method
First peel the tomatoes: the best way to do this is to have ready a large pan of simmering water and a big bowl of ice-cold water. Cut a small cross on the bottom of each tomato. Plunge the tomatoes – a few at a time – into the pan of simmering water for about a minute. Then using a slotted spoon remove them and immediately transfer them to the bowl of water. You can then take the tomatoes out of the water and peel off the skins.
Chop the tomatoes into approximately 15mm/⅝in pieces and place in a large bowl. Chop the onions into slightly smaller pieces and add to the bowl with the tomatoes. Sprinkle over the salt, shaking (or stirring) to combine well. Cover with a piece of baking paper and a plate and leave for 12–24 hours. The next day drain the tomatoes through a sieve or colander and discard the liquid (or drink it – it tastes great).
Tip the tomatoes and onions into a large heavy-based saucepan. Add the garlic and the vinegar and bring to a steady simmer for 20 minutes.
Meanwhile toast the cumin, coriander, celery and mustard seeds. Cook them in a dry frying pan over a medium heat until they begin to release their aromas. Remove from the heat and lightly crush in a pestle and mortar or spice mill.
Stir the toasted spices, paprika and black pepper into the tomato mixture. Cook for 5 minutes.
Add the sugar, stirring until dissolved. Continue cooking over a gentle bubbling simmer or 30 minutes or so, stirring every so often until most of the liquid has been driven off. Mix the cornflour (if using) with a little water to make a paste and stir into the chutney. Cook for a further 5–10 minutes until you have a thick, glossy consistency. Remove from heat.
Spoon the chutney into sterilised jars – brimful – packing down tightly and using the back of a spoon to tease out any air pockets, then seal immediately with twist-on lids.
Ideally leave the chutney for 2–3 weeks or so for the all the flavour to mingle. Store in a cool, dry, dark place for up to a year. Once opened, keep in the fridge and using within 3–4 months.