Caramelised Onion Chutney and why I’d like to go back to the beginning!
Caramelised Onion Chutney
Its not that’s its bad but I would have been a bit more careful if you know what I mean. And of course, given my previous experience making jams, I should have thoroughly researched the art of chutney making!
At the supermarket last night I bought myself two nets of onions for €1.98 as next on my current recipe test list is Caramelised Onion Chutney. I’ve wanted to make this chutney having recently fallen in love with a branded one and I’ve been assured that its easy-peasy to make yourself. I’ve gone through my library to find a recipe and have come up with nothing. None. Nada. Unbelievably, I’ve had to resort to the good old Internet to find me a recipe. And lo and behold, I found a nice one on the Tesco website! As one does, I changed a couple of ingredients : I used Rioja wine vinegar and substituted the wholegrain mustard with 2 teaspoons of yellow mustard seeds.
I started by sweating the onions. Grand. Then I added brown sugar. Uh-oh! I was supposed to add only 3 tablespoons but I’ve added double that amount! So, my onions were not caramelising but continuing to sweat in a brown sugar syrup. Oh dear! Too late…
Sweating the onions
Nevertheless, I continued on with the recipe, taking taste tests every so often and you know what, it wasn’t bad! The smell of onions and vinegar has reminded us all of the benefit of using a portable gas burner and making the chutney outside; the fact that it was raining a minor detail of course.
Simmering the chutney
From 1.5kg of onions, I’ve got only two jars of chutney. I’ve packed it away and we’ll see in a month’s time if it was worth the stink. But for now, lessons I’ve learnt:
1. Research, research, RESEARCH as a recipe will not give you all the details you need. If I’d been on my game, I would have read Beryl Wood’s Let’s Preserve It {Square Peg} Points to Remember section on Chutneys and Pickles where she states that unlike jams, there’s no setting point for chutneys “but overcooking must be avoided otherwise the chutney will dry out during storage and mould will form.” Possible future uh-oh…
2. Use a proper measuring spoon at all times!
I hope to make more of this chutney next weekend and hopefully outdoors which will be much to the delight of my family! But in the meantime, do give it a try yourself and let me know how it works out for you.
Xx Paula
4 comments on “Caramelised Onion Chutney and why I’d like to go back to the beginning!”
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Salt, Pepper and a Dollop of Cream 
I love Caramelized Onion Jam so this just sound delicious 🙂
Thanks Amy! I love it too and was eating the shop bought one by the spoonful with nothing else!! I had to give it a go and have now learnt from my mistakes! Do you think fresh chilli would be better?? Xx Paula
I love onion chutney and home made is always better as I’m sure you will discover when you crack open your first jar!
Thanks Anna! I’m looking forward to it for sure. I’m getting ready now to make a red onion version so we’ll see if I’ve learnt my lessons! Xx Paula