In this chutney recipe, green tomatoes pair with onions, apples, spices, and seasonings to make the most delicious green tomato chutney you ever tasted. If you are growing tomatoes en mass and you have a lot of unripe tomatoes at the end of the growing season you can use them up in the kitchen or try to ripen the green tomatoes after harvest.
Green tomatoes are basically unripe tomatoes with a less sweet flavour and a firmer texture.
This recipe makes 1.2kg of chutney which should keep you going for a while! Not only is chutney a delicious and versatile condiment, but it also makes a thoughtful homemade gift.
Chutney pairs beautifully with lamb, game meats, cheese, roasted root vegetables, and Indian curries. If you puree it, it makes a tasty green tomato ketchup.
You can also mix green tomato chutney with cream cheese to make a tasty spread, with mayonnaise to make a dip for crackers or crisps.
Homemade chutney is well worth the effort because it offers a better, fresher flavour than shop-bought chutneys and it’s relatively straightforward to make yourself.
What you need:
- 500g green tomatoes
- 170g light brown sugar
- 3 minced garlic cloves
- 50g sultanas
- 175g raisins
- 450g onions
- 25g pickling spices
- 450g cooking apples
- 500ml malt vinegar
- 1 tablespoon cayenne pepper
- 1½ tablespoons mustard seeds
- 1 teaspoon ground ginger
- ½ tablespoon salt
Along with the ingredients listed above, you need a large heavy pot, string, muslin, and glass jars with lids.
How to make it:
- First, preheat the oven to 120 degrees C (100 degrees C fan) and then put your clean jars in there. Turn the heat off and leave them in there while you work on the chutney. Boil the lids, and rubber seals if using, for 2 minutes.
- Rinse the green tomatoes and cut them into 1cm chunks. Drain them in a colander over the sink for 15 minutes.
- Chop the onions into 1cm pieces and simmer in water in a pan for 10 minutes or until translucent, then drain.
- Put a square of muslin on your worktop and put the pickling spices on it, then gather up the muslin and tie firmly with string to make a little bag.
- Put the drained onions in a heavy pot over a low heat and add the sugar and about half the vinegar, cooking gently and stirring for 10 minutes or until the sugar dissolves.
- Peel and core the apples, cut them into 1cm pieces, and add to the pot with the drained tomatoes, sultanas, raisins, spice bag, salt, and garlic, stirring well.
- Bring the mixture to a boil and then turn the heat down and simmer uncovered for an hour, adding more of the vinegar as the chutney thickens (you might not need all the vinegar).
- Push the spice bag against the side of the pot to squeeze out the flavour and then discard.
- Divide the chutney between the sterilised jars, seal with lids and keep somewhere dark and cool for 4 weeks to mature. Once opened, keep refrigerated and use within 4 months.
Prep time: 30 minutes
Cook time: 1½ hours
Maturing time: 1 month
