Mrs Duncan's apple chutney – ”Home-made is still best.”

Just now, when apples are at their best, my thoughts turn to all the tasty recipes there are for that fantastic fruit. You can enjoy apples just as they are, bake them in the oven, make desserts with them, apple pie, French apple cake – the possibilities are almost limitless. But there is one thing that is popular back home in Scotland that is not so well-known here – apple chutney.

We had a few apple trees in our garden, and of course we had to make use of the fruit. When apples were in season we ate them until we almost choked on them, but a bit later in the year it was great to be able to open a jar of my mother's apple chutney to pep up various meat and fish dishes.

In the 18th century and up to 1947 Britain had colonies in India, and many young men were sent out to work in the colonial services, where they generally had administrative positions. Many remained there for many years, and when they later returned to Britain they brought with them habits they had acquired during their stay in India. They introduced curries , and also chutney as an accompaniment to various kinds of food. To start with, people made chutney at home, but gradually, when it became popular throughout society, industry took over the role of mass production. But home-made is still best!

Since chutney can be a mixture of what you have at hand, exact measurements are not so important. What is important is that you have the proper balance between flavours. The recipe points you in the right direction, and your own taste-buds let you know what is right just for you.

Ingredients:

1½ kg apples, diced

300 gr sultanas

300 gr tomatoes, diced

150 gr onions, diced

1 kg soft brown sugar (or white sugar)

1 tbsp salt

30 gr ground ginger

15 gr cayenne pepper

4,5 dl apple cider vinegar

Method:

Dissolve the sugar in a big pan with a little of the vinegar. Boil until it begins to thicken, add the rest of the vinegar and the other ingredients. Boil gently until everything is soft and the liquid has almost evaporated. The chutney should not be runny.

Let the mixture cool in the pan. Pour into well-cleaned jars – fill right up to the top. Cover with tight-fitting lids. Store in a cool place.

Chutney is also very good on a cheese sandwich – a so-called 'ploughman's lunch', popular in pubs.