Easy peach chutney – cooking with abundance

THIS CHUTNEY is really fantastic with ham, cold turkey and cheese

Being in the subtropics, the local stone-fruit farm in Bangalow has only a small season of production from October to November, but you really have to get there to take advantage of the wonderful peaches and nectarines that are ripe and luscious for those few precious weeks.

I have been picking up cases of speck fruit – that is, slightly damaged –  for $4.  You just need a few jars to then turn them into something delicious that will last for the whole year – the alchemy of cooking – I just love it.

It is worth just the drive home with the smell of ripe peaches in the car.  Jars of jam and chutney also make fabulous Christmas gifts.

•  2 red onions, finely chopped
• 4 cloves garlic, finely crushed
• 4 cm fresh ginger, finely grated
• 4 sticks lemon grass, white part only, finely sliced
• 1/2 tsp black pepper
• 3 kg peaches, chopped
• 2 cups brown sugar
• 1/3 cup apple cider vinegar
• 1 tsp salt

1. Cook the whole lot up for 30-40 mins until slightly thickened and and a bit ‘jammy’.
2. Put in pre-washed an heated jars – this is an important step because it sterilises the jars and stops your precious produce from going off .
3. DON’T put the lids on the jars until they are completely cool because the condensation that will form from the hot chutney could encourage moulds to grow.  Instead, cover them with a CLEAN tea towel until cooled.
4. Seal when cool.  
5. Great with Christmas turkey, ham and cheese.