Tomato Relish

Is this relish or chutney? Whatever you’re having yourself! I love relish but it is expensive to buy a really good one so I thought it can’t be that hard to make my own. I spent quite a long time researching this one to make sure that I got the flavour I was looking for. I had all the ingredients already in my kitchen so that was a good start.. Most of the recipes I came across online had apples in them but none of the jars of relish in the shops that I like had them listed in the ingredients, so I left them out. I’m glad I did, this is a really rich, intense flavoured relish.

The last batch I made lasted us four or five months. It makes approx. a litre of relish. You can use it immediately but it does taste better if left to mature a bit. I store it in a cold dry place but once opened keep it in the fridge.

Ingredients:

• 115ml red wine vinegar
• 115ml white wine vinegar
• 300g sugar
• 1 tsp mustard seeds
• 200g onions finely chopped
• 700g tinned plum tomatoes
• 300g tinned chopped tomatoes
• 2 tsp salt
• 100g sultanas
• 1tsp all spice
• 1 tsp black pepper

Method:

• Use a large heavy bottomed saucepan as you will be cooking this slowly for a long time and a proper saucepan will help prevent burning. I use a cast iron casserole dish. Put the vinegars, sugar and mustard seeds into the saucepan and bring to the boil, stirring the whole time.
• Once the sugar has dissolved, add in the rest of the ingredients and bring to a boil again.
• Then reduce to a simmer and leave to simmer for 90mins to 2 hours. Make sure to stir occasionally to prevent the relish sticking.
• Reduce until it has thickened significantly. You can use the relish as it is which will be quite chunky. I like to take a potato masher to it to blend it a bit so that it is a bit thicker, less lumpy.

The relish when it starts to boil, after 2 hours simmering, and after blending with the masher.

• Once cooled, taste to see if it needs any extra seasoning.
• Spoon the relish into sterilised jars and store in a cool dry place. Jars can be easily sterilised by just washing thoroughly in warm soapy water and drying them out in an oven at 180C for 5 mins. Make sure you don’t put your hands into the jars afterwards.

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