Beetroot Chutney

This beetroot chutney is a homemade one that I love to keep at hand for adding to burgers and cold meat platters or as a simple dip for raw vegetables.

 To make the chutney you need:

• 500g fresh beetroot (not ready peeled and pickled), peeled and finely chopped
• 1kg cooking apples, peeled and chopped.
• 275g of red onion, finely chopped
• 2cm piece of fresh ginger, grated,
• 50g crystallised stem ginger, finely chopped.
• 375g soft light brown sugar
• 1 tsp table salt
• 1tsp Ground allspice
• 750ml red wine vinegar.

1. Place the beetroot, apple, red onion, gingers, sugar, salt and spice into a large pan.
2. Add the vinegar and mix well.
3. Bring to the boil and then simmer for around 60 to 70 minutes until the beetroot is tender.  Stir every 10 minutes.
4. Whilst still warm pour in to sterilised jars and seal.  Keep in the fridge and use within 4 weeks.

My children don’t like the lumps of beetroot so I tend to sieve half of the chutney as I put it in the jars and they will then eat it as a dip.  Remember the chutney is very sweet (not good in large quantities if you are on a diet) and does stain clothing so don’t feed little ones too much as it’s high in sugar or let them drop it down them.