Joe is in exam lockdown, revising every day at the library and therefore surviving on a diet of sandwiches. I decided to make a few of the relishes and chutneys from ' what katie ate ' to give him some rather more interesting alternatives to the usual mayo and chilli sauce combo.
Aubergine and pepper chutney
Ingredients
1 large aubergine
Olive oil, for cooking
Sea salt and freshly ground black pepper
3 red peppers
3 shallots, finely chopped
2 cloves garlic, finely minced
250ml apple cider vinegar
110g caster sugar
1 teaspoon smoked paprika
Method
Preheat a barbecue or chargrill pan to hot. Cut the aubergine length-ways into 1 cm thick slices, then drizzle with olive oil and sprinkle with salt. Grill on each side until the flesh is sort of browned. Set aside to cool, then remove the skin, cut each slice into large pieces and place in a medium-sized saucepan.
Preheat the oven to 160˚C fan-forced. Cut the peppers in half lengthways and remove the stalk, membrane and seeds. Rub the skins with a little olive oil, then place the peppers, cut-side down, on a baking tray and roast for about 1 hour or until the skins are blackened. Remove from the oven, then place in a bowl, cover with plastic film and set aside for 10 minutes. Peel off the charred skin (I use thin rubber gloves to do this), then cut the peppers into chunks and add to the saucepan with all the ingredients.
Bring to the boil, stirring occasionally to prevent the caramelised bits sticking to the base of the pan. Reduce the heat to low and simmer gently for 1 1/2 – 2 hours, stirring occasionally, until thickened and reduced. Leave to cool.
Store in a sterilised jar in the fridge for up to 1 week.
Spicy vine tomato relish
Ingredients
3 handfuls of baby tomatoes
3 cloves of peeled garlic
olive oil, for drizzling
2 sprigs of thyme,
sea salt and freshly ground black pepper
400 g tin chopped tomatoes
3 shallots, finely chopped
180 ml white wine vinegar
110g brown sugar
1 teaspoon mustard powder
1/2 teaspoon dried chilli flakes
1/2 teaspoon ground allspice
Method
Preheat the oven to 120°C
Place the tomatoes in a roasting dish, along with the garlic. Drizzle with olive oil and sprinkle with thyme, salt and pepper. Roast for 1 – 1 1/2 hours until the tomatoes have softened and are slightly blackened around the edges.
Squeeze the roasted garlic pulp from the cloves and place in a saucepan, along with the roasted tomatoes and all the other ingredients. Bring to the boil, then reduce heat to medium and simmer for 1 – 2 hours until the relish has reduced to half or a quarter of its original volume. Remove from heat and allow to cool.
Store in sterilised jars in fridge, for up to a week or so
balsamic beetroot relish
Ingredients
6 or so good sized beetroots, trimmed and scrubbed
balsamic vinegar
olive oil
1 red onion, roughly chopped
1 tablespoon lemon juice
1/2 cup white wine vinegar
1/4 cup brown sugar
fresh thyme, chopped
maldon salt and freshly ground black pepper, to taste
Method
Cut beets in half and place cut side up on baking sheet.
Drizzle with olive oil and balsamic vinegar and sprinkle salt to taste. Roast at 400 degrees until beets are tender.
When cool enough to handle, use your hands to slip off the skins. Roughly chop roasted beets and quickly give them a quick go in the food processor adding 3 tablespoons of olive oil until thoroughly minced but a little texture remains.
In a pan add some olive oil and the chopped red onion until the onion softens. Add the pureed beets and the remaining ingredients and simmer to allow flavors to Combine.
Cool completely and store in a clean jar in the refrigerator for up to a week.
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