Ingredients:

• 500g Dried Apricots – you need to chop these to the size of sultanas
• 250g Sultanas
• 500g Onions – chopped to the size of sultanas
• 350ml sherry vinegar – or any ‘fruity’ vinegar
• 500 ml water
• 250g white sugar
• 1 teaspoon salt
• 1 teaspoon Dried Chilli Flakes – you can adjust this quantity according to own taste

Method:
Place the dried apricots and sultanas in a large bowl and cover with the vinegar. Cover and leave to stand overnight. This allows the fruit to plump up as the vinegar gets absorbed.

Next day, blend the soaked fruit in a food processor (along with the soaking liquid). Don’t allow the apricots to become too finely chopped – you want them to be the same size as the sultanas. Tip the whole lot into a large saucepan (that has a lid).

Use the food processor to chop the onions and add them the fruit in the saucepan. Once again, don’t chop too finely – keep them the same size as the chopped apricots.

My recipe calls for sherry vinegar, but you can substitute this for brown grape vinegar or any ‘fruity’ vinegar. Don’t use plain white or brown vinegar as it will taste too acidic

Add the rest of the ingredients and bring to the boil. Now put the lid on, turn down the heat, and allow to simmer for at 30 to 45 minutes until the mixture becomes thick and syrupy. If it’s still not thick enough after this time, just simmer a bit longer. You are looking for the consistency of a nice sticky jam. Do remember however that the mixture will thicken on cooling.

As with all recipes you need to taste and adjust the flavour as you go along. If you find the chutney is too acidic you can add a touch more sugar. If you want it hotter, add more chilli. This is quite a sweet chutney and the final result should be sweet and tangy.

Pour into sterilised jars and keep in your fridge until you are ready to use. This chutney improves with age.Place the dried apricots and sultanas in a large bowl and cover with the vinegar. Cover and leave to stand overnight. This allows the fruit to plump up as the vinegar gets absorbed.

Next day, blend the soaked fruit in a food processor (along with the soaking liquid). Don’t allow the apricots to become too finely chopped – you want them to be the same size as the sultanas. Tip the whole lot into a large saucepan (that has a lid).

Use the food processor to chop the onions and add them the fruit in the saucepan. Once again, don’t chop too finely – keep them the same size as the chopped apricots.

My recipe calls for sherry vinegar, but you can substitute this for brown grape vinegar or any ‘fruity’ vinegar. Don’t use plain white or brown vinegar as it will taste too acidic

Add the rest of the ingredients and bring to the boil. Now put the lid on, turn down the heat, and allow to simmer for at 30 to 45 minutes until the mixture becomes thick and syrupy. If it’s still not thick enough after this time, just simmer a bit longer. You are looking for the consistency of a nice sticky jam. Do remember however that the mixture will thicken on cooling.

As with all recipes you need to taste and adjust the flavour as you go along. If you find the chutney is too acidic you can add a touch more sugar. If you want it hotter, add more chilli. This is quite a sweet chutney and the final result should be sweet and tangy.

Pour into sterilised jars and keep in your fridge until you are ready to use. This chutney improves with age.