A question I have been asking myself recently is, am I just making crackers. I actually love MAKING stuff, and as I hit the grand old age of 47 this year - making, creating and now I am discovering growing, really help the chaos of my brain. I am getting acutely aware of when I am at my best - and like my children, it's when I am getting a good mix of 'life' and have the opportunity to produce something.
Add in collecting eggs in the morning (still feels exciting when I find the eggs!), walking the dog and mucking out the goats. DOING!
Today, I'm exploring chutney's!
Red onion chutney to be precise. My mum is also a big maker, and we have some family recipes that are being dug out for me to have a go at and maybe, they'll make their way onto Made by Clare by the end of the year.
In case you fancy making too - here is the easy Red Onion Chutney / Marmalade I'm going to be getting stuck into this morning.
Ingredients
- 3 tbsp olive oil
- 1.5kg onions, thinly sliced
- 300g dark muscovado sugar
- 200ml red wine vinegar
- 3 tbsp balsamic vinegar
- 3 garlic cloves, crushed
- 1 tbsp wholegrain mustard
- ½ tsp paprika
- ¼ tsp crushed chillies
- Heat the oil in a large, heavy-based saucepan and gently fry the onions over a medium-low heat for 25-30 mins, stirring regularly. The onions should be softened but not browned, and reduced by about half.
- Stir in 3 tbsp of the sugar, increase the heat, and cook for 7-10 mins, stirring occasionally, until the onions are just starting to colour. Lower the heat, then add the remaining sugar, ½ tsp salt and all the other ingredients.
- Simmer, uncovered, so it bubbles gently on a medium-low heat for 30-40 mins, or until the chutney has reduced and thickened to a dark caramel colour, stirring occasionally to check it isn’t sticking to the bottom of the pan. To test if the chutney is ready, drag a wooden spoon across the bottom of the pan – it should take a few seconds for the juices to re-cover the bottom of the pan.
- Spoon the hot chutney into cooled, sterilised jars*, then seal and label. The chutney will keep for up to 6-12 months.
I've also been reading about using my slow cooker to make chutney (SHUT UP!!!!) - I know!
Happy Saturday my Maker-Queens!
Cx