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Sunday

Squally Sunday

The forecasters predicted wild and windy weather today, but after breakfast the storm hadn't yet arrived so we struck out for a walk on our favourite hillside, kept moving at a clip as we could see the blanket of rain closing in on us, and the wind ruffled the trees.  Arrived home for a coffee as the first fat drops of rain came.
I'd planned a cook day with the threat of bad weather so got to work making lots of lovely tomato sauce for the freezer, and pear chutney.  We have 2 ancient pear trees, variety unknown, but both wonderful prolific, the pears aren't lookers - a bit lumpy, but their flavour is sweetly almondy, and their flesh is lusciously juicy.  Even though I can eat the most prodigious quantity of fruit, they defeat even me, so chutney is a good option.  I researched various recipes, then amended to make a version to our taste with toasted cumin and coriander seeds.  Here it is below;

Pear chutney - September 2013
2kg pears, when peeled and chopped
3 cooking apples
3 onions
400g raisins
Goodly amount of following spices toasted; cumin, coriander, mustard seed. Bashed.
Chilli flakes 1 tsp.
2 tsp salt
400g sugar (granulated)  (could be a bit less?)
300ml malt vinegar .

Put in pan, boil, stir intermittently, when soft, bottle in warm sterilised jars.
Store for 3 months – if possible to wait!