Tomato and celery chutney

[Chickenlady]

DH has grown celery this year. It's a bit thin and has been attacked by something, but will go pretty well in this I reckon (along with the tomatoes which are still ripening in the greenhouse):

Makes 500g (1lb)

2 tbsp olive oil; 1 onion, finely chopped; 4 sticks celery, finely chopped; 2 cloves garlic, crushed; 1 red chilli, deseeded and chopped; 1 tbsp grated root ginger; 500g tomatoes, skinned and chopped; 1 red pepper, skinned and chopped; 1/2 level tsp salt; 250g sugar; 150ml cider vinegar; 2-3 pieces star anise.

Pour the olive oil into a heavy pan and heat. Add the onion and celery and cook for 5 minutes until softening, then add the garlic, chilli and ginger and cook 2 more minutes, then add the toms, pepper and salt and mix well. Add the sugar, vinegar and star anise and stir over a moderate heat until the sugar dissolves and the mixture comes to the boil. Reduce the heat to a gentle simmer and cook for 1-1 1/4 hrs, stirring occasionally.
The mixture should thicken enough so that when you draw a spoon through it remains parted for a few seconds.
Remove pan from heat and ladle chutney into warm sterilised jars. Leave to cool, then cover with vinegar proof lids. Leave to mature for at least 2 weeks before eating.

I think this could be simplified by using dried rather than fresh spices.

[Shirley]

mmm... sounds good!!

Struck lucky in the supermarket the other day - went in to get some milk and found about 10 packs of organic tomatoes reduced from £2.19 to 54p!! Sadly, they were from Israel or somewhere like that.... so expensive in terms of food miles... but somebody had to buy them... and at least it wasn't at T***o

[shiney]

Thanks for that recipe Chickenlady. I love chutneys, pickles and preserves of any kind. 8)