Mary Berry's Christmas chutney
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Mary Berry's Christmas chutney

A perfect match for cheese and cold meats, and delicious in turkey sandwiches

Difficulty and servings

Moderately easy

Makes about 2.5kg/6lb

Preparation and cooking times

Total time

Takes about 2½ hours

Method

  1. Peel the tomatoes - prick them with a sharp knife, place in a bowl and cover with boiling water. Leave for a few seconds then drain and cover with cold water. The skins will now come away easily.
  2. Chop the tomatoes and aubergine and seed and chop the peppers. Put in a large heavy-based pan with the onions and garlic and bring to the boil. Cover with a lid, lower the heat and gently simmer for about one hour, stirring occasionally, until tender.
  3. Tip the sugar, vinegar, salt, coriander, paprika and cayenne into the pan and bring to the boil over a medium heat, stirring, until the sugar has dissolved. Continue to boil for 30 minutes or so, until the mixture achieves a chunky chutney consistency and the surplus watery liquid has evaporated. Take care towards the end of the cooking time to continue stirring so that the chutney doesn't catch on the bottom of the pan.
  4. Ladle the chutney into sterilised or dishwasher-clean jars (Kilner jars are ideal) and top with paper jam covers. Seal the jars while still hot. Leave to mature for at least a month in a cool dark place.
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Recipe from Good Food magazine, November 2002.

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Latest comments and suggestions

Results 1-20

  • 02 November 2007

    Wendy's commented on this recipe

    Fantastic recipe, I've been making it every year since it was published.

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  • 02 November 2007

    Wendy's rated and commented on this recipe

    5 stars

    Fantastic recipe, I've been making it every year since it was published.

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  • Binder photo ron

    10 November 2007

    ron rated and commented on this recipe

    5 stars

    must keep it a month before use best at Christmas

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  • 11 November 2007

    marydrum commented on this recipe

    have just bottled this off. Found it took a good bit longer than 30 minutes to get to chutney consistency but it looks very impressive now. Definitely agree that it is not as innocent as it looks- watch the cayenne pepper very carefully!

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  • 13 November 2007

    Carol rated and commented on this recipe

    4 stars

    Just finished this one off. Might be a good idea for the recipe to reassure any inexperienced Cook as to why the vegetables do NOT require any liquid added when first putting them on to boil (No.2 on the Method) They WILL generate their own liquid. It can be quite daunting to start to boil 'dry' vegetables. Took a bit longer than the recipe said but looks good.

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  • Binder photo fay

    16 November 2007

    fay rated and commented on this recipe

    5 stars

    Really scrummy! Did take longer than stated, but well worth it.

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  • 21 November 2007

    KatKook commented on this recipe

    Am about to make this years batch with my friend on the weekend, makes a fab Christmas gift that I know all my family loved last year! I also remember it takes longer than stated to cook.

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  • 25 November 2007

    dasoles rated and commented on this recipe

    5 stars

    A great recipe and was my first ever aattempt at chutney making and it turned out brilliantly. It gets better with age and my huge kilner jar went a long way. I also pootted it up and gave it away as presents.

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  • 07 December 2007

    steve rated and commented on this recipe

    5 stars

    Fantastic recipe. Taste,s great

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  • 18 December 2007

    jms_1 rated and commented on this recipe

    5 stars

    Looks lovely and very tasty - I agreed with marydrum though - go very easy on the cayenne pepper!

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  • 10 August 2008

    Dorpet commented on this recipe

    I made this when first published in 2002, then lost recipe. Look forward to eating it again this year. Scrumptious

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  • 28 September 2008

    Deborah38 commented on this recipe

    I made this yesterday, it was my first attempt at chutney making. I did cry alot.. hench all the onions. I did cook it longer than stated, but made my own judgement when it was ready. I was very pleased with the result, though my husband was miffed he has to wait a month to taste it!...it looks great cant wait.

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  • 02 November 2008

    Nick rated and commented on this recipe

    4 stars

    Made this a few days ago and can't wait to taste it, especially after all the raves about it. Just one question - why bother to peel the tomatoes, but not deseed them, especially as the pepper was not skinned? I roasted my peppers and removed the skins, and deseeded the toms before cooking - still had loads of liquid and still tooklonger than 30 mins to reduce.

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  • 04 November 2008

    Tickorama rated and commented on this recipe

    5 stars

    Have been making this the last few years and just finished this years batch today, so far seems to be excellent! As noted in other peoples comments it does take alot longer than 30 mins to reduce down in to a nice Chutney consistency. I like to bulk mine out a bit more with a few extra tomatos and onions, and if you like a kick to your chutney's add a finely chopped red Chilli in step two. This recipe, along with Rick Steins Piccalilli, is perfect for your cold meats on boxing day! As a tip, if you are low on jars - I tend to buy value Pickled Onions and Lemon Curd, these cost about 32p each, alot cheaper than buying empty jars. With the pickled onions I put them in a large container with chillis and pepper corns a few months before Christmas and with the Lemon Curd I make Lemon Meringue. I then clean and sterilise the jars in our old baby bottle steriliser.

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  • 15 November 2008

    Teresah rated and commented on this recipe

    5 stars

    Lovely recipe, and the colour of the finished chutney is really nice. Wish Id had the recipe a few weeks ago when we had our tomato and pepper glut in the greenhouse...

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  • 21 November 2008

    LadyBird rated and commented on this recipe

    5 stars

    I make this every year ....I have friends who actually expect a jar from me at Christmas and are disapointed if I dont deliver! Its great with everything.....especially sausages....often I put a dollop in a stew to liven it up. My husband gets very upset when we run out!

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  • 22 November 2008

    Charlie87 commented on this recipe

    The recipe says it makes about 2.5 kg and after all the good reviews i going to make some as xmas presents, was just wondering roughly how many jars everyone gets out of it (of any size but please state)? Thanks so much!

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  • 24 November 2008

    Lena commented on this recipe

    I have been making this recipe ever since it was published, went to make it this year and have lost magazine !!(always meant to cut it out and put it in scrap book )Thank goodness for this website.Usually makes about 6 /7 jam jar size and makes great presents, although I am thinking of putting into smaller jars this year to keep more for ourselves !

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  • 10 December 2008

    Christa rated and commented on this recipe

    5 stars

    My first attempt at chutney making and all went well. I chopped everything in a food processor on pulse setting. I simmered it for 40 minutes and then took the lid off the pan for the next 20. It then took 35 minutes to get to the required consistency. Given the comments I reduced the cayenne pepper to 1 tsp and still find it hot enough!! I also added 2 tbs tomato puree to intensify the colour. Can't wait to try it in a month!

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  • 28 December 2008

    abla commented on this recipe

    i love this recipe -v popular with family and friends as gifts. As aubergine isn't popular with everyone I usually omit the aubergine just use all mixed peppers instead - is also good with butternut squash in...I like the heat so keep to the 2 tsp of cayenne and sometimes use brown sugar and a swig of balsamic... Abi

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Difficulty and servings

Moderately easy

Makes about 2.5kg/6lb

Preparation and cooking times

Total time

Takes about 2½ hours

Ingredients

  • 900g tomatoes
  • 3 red peppers, 1 large aubergine and 1 green pepper (total weight of about 900g/2lb)
  • 700g onions , peeled and fairly finely chopped, by hand or in a food processor
  • 4 fat cloves garlic , crushed
  • 350g granulated sugar
  • 300ml/½pint white wine vinegar or distilled malt vinegar
  • 1 tbsp salt
  • 1 tbsp coriander seeds, crushed
  • 1 tbsp paprika
  • 2 tsp cayenne pepper
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