Green tomato chutney

Like many others, we planted too many tomatoes this year, so we have lots of green tomatoes. Today I made some chutney with some of them.

This recipe made 2x 500g jars and a small jar [one used for baby food]. It's from a French cookery magazine.

1kg green tomatoes, finely chopped
500g onions, finely chopped
500g cooking apples, peeled, cored and chopped
2 fresh green chillies, deseeded and finely chopped
2 cloves garlic, crushed and chopped
1 tspn powdered ginger
1 good pinch ground cloves
1 good pinch turmeric
50g sultanas
250g brown sugar [use muscovado if you want a darker chutney]
30cl white wine vinegar

Mix the tomatoes, onions, apples and chillies together in a large pot. Add the garlic, ginger, cloves and turmeric. Then add the sultanas, sugar and vinegar. Stir it all together.

Bring to the boil then reduce the heat and cover.

Let it simmer for about 11/4 hours, till the chutney has thickened and is soft.

Put into sterilised jars and label. Leave it for at least 3 weeks in a cool, dark place before using.

it will keep for 6-12 months if well sealed.

This is one of the finished pots.

I also made some quince jelly, but it was a lot of effort and the recipe [from Marguerite Pattern] only made one jamjar of jelly. Shan't bother with jelly again. Too much work!

I used all these quinces to make one pot!

Tollhouse cookies

I've read about the name of these cookies, how at the tollbooths on the roads people would stop and buy a drink and a cookie.
This version comes from Hannah Miles' new book 'The big book of cakes and cookies' which has 365 recipes for new cakes and well-loved favourites.
Hannah was a finalist in Masterchef 2007, and has a lovely blog which is on my list of favourite blogs - Hannah's country kitchen.
Here's the recipe:

125g butter
350g plain flour
1/2 tspn bicarb.
2 tspns cinnamon
100g caster sugar
100g soft brown sugar
1 tbspn golden syrup
1 large egg, beaten
100g chocolate chips
100g chopped walnuts

Preheat oven 180C/350F/gas4
Makes 20 cookies

Sieve flour, soda and cinnamon into a bowl.
Melt the butter and syrup in a saucepan.
Add the choc. chips and walnuts and egg to the flour mixture and then add the butter mixture. Mix it all together with a wooden spoon.
Divide the dough into walnut sized pieces and put onto greased baking trays. Make sure you leave a space between each one.
Press the tops down lightly.
Bake for 12-15 mins till golden brown and just firm.
Leave to cool on the trays for a few minutes then put on a wire rest.

My variations
I didn't have any chocolate chips so I broke up a 100g bar of dark chocolate, and I didn't add walnuts.

Souligne news

I haven't posted in a while because I couldn't add photos, but now it's sorted.
It's a glorious autumn here, still warm, and the trees are now beginning to turn colour. It's the time of year when we gets lots of fruit and veg. from our neighbours and friends, things we've not grown or haven't room to grow.
We've had lots of figs, quinces, cabbages, leeks and beetroot.
Have already posted about the fig and almond tart I made, and I've been trying out new fig recipes.
We loved Nigella's 'Figs for 1001 nights' and I also cooked them with honey, cinnamon and a little orange liqueur. Tonight I'm going to use them as starter with parma ham.
As for the quinces, think I'll try to make some quince jelly from Jane Grigson's great 'Fruit book'. It's supposed to be good with meat.
I love Jane Grigson's recipes as they're very straight forward and I've always had good results with them. I have her 'Vegetable book' and 'English food' and have used them a lot for inspiration.