Easy plum and red onion chutney

As we’re very lucky to have lots of fruit trees on our doorstep, in late September every year I am faced with the delicious problem of what to do with an abundance of fruit. Chutney is always the winning answer!

This recipe works for pretty much any type of red plum or damson, and the chipotle chilli gives it a beautifully warm finish to balance the sweetness. Having a few jars of this chutney in your store cupboard means you will always have those red fruit flavours on hand to jazz up a cheese board, or as a piquant accompaniment to cut the richness of chicken liver pate or even some duck confit.

Ingredients

• 1kg plums, stones removed and cut into quarters
• 3 medium red onions, peeled and coarsely chopped
• 150g dark brown sugar
• 100g light brown sugar
• 2 tsp mustard seeds
• ½ tsp ground cinnamon
• ½ small dried chipotle chilli, crushed
• 350ml red wine vinegar
• 1 tsp salt

Method

1. Put all of the ingredients into a large heavy bottomed stainless steel pan (or jam/preserving pan if you have one) and bring to the boil. Then turn down the heat and leave it to simmer for about 2 hours until it has thickened, stirring occasionally to ensure it doesn’t stick to the bottom. The chutney is ready when it is thick and syrupy and there is not much loose liquid left.
2. Taste it and check the flavours are balanced, adjusting as necessary.
3. Spoon into sterilized jars and seal.