Quick chutney questions

odds-n-sods

if its still hot, it will taste too vinegarry - let it cool and it should be fine!

Seakay

Great minds once more, odds-n-sods!
Let the chutney cool before tasting - on a saucer that has cooled in the fridge is a speedy way - this will give some idea for final consistency as well.
All chutnies improve with age - as a rule of thumb it's a three month minimum- and apple in particular is a really good keeper and just keeps on getting better and better for up to 5 years (in my experience, it may well keep for even longer!)

Miss_Behaving

Thanks for your advice - I did try it again once it had cooled and it wasn't quite so powerful!

I think I just panicked - didn't help with the male members of the household standing behind me complaining loudly about the strong vinegar smell. I didn't think it was that bad - I must be using it too much around the house

tiff

More advise on making chutney please, I made my first lot at the weekend and it looks ok but has probably set a bit too hard. It will be fine, but a bit more set than chutney usually is. Would that be because I cooked it too long? It was a plum chutney if that makes a difference.

lindens

In true MS style, I am going to make a selection of chutneys, jams etc for christmas pressies.
My Dad however hates onion and garlic which somewhat minimises the recipe choice.
Has anyone got any chutney recipes that do not use onion, or does anyone have any ideas of a substitute for onion on a recipe? I thought of maybe celery??

thriftlady_2

Does he not eat any commercial chutneys ? They all contain onion -if he's been happily eating Branston pickle and suchlike then I'd put the onions in (chopped small in a food processor) they're pretty hard to see in the finished product.

If he won't eat onion at all then I'd leave it out and simply make up the quantity with more of the other ingredients. Celery would work I should think

lindens

No he doesn't eat commercial ones, only home made ones without onions lol, bought from fetes or whatever.

Penelope_Penguin

Hi, lindens. I'm sure chutney will work without onion, I don't think it will be as nice. When the children were small, they claimed to dislike onion, and wouldn't eat pasta sauces with it in. Whenever I left it out, there wasn't the depth of flavour, so I chopped it small, left it in, and they were none the wiser.

If you try it out, I'd love to know the results.

Penny. x

lindens

I might make a few little batches, one with no onion but with celery, one with a mixture of onion and celery, and one with all onion.
I'll report back with the results!

MoJo

How about Spiced Pickled Fruit or a home made ketchup as an alternative?