Food & Wine
Beetroot chutney
Beetroot chutney is so versatile and very simple to make. You can use it in sandwiches and on cheese platters, but it also makes a delicious addition to casseroles and stews, giving an instant flavour boost.
Serves: 5-6 medium jars
Ingredients:
- 1kg beetroot, peeled, trimmed
- 2 tablespoons pickling spice
- 1 teaspoon cumin seeds
- 3 large green apples, peeled, cored, coarsely chopped
- 1 large brown onion, coarsely chopped
- 4 cloves garlic, crushed
- 1 cup sultanas
- ½ cup crystallised ginger, finely chopped
- 1 cup brown sugar
- 3 cups malt vinegar
- 1 teaspoon coarse salt
Methods:
- Grate the beetroot on the coarse side of a box grater or pulse in a food processor until very finely chopped. I like to do a combination of both as it gives a nice varied texture.
- Tie the spices up in a muslin bag and combine with the beetroot and all the other ingredients in a large saucepan. Set the saucepan over high heat and stir, without boiling, until the sugar has dissolved. Bring to the boil, then reduce the heat and simmer for about an hour, or until the chutney has thickened and softened to your liking. Stir occasionally to prevent sticking.
- Remove the muslin spice bag and spoon the hot chutney into hot, sterilised jars. Seal immediately.
- Allow to cool before labelling and dating the jars. Store in a cool, dark place for at least 4 weeks before opening and, once opened, store in the fridge.
- I used home-grown beetroot of a variegated variety so, when combined with brown sugar and malt vinegar, my chutney turned out more of a brown than a red colour. If you want vivid beetroot chutney, make sure your beetroot is bright in colour all the way through. You could also swap the brown sugar for white and the malt vinegar for white but you will miss out on the depth of flavour that the dark sugar and vinegar bring.
Do you have an interesting beetroot recipe to share with us? Let us know in the comments below.
Written by Alice Arundell. First appeared on Stuff.co.nz.
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