Spiced caramelised red onions, Romano peppers & Port wine chutney

Ingredients

• 1.6kg red onions, finely sliced

• 450gr red Romano peppers, finely sliced sideways

• 350gr dark muscovado sugar

• 150ml red wine vinegar

• 100ml balsamic vinegar

• 100ml port wine

• 2 tbsps olive oil

• 2 tbsps sea salt flakes

• 8 garlic cloves, crushed

• 2 cinnamon sticks

• 2 large bay leaves

• 1 tbsps dried Rosemary

• 1 tsp juniper berries

• 1 tsp cloves in a cheesecloth

• 1/2 tsp lazy chili or 1 red chili finely chopped

• Freshly ground black pepper to taste

Method

I pour the olive oil into a large pot and add the bay leaves, cinnamon sticks, and ground black pepper. Once the oil is hot and sizzling, I gently toss in the finely sliced red onions and stir until they soften and start browning. Next, I add the finely sliced red Romano peppers, crushed garlic cloves, and salt and continue stirring until the vegetables are slightly caramelised and just about catching the bottom of the pot.

At this stage, I fold in the sugar and pour in the vinegars and the port wine. I wrap the cloves and juniper berries into a strip of cheesecloth and tie a knot to secure them. I add it to the chutney and allow it to simmer and bubble for 90 minutes, occasionally stirring to ensure that nothing sticks to the bottom of the pot and, until it becomes sticky and the liquid thickens.

I prepare the jars and lids by sterilising them (run them under tap water, place them on a tray, and put them in the oven for 15-20 minutes at 100ºC). I remove the bay leaves, cinnamon sticks, and cheesecloth from the mixture and pour the chutney into the jars (if the chutney has come to room temperature, allow the jars to cool to a similar temperature before filling and closing). I line the lids with a layer of parchment paper before closing the jars to create a barrier between the acid from the vinegars and the metals in the lid. This recipe yielded 3 medium jars and 2 small ones. I tend to allow the flavours to develop for a month or so before consuming or gifting. Little festive tip: decorate the jars nicely for a wonderful homemade gift or serve the chutney with a cheeseboard or add it to sausage rolls for a delicious twist to party favourites. Enjoy!