Green Tomato Chutney and Pate`

5lb of mixed tomatoes.

The green tomatoes have been picked,  not all of them but Simon braved the weather and came in with 5lbs of tomatoes, once I had sorted and  de-stalked them I found that we had 1 lb of ripe tomatoes, not bad for the 13th of November, and just over 4lbs of green ones.

These have now been turned into Green Tomato Chutney. Chutney is just about the easiest thing to make as a winter preserve, and is a lovely accompaniment to cold meats or cheese. The 4lbs of tomatoes resulted in seven jars of chutney. Chutney can be made from a variety of things, one of my favourites was plum and fig when we had our own fig trees.
                                              To make Green Tomato Chutney.

2kg tomatoes, washed, there is no need to peel them.
500g onion, finely chopped.
500g cooking apples, finely chopped.
500-750 g brown sugar, depending on how sweet you like your pickle.
3/4lt vinegar , I use malt vinegar but any vinegar can be used.
500g Sultanas.
1 sachet (13g) of pickling spice, some people put these in a bag and then remove them, I leave them in.
Salt according to taste and fresh milled black pepper.

Green Tomato Chutney

Wash the tomatoes and put them into a heavy bottomed preserving pan, add the chopped onions, cover the pan with a well fitting lid and cook at the lowest temperature possible for 45 minutes, stirring occasionally , make sure they don't burn. Mash them a little with a potato masher and then add the chopped apples, cook for a further 10 minutes, then add the vinegar, sugar and spices. Bring to the boil and maintain the heat until the liquid has reduced and the mixture has thickened, stirring all the time. Be careful the boiling jam doesn't splash up and burn you, IT HURTS!

When reduced, pour into hot sterilised jars, place a ring of grease proof paper under the lid and tighten up the jars fully.
This chutney will improve with age, so try to keep some jars back to eat at Christmas.

4lb +of green tomatoes 1lb of ripe ones.

When we slaughter our poultry we always keep the livers back. We both love chicken or duck liver pate`.

I used to go to great lengths making Pate`, following various recipes religiously, many of them called for a Bain Maire and the addition of spirits of some type. I like to experiment when I cook, I don't generally like recipe books, making it up as you go along is fun, and you can adjust your recipe as you go along.


The latest Pate` is very simple and delicious.
Two chicken or duck livers.
 One small onion.
 2 Rashers of streaky bacon,
 Fresh thyme and sage leaves.
Salt, pepper.
2ozs of butter.
Finely chop all the ingredients.

Fresh home-made bread and Pate`

 Melt the butter, add the chopped ingredients, and sweat, don't allow to brown. This takes about 6 minutes.
Remove the cooked ingredient into a food processor and blitz them , you can make this as fine or coarse as you like.
Return to the pan, gently cook for a further couple of minutes , then put the mixture into a ramekin dish, push the mixture down firmly. Allow to cool completely, then melt 1 oz of butter and pour over the top, this will form a seal and the Pate` will keep for two weeks in the fridge, ( if you don't eat it all before hand.)
Serve with toast or fresh bread, with a slice of lemon.