Damsons for Chutney - Wednesday, 9th September 2015 - Damsons are everywhere and elderberries too...

Early morning finishing off my damson chutney with marrow, cider vinegar, raisins and spices.

I don't normally do damsons because they really are too expensive to buy plus the sugar and vinegar but this year because they are so plentiful in gardens and country places, its possible to gather in a few, putting them to good use.

I'm using cider vinegar for I love its  taste with just a little ground cloves and chilli plus a few of my home-grown chilli peppers with the seeds left in.  Of course, the taste will mellow with storage but I don't think you need to keep damson chutney for as long as other fruits, which means we could be eating this chutney at Christmas time.  This would be very good with baked hams and the turkey of course.  I'll let you know how we get on!

washed damsons in cider vinegar ready to simmer...

Now the damson is a stone fruit and, because of its small size, it is a chore to remove it, so I've gone along with Delia's idea of gently simmering my fruit in half a pint of the recipe's vinegar, for approximately 20 - 30 minutes, to soften the fruit, making it possible to remove the stones by hand once the mixture has cooled.

Now I've taken this process one step  further, deciding to press the mixture thru' a large plastic strainer, to produce a soft puree of fruit. Of course, this produces a less aesthetically pleasing fruit addition to the other ingredients but....it's such a quick way to deal with the stones I think is the biz!

Spicy Apple Marrow Chutney from 2014

 I mixed my puree with the onions, marrow and vinegar and left it to cook overnight in my slow cooker.  I would not normally do this but the gardening season is still busy with masses to do, beans and tomatoes to pick and process and then tidy up everywhere in the garden  before winter descends....oh dear!

So whilst waiting for my chutney to finish its cook time, I chop up four large onions for the next chutney of damsons with elderberries, cider vinegar, spices and raisins which, again, I have piled into my slow cooker.  I shall cook this mix until tonight and then tip it into my preserving pan, add sugar and cook until the mix is ready for potting up.

We have just opened up a first jar of apple and elderberry chutney from 2013 which is very good and we shall no doubt enjoy this with numerous meals and snacks.

Welsh Apple and Elderberry Chutney from 2013

This year's chutneys are already being stored away for future eating and the damson will be kept 'til Christmas time and then we shall see what remains to be kept for longer.

We're rather fond of our homemade preserves and I willingly give them to family and friends so much so that we are now down to our last half-jar of my thick peel dark marmalade and we're keen for the Seville oranges to be on sale again in January, so that I can put up another several batches of marmalade.  I must confess to a huge greediness for the marmalade I've been making for many years now and also sincerely tell you how good it is to eat marmalade on delicious wholemeal toast.  Not only delicious but wonderful for a appetite hungry from shopping, housework and walking everywhere.  And now I eat the dear SO's lovely homemade organic bread with my marmalade and that is also absolutely scrumptious and vital for the greedy appetite!

Of course, it must be admitted too much bread is not good for anyone...and that must occasion another oh dear...wouldn't you agree, hey?

Happy eating until we meet again...



Daisy xxx

Ref.  Delia Online Spiced Damson Chutney