Beetroot Chutney

We’re nearly at the end of Summer here in the UK & my garden is really delivering the goods, giving a great return on my efforts way back in the Spring. Some crops have really thrived, either that or I simply grew too much… probably the latter!

But with each bursting harvest comes a new challenge to either come up with delicious new meals to enjoy them in or discover new ways to preserve & store them for longer (a challenge that I will quite willingly accept!).

One of my favourite root vegetables that gave me quite a show this summer was my beetroot. With the exception of it’s clothes staining ability I love everything about this purpled hued vegetable. I love that it’s entirely edible from its root to its leaves (use younger leaves in a salad & mature ones can be wilted like spinach). I love that it can be eaten raw, boiled, roasted & pickled. But, what I love most about beetroot is its rich, earthy, sweet flavour that lends itself to both sweet & savoury.

I’ve eaten in every which way this year, my favourites being honey roasted & in my Red Velvet Cake (another great way to use up a glut). With my end of season crop though, knowing that these will be the very last ones from the garden for a while, I’ve been exploring the sweet ways of preserving my favourite root.

Whilst I’m a fan of pickled beetroot, it’s not something that I reach for often in my kitchen, something I do though is a good jar of chutney. Unlike pickled beetroot, which is a great accompaniment to a salad, chutney is something that I can enjoy all year round (because no, I don’t willingly make many salads during the colder months). Probably the most vivid chutney you’ll ever see, this chutney keeps beetroot at the forefront. Its sweetness is bulked out with a little apple & balanced with a warming touch of spice to round it off. This is a beetroot lovers dream in a jar.

BEETROOT CHUTNEY
(makes x1 500g jar)

Ingredients:

• 2 large onions, finely chopped
• 500g raw beetroot, chopped into small cubes
• 2 cloves of garlic, crushed
• 1 cooking apple, chopped into small cubes
• 15g fresh ginger, grated
• 300g soft light brown sugar
• 350ml cider vinegar
• 1/4 tsp cumin
• 1/2 tsp cinnamon
• Good pinch of salt

Method:

• Add all of the ingredients into a large maslin pan or heavy bottomed saucepan
• Give everything a good stir before turning on the heat to a medium temperature & gently warming the mixture through until all of the sugar has dissolved
• Once dissolved, bring the pan to the boil
• As soon as you’ve reached a boil, reduce to a medium head and simmer the mixture for 30 minutes, stirring often to make sure that it doesn’t catch on the bottom of the pan
• After 30 minutes the liquid should have reduced down leaving you with a thickened, pulpy chutney (if not, continue for a further 5 minutes)
• Pot up the chutney into a clean, sterilised jar