Maincrop rhubarb is upon us, and there is a rumble beyond the crumble. For year-round supply, bottling or canning is the standard go-to (see here), but there are other options. With its high acidity, rhubarb makes a good, if slightly mushy, chutney. Using our mild, slightly balsamic-like Good Ordinary Cider Vinegar keeps the harsh acidity to a minimum, so you can almost treat it as a vegetable side dish or sauce, as well as the ubiquitous sandwich filling. Salting the vegetables overnight cuts down on cooking time and gives a slightly more textured end result.
Bashing the ginger and including it in the spice bag doesn’t really work. If anything, it absorbs rather than exudes flavour and, as it expands, the whole thing becomes cumbersome. So I think it’s better grated and included directly in the chutney. Other than that, the method is simple.
Wrap the peppercorns and mustard seeds in a spice bag and put everything in a large saucepan.
It’s crucial not to overfill the pan – it shouldn’t be deeper than about 7cm. Bring to the boil, turn down to a simmer and cook for 2-21/2 hours. You don’t need to stand over it, stirring but you don’t want it to catch. I’m a relatively new convert but even the heat you get from an induction hob is perfect.
Stir occasionally to insure even evaporation and once you can drag a wooden spoon across the bottom of the pan without immediate infill, it’s ready to pot up.
4 servings