Hidden blessings

Yesterday I picked all the tomatoes that were still on my dying tomato plants. I had 5lb of tomatoes – and the vast majority of those were green. I’ve had very few ripe tomatoes this year, considering that I grew twenty plants – there just hasn’t been enough sun.

So I took the 4 1/2 lb of green tomatoes and made green tomato chutney. It’s one of my favourites – great with cheese and cooked meat and all the usual things that chutney is good with. I also like it with lentil dhal and rice.

Here’s the recipe – because I had more tomatoes I made half as much again – this makes about 3lb.

1lb cooking apples

2 onions, peeled and grated

3lb green tomatoes, thinly sliced

8 oz sultanas

8 oz demerara sugar

2 tsps salt

3/4 pint malt vinegar

4 small pieces dried root ginger

1/2 tsp cayenne pepper (or a fresh chilli, deseeded and finely chopped, if you like it spicy)

1tsp mustard powder

Peel, quarter and core apples and grate finely.

Put into large pan with all ingredients.

Bring slowly to boil stirring occasionally to make sure sugar dissolves.

Simmer for about 2 hours until reduced and no excess liquid remains

Discard ginger

Spoon into warmed sterilised jars. Once cooled, cover, with vinegar proof tops.

Because I had cherry tomatoes, I left some of the smaller ones whole – this gives a lovely texture to the chutney. I also didn’t realise that I had almost run out of sultanas, so I had to use mixed dried fruit that I’d bought for my Christmas cake. I picked out the cherries and dried pineapple, and it seems to be OK. I was worried about the peel, but it’s not detectable.

So, from lack of sunshine I get lots of lovely chutney. Truly a silver lining to the many clouds we’ve had this year.