You can't beat beetroot

Having failed to make the Smooth Beetroot Chutney yesterday, I got it done today. I wore my beetroot sweater ( so the splashes don't show ) and soon had a pan bubbling away. This is how it went.

After prepping everything - beetroot, apples, onions, it all goes into the pan with red wine vinegar, demerara sugar, ground ginger and salt.

Cook it slowly for about 1 - 1 1/2 hours, then, working in about three to four batches, process the contents of the pan through a goblet liquidiser or a food processor until smooth-ish. Tip the batches into a clean pan as they are finished and then stir the whole lot together to combine before returning to a low heat.

Gently re-heat the smooth chutney until it is hot and ready for jarring. Be very careful not to have the heat too high - once it is smooth, this chutney 'bloops' and explodes all over the worktops and walls if you don't watch it. Hence the beetroot sweater! Pot into hot, sterilised jars and seal immediately. This chutney can be eaten straightaway and is brilliant for spreading in sandwiches, with or without cheese. If you don't want the chutney smooth then leave out the processing but cook for a little longer.

The finished chutney waiting in line for batching and labeling