:: Fa la la la

Posted by Joelle on December 16, 2007

Joelle’s Christmas tree

I’m currently sat on the sofa, stuffed full of cheese and mince pies, and feeling very Christmassy, so I think it’s a good moment to share some of my festivities, and a great chutney recipe, with you all.

Kirsty posted about her lovely Christmas tree a few days ago, a carefully coordinated vision in silver and blue. Clearly I come from the other school of tree decorators, as mine is a riot of different colours and materials with new trinkets added year on year with no regard for what matches. Still charming though, is it not? The newest additions are some little birds perched in the branches, and a paper chain I made from an old map of the Tatra Mountains in Poland, with memories of a backpacking trip a few years back.

I have been getting very busy in the kitchen too, churning out all sorts of naughty food for my friends. This afternoon my husband and I hosted a ‘friends’ Christmas’, hence being crashed out full of food right now. My trusty Nigella recipe book came up trumps once again with a pomegranate pavlova, spiced Christmas cupcakes and a frangipane mince pie. All delicious, and demolished before I could think about taking a picture.
Chutney and bauble Apricot chutney, posing as the shepherds in a nativity play it seems, and a self portrait of me, lurking in a red bauble

So, let me share a recipe for some heavenly apricot chutney, which I have made to give as presents this year. It is the most sweetly sticky dense chutney imaginable.

The recipe comes from an absolutely delightful tea rooms, Abraham’s, in Keswick, Cumbria, and it is so easy to make.

Apricot Chutney
1lb dried apricots chopped
1/2 lb raisins
1/2 lb sultanas
4 cloves garlic, crushed
2 lemons juice and zest
6 tspns pickling spice
2lb cooking apples, chopped
1lb soft brown sugar
1lb granulated
1/2 pint malt vinegar

This is so easy to make! Just put all your ingredients in a very big pan (or two pans), bring it to the boil and then simmer it for about an hour and a half, remembering to give it a good stir fairly often.

Meanwhile you should sterilise your jam jars. Preheat the oven to 140 degrees C. Wash them in soapy water, rinse, then stick them in the hot oven. Turn the oven off and let the jars cool and dry inside it. This recipes makes about 5 jars full, since it all reduces down a lot.

Allow the chutney to cool slightly before bottling.

Serve with some cheese and watch how quickly it disappears.

Deck the halls

Categories: christmas, recipes
Tags: baubles, christmas trees, chutney, decorations, food, recipes

5 Responses to “Fa la la la”

Kirsty says:
December 17th, 2007 at 10:20 am
Your tree looks adorable! Seems like both co-ordination and riot-of-colour have their own charm.
Kerry says:
December 17th, 2007 at 1:22 pm
Sounds freaking delicious.
Erica says:
December 17th, 2007 at 10:43 pm
I always thought that our family christmas tree (at my parents’ house) was a wholly co-ordinated affair in red and gold and green. This weekend we did a bit of a tot up, and apparently every colour in existence is represented somewhere on the tree.

I still maintain that it’s co-ordinated though.

The shepherd outfits you kitted your chutney out in are so cute!
Joelle says:
December 18th, 2007 at 11:13 am
Maybe using all the colours somehow coordinates it? Rainbow themed or something.

So long as I don’t decide to try it with my outfit anyway.
:: Four Good Corners » More reasons to love ReadyMade says:
December 19th, 2007 at 4:43 pm
[…] been listening to it loads whilst wrapping presents and cooking up more batches of chutney, and myself and the husband are both loving it. It’s sort of Christmassy, without being too […]

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5 Responses to “Fa la la la”

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