Nectarine Chutney Print E-mail
Makes: about 1.3kg (3lb)
Preparation time: 30 minutes
Cooking time: about 1 hour 45 minutes

I brought back this recipe from my cousin Wendy in New Zealand as I love nectarines and was intrigued to learn that this chutney is cooked in the oven. I have since discovered that it was once quite common to cook chutneys in this way. Roasted vegetables are very popular and this method really concentrates the flavours and produces a taste with real depth.

This chutney was served with roast lamb only two weeks after it was made, and was delicious. The rosemary gives it quite a strong flavour so you could reduce the amount by up to half. The recipe states that it can be made with any fruit and works well with plums and apples.

1.1kg (21/2lb) nectarines (about 12 fruits), stoned and quartered
675g (11/2l lb) red onions, finely sliced
4 cloves garlic, roughly chopped
1 lemon, halved, pips removed and finely sliced
2 tbsp rosemary leaves
1 tsp cumin seeds
1 tsp fennel seeds
250ml (9fl oz) cider vinegar
500g (1lb 2oz) demerara sugar

Oven temperature: Gas Mark 6/Electric oven 200ºC/Fan oven 180ºC

Method
Put all the ingredients except the sugar into a large roasting tin. Mix well and roast for 45 minutes, stirring occasionally.

Continue cooking for about another 30 minutes. When the mixture starts to reduce and colour, add the sugar. Cook for a further 30 minutes, stirring twice during this time.

The chutney should be fairly dry and any liquid should be quite syrupy and jam-like. The fruit should still be discernible in shape. Take care not to allow the mixture to burn as it starts to caramelise.

Spoon into cooled, sterilised jars and cover with vinegar-proof lids. Label and store. This chutney can be used straight away but the flavour will mature with keeping.
 
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