Easy Feijoa Chutney – Recipe

A year or so back, I made some chutney for the first time in my life and tis fair to say I was pleasantly surprised at a) how simple it was to do and b) how delicious it was!

Actually I lie – a couple of years ago I 1st ventured into jam, chutney and sauce making, after a lovely friend of mine supplied me with dozens of kg of plums! But this time round I’d been given feijoas and I confess, I am hooked!

My 1st feijoa chutney recipe was an adaptation of several that I found online, modified to include (or exclude!) stuff I felt would work best. It was a bit fiddly but made a lovely chutney so I was excited.

I’m a lot lazier in the kitchen now so yesterday’s chutney cook up was more of a “rightio, chuck all this good stuff in a pot – we’re making chutney” scenario. And BOY did it pay off!

So for a simple but delicious Feijoa Chutney, look no further!

4c feijoa pulp (cut in half and scooped with a teaspoon)
2 large feijoas – whole. Finely diced. Skin and all.
6 granny smith apples – peeled and sliced into chunks.
6 onions – sliced anyway ya want them. I did a mixture of lengths, chunks & diced.
8 cloves garlic. Peeled and diced.
4T finely diced fresh ginger.

1kg sultanas soaked in 1/2c balsamic vinegar and 1/3c brown sugar over night. I KNOW this sounds odd but trust me!

1T pickling spice – ground into a fine pdr (mortar and pestle, style)
1c brown sugar
4c malt vinegar

1T pickling spice mix (whole / to go in the vinegar mix ie = do not grind)
1/2t salt
1t black pepper

Soak sultanas overnight.  Be sure to use a plastic or glass container to avoid taint from the vinegar.

In a pot, bring 4c vinegar, 1c brown sugar and 1T whole spices to the boil. Turn off and set aside.

Put the feijoas, apples, onions, garlic and ginger into a large preserving pan / soup pot, then add the spices, the vinegar mix and sultanas.

Bring to the boil slowly, with the lid on – stirring occasionally to ensure it doesn’t burn or stick. Once boiling, turn it down, tilt the lid and simmer for an hour. Stir occasionally.

Pack into sterile jars and store for 3 months before use, to allow it to mature.
Trust me, this is worth doing!