How To Make Your Own Tomato Chutney

For those seeking a variation on the standard Ploughman's Lunch, here's a recipe for home-made tomato chutney to set it apart.

Tomato Chutney:
1 cup sugar
1 1/2 cups cider vinegar
2 teaspoons sea salt
1 teaspoon crushed cardamom seeds
1 teaspoons ground ginger
1/2 teaspoon mustard seeds
1/4 teaspoon ground cloves
1 1/2 pounds plum tomatoes, quartered
1 medium onion, chopped
2 tablespoons minced garlic
1 tablespoon olive oil
1/2 cup golden raisins
Freshly ground pepper

To make the chutney, in a large saucepan over medium-low heat, combine sugar, vinegar, salt, cardamom, ginger, mustard seeds and cloves. Slowly bring mixture to a boil, stirring until sugar is dissolved. Add tomatoes, onion, garlic, olive oil, raisins and pepper to taste. Reduce heat to low, and simmer, uncovered, stirring frequently, for 1 to 1 1/4 hours, or until mixture is thickened. (After a few minutes' cooking time, the tomato skins will separate from the pulp. Remove skins with a fork and discard.) Spoon chutney into a clean jar or bowl, cover and refrigerate for up to 3 weeks. Makes about 2 cups.

Per serving: 866 calories; 40 g fat (18 g saturated fat; 42 percent calories from fat); 106 g carbohydrates; 85 mg cholesterol; 2,310 mg sodium; 28 g protein; 7.5 g fiber.

From "The Irish Pub Cookbook" (Chronicle Books, 2006).