Zucchini’s are one of those vegetables that go forth and multiply, one moment they are fresh little courgettes and next, human baby-sized marrows! With one or two plants in the garden, it doesn’t take long to be inundated with an overflowing harvest, and although we can stir-fry them, bake them, grill them, bbq them, spaghetti them, have them in soups and salads, often there can still be plenty to go around. That’s why we thought this delectable chutney recipe might be a saving grace when it comes to preserving the abundance for the weeks or months to come.
This straight forward recipe can be adapted with different spices, however we like the warmth of the mustard, coriander and cumin flavours. As well as being a great accompaniment to cheese and crackers, we have enjoyed this sweet relish as a side to a curry or salad. It is diverse and we encourage you to be explorative… but don’t expect it hang around in the cupboard for long, these jars tend to make it to the table with most meals.
Ingredients:
6 cups of chopped capsicum
6 Cups grated green or yellow zucchini/marrow
2 1/2 cups of grated (or thinly sliced) onion
4 cups of Organic Apple Cidar Vinegar
400 g Organic Golden Sugar
2 tbsp Flaky Sea Salt
2 tbsp Mustard Seeds
2 tbsp Cumin Seed (preferably whole)
1 tsp Corriander Seed
1/2 tsp Hot Chili Flakes
Instructions
Prepare your preserving jars to learn more about it check out post on making Tomato Chutney here >
In a frying pan, sear off the capsicum and onion, where possible keep the pan dry so that you achieve a slight charcoal effect. Once the onions are softened add the dry spices and heat until the mustard seeds begin to pop, then take off the stove.
Add the zucchini to a large pot with 2 cups of the Apple Cider Vinegar, cook until the vegetables have softened, about 30 minutes.
Take the zucchini off the stove, drain using a colander, and return back to the pot.
Add the dry cooked capsicum, onion and spices to the pot along with the remaining 2 cups of Apple Cider Vinegar and sugar.
Bring to a simmer and cook for 5-10 minutes.
Ladle into your prepared sterilised preserving jars. Gently tap the jars on a towel-covered surface to loosen any bubbles before using a wooden chopstick to dislodge remaining bubbles.
Wipe the rims of the jars and apply the lids.
Put the jars into a boiling water bath for 10 minutes. When the processing time is up, take the pot that the jars are bathing in off the heat and let it slowly cool for 5-10 minutes to avoid a rapid change in temperate before taking the jars out.
Notes:
Alternative spices that we have experimented with are turmeric, celery seed, fennel and curry powder, all work well with the recommended spices.
You may like to use this recipe as a way of getting through marrows, just be sure to peel them first.
We also like using a combination of yellow and green zucchini’s to get a fuller colour to the end yumminess.
Naturally, this chutney is dairy and gluten-free, and vegan.
Enjoy
