I love chutney, seriously, I’ve been known to eat chutney on toast. So when a good friend asked me what she should do with a glut of pears growing in her garden, I said bring them to me and we will make lots and lots of chutney. So we did, and its yummy. Here’s the recipe.

Christmas Pear Chutney

1kg (about 6) ripe pears

150g ready to eat dried prunes

150g sultanas

150g raisins

200g shallots finely sliced

2 eating apples

300g light muscovado sugar

1 cinnamon stick

600 ml cider vinegar

To make the chutney:

Core and chop the pear into chunks and put with the sultanas, raisins, shallots, apples sugar and cinnamon stick in a large pan.

Add half the vinegar and bring slowly to a simmer (stirring continuously until the sugar is dissolved)

Simmer for 25 min’s until the pear is tender.

Add the remains of the vinegar and cook for 30 min’s, stirring regularly.

Spoon the chutney into steralised jars. Enjoy !