This chutney is rich, dark, and heavenly. Damsons are one of my absolute favorite fruits for preserving and lend a superb flavor across the board to any jam, jelly, chutney, or pickle that uses them. Removing the stones is a laborious job but is always worth the time. My chosen technique is to cook the fruits first, then remove the stones by hand.
MAKES: About 6 cups
INGREDIENTS:
- 2 pounds damsons
- 3¾ cups malt vinegar
- 1 small cinnamon stick
- 1 rounded tbsp. allspice
- 1 scant tsp. cloves
- ½ pound (generous) cooking apples, peeled, cored, and chopped
- 2 small onions, peeled and minced
- 1½ cups raisins
- 1½ cups chopped dates
- 3 cups (packed) soft brown sugar
- 2 small cloves garlic, peeled and crushed
- 1 tbsp. ground ginger
- 1 tbsp. coarse salt
INSTRUCTIONS:
- In a pan, combine the damsons and 1 cup of vinegar. Cook the damsons until they are soft and bursting. Allow them to cool slightly, then remove the stones.
- Place the spices in a piece of muslin and tie it with string to create a bag.
- In a stainless steel preserving pan, combine all the ingredients, including the cooked damsons and the muslin spice bag. Bring the mixture to a boil, then reduce the heat and simmer gently for 2 to 2½ hours. Stir occasionally during this time. The chutney should become dark and thick while still retaining some juiciness.
- Remove the muslin bag from the pan.
- Pour the chutney into hot, sterilized jars. Seal the jars.
- Allow the chutney to cool completely before storing it.
