Recipe: Rhubarb chutney

Early forced varieties of rhubarb are in season – and if you’ve seen any on the farmers’ market, it’s probably Timperley Early.

If you can find yourself a bunch or two, this rhubarb chutney recipe expertly combines some outstanding (and possibly surprising!) flavours.

Chopped apples, dates, apple cider vinegar, muscovado sugar, onions… and a medley of spices including cumin, garam masala and chilli to give a genuinely exotic edge!

Rhubarb never had it so good…

Ingredients (will make around 3 1lb jars)

• 500g rhubarb, sliced into 1 inch chunks
• 200ml cider vinegar
• 2 apples, peeled and cubed
• 200g dates, chopped
• 300g of dark muscovado sugar
• 1 teaspoon each of: cumin, dried ginger, garam masala and chilli powder
• 2 large onions, finely chopped

Method

1. Fry the onions in a little oil until golden
2. Add a large pinch of salt and your spices
3. Pop all your ingredients in and bring to a boil
4. Simmer for 30-40 minutes, until the chutney is starting to thicken
5. Please note: This chutney would benefit greatly from ‘maturing’ for a month in sterilised jars.

Serve with…

Cheeseboards, pork pies, cold meats, salads, game dishes, pork chops, or pop it in a sandwich. And if you like oily fish, try it with some warm smoked mackerel on fresh toast!

As ever, if you give any recipe a go, please do write back and tell us all about it!