Rhubarb, Apple and Date Chutney

Rhubarb always reminds me of being at my grandparents house - my brother and I would race to see who would pick the most rhubarb from their garden. We would dip it in sugar and eat it raw - not sure I really enjoyed it but Grandma used to make the best rhubarb crumble.
I have a lot of rhubarb in the garden and have been wondering what to do with it all apart from good old crumble - Also Stephen doesn't like rhubarb so I needed some way of disguising it! Then inspiration struck - Chutney! He'll never know! You can't taste the marrows in Harvest chutney!

 I dug out my mums recipe she uses for Harvest chutney and halved it  for 2 reasons , I didn't have a big enough pan and just incase it all turned out wrong ( had a nasty experience making Rhubarb and Ginger jam - made moutains of it and it tasted awful! Had to throw it away felt so guilty what a waste so didn't risk it this time.)
I made use of what ingredients I had to hand - frozen ginger pellets that have been lurking in the freezer for a while, frozen cranberries that have also been in the freezer waiting for a staring role in something delicious! Also I used a mixture of demerera, light brown and dark brown sugar as I didn't have enough of one sort!

It is an easy peasy recipe and just required a lot of chopping but I find that very theraputic - plus as I had halved the recipe there wasn't that much to chop - also you don't have to be so precise!

Here it is bubbling away. You can mainly see the cranberries - there is rhubarb in there!

I managed to make 3 large jars and and a small jar which is perfect to begin with - it needs a month to mature so if it is good then I will make lots and squirrel it away for christmas hampers!

Ingredients - makes about 3 and half jars

• 6 Pellets of frozen ginger
• 150ml red wine vinegar
• 250g eating apples, peeled and finely chopped
• 100g Chopped dates
• 100g frozen cranberries
• 1tbsp mustard seeds
• 1tbsp curry powder
• 20g light muscavado sugar
• 350g rhubarb sliced into small chunks
• 250g red onions chopped
• 2tsp salt
• 
  
• Method

1. Put the onions in a large pan with the ginger and vinegar. Bring to the boil, then simmer for 10 mins. Add the rest of the ingredients, except the rhubarb, plus 2 tsp salt to the pan and bring to the boil, stirring. Simmer, uncovered, for about 10 mins until the apples are tender.
2. Stir in the rhubarb and cook, uncovered, until the chutney is thick and jammy, about 15-20 mins. Leave the chutney to sit for about 10-15 mins, then spoon into warm, clean jars, and seal.  Keep for at least a month before eating.

By the skin of my teeth I am entering this into the Great British Rhubarb Recipe Round-Up that is being hosted by Karen from Lavender and Loveage and Janice from Farmersgirl Kitchen - Have a look at the other recipes - so many things you can make with rhubarb!