HAMSTERGBERT'S NECTARINE CHUTNEY
(adapted/anglicised from an American friend's original)
3 cinnamon sticks or 3 tbsp ground cinnamon
1 tbsp (whole) cloves or 1 tsp ground cloves
10 cardamom pods, gently crushed to release the seeds
1 tsp fenugreek seeds, crushed/ground
2 tbsp ginger paste or crushed and finely chopped fresh ginger.
2 cloves garlic, crushed
3 tbsp vegetable oil (pref. rapeseed oil)
12oz soft brown sugar
2 tbsp salt (pref sea salt)
2 tbsp white wine vinegar
3 onions, chopped
2-3 mixed red/green sweet peppers, de-seeded and chopped
6 mixed red/green chilli peppers, (de-seeded if chickening out) and finely chopped
2lb firm (under)ripe or green and unripe nectarines (whatever you can get hold of - I obtained them quite cheap at near the end of the day at Leeds Market down the fruit and veg stalls at the bottom end. Try your local market), washed and stoned, cut to oxo cube sized chunks. *** doesn't matter if they are a bit bruised***
(apparently can use ripe/unripe peaches instead but they need peeling)
zest and juice of 2 limes
Heat the oil over a high heat and fry the cinnamon, cloves and cardamom for a minute or so until the scent brings everyone in nose-shot (?), salivating, into the kitchen. Shoo them away. Keep on for another minute or two, repeatedly bashing the cinnamon sticks to encourage them to break down into small chunks.
Add the onions and fry for five mins or so – through the transparent stage until they start to colour up. Add the chopped chilis, sweet peppers, ginger paste, garlic and crushed fenugreek seeds and cook for a further three minutes, keeping bashing any over-large cinnamon lumps that you missed in the first phase.
Pour in half the limejuice and zest then stir in the chopped nectarines together with the salt and sugar. Reduce the heat and stir constantly to avoid the mix 'catching' until it becomes sufficiently fluid, when you can turn the heat back up and give it a steady boiling for 15-20 mins, stirring much of the time to prevent burning. The colour should darken and the gunge thickens. Prod firmly any fruit lumps that seem to be staying hard and keep at any cinnamon that is still acting the goat and staying in chunks..
Stir in the remaining lime juice together with the white wine vinegar, bring up to a rolling boil for about eight to ten minutes, stirring all the time. Be careful – I wasn't and inadvertently proved the gloop sticks to your forearm skin pretty efficiently so may be able to utilise any leftovers as a useful glue.
Kill the heat and allow it to come off the boil and heave it into hot and sterilised jars. Cap tightly and allow to cool fully (I use the pop-top lids which should click down after a few hours cooling and reassure me that the seal is good and tight).
Nice and tangy - especially if you get carried away and overdo the limes
Keeps a few months unopened in the cupboard. When opened it is best kept in the fridge.