It’s a sad day when your children stop believing in things. My three are still holding firm on Santa and fairies, but are seriously beginning to question the existence of red tomatoes.
For the second year running my crop has succumbed to blight before a single fruit has ripened and this is beginning to get embarrassing. Rather than lose all veg-growing credibility with the kids I’ve decided to embrace the old adage 'if life gives you lemons, make lemonade' although in this case it’s 'if blight gives you green tomatoes, make green tomato chutney'.
So here is my favourite recipe for anyone else wishing to pretend that green tomatoes were their aim all along....
Ingredients
1.8kg/4lb green tomatoes, chopped
450g/1lb cooking apples, peeled, cored and chopped
450g/1lb onions, peeled and chopped
2 garlic cloves crushed
1 tablespoon of salt
3 tablespoons of pickling spice (tied in a piece of muslin)
450ml/ ¾ pint cider vinegar
450g/1lb sugar
1. Place the tomatoes, apples, onions, garlic and pickling spice in a large pan and add the salt
2. Add 300ml (½ pint) of the vinegar and bring to the boil then reduce the heat and simmer for an hour, stirring frequently
3. Put the sugar and remaining vinegar in another pan on a low heat until the sugar has dissolved and then add to the chutney
4. Simmer the chutney for 1½ hours, stirring occasionally
5. Remove the muslin bag and then spoon the hot chutney into warmed, sterilised jars and cover with a wax disc and seal immediately
6. Leave the chutney to mature for at least a month
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