Delia Smiths Spiced Apricot and Orange Chuntney

Looking through my faithful Delia Smith, Christmas book, I was reminded of this lovely chutney which I used to make every Christmas. That was a time before children when I used to make a lot of my Christmas gifts. There is nothing difficult or time consuming about it, so I decided to make some yesterday with the thought of presents on my mind. 

The mixture filled 3 bonne maman jars, those jars come in very handy. Add a luggage label and a ribbon and voila. 

Ingredients
400g no-soak dried apricots
1 tsp whole coriander seeds
225g soft brown sugar
425ml cider vinegar
1 chopped onion
50g sultanas
2 tbsp grated ginger
2 chopped cloves garlic
1 tsp salt
½ tsp of cayenne pepper
grated zest and juice of an orange

Method
Cut the apricot into small pieces. Heat the coriander seeds in a dry frying pan, then bash them in a pestle and mortar until ligthly crushed. Put everything together into a large stainless steel saucepan and heat gently until the sugar has dissolved. Simmer half-covered for 45 minutes or so. You want soft onions and fruit, but you don't want it too thick, and it will carry on thickening as it cools. Rather like a liquid jam. 

Spoon into sterilised jars. It's best kept for a month before eating, and is a perfect accompaniment with cheese and cold cuts of meat. 

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