h2g2 The Hitchhiker's Guide to the Galaxy: Earth Edition

Just put a batch of chutney on the stove. I've never made any kind of pickle before, as far as I can remember, and it's a result of not being able to find any Branston Pickle in the places around Austin that sell British grub.

It's a green tomato chutney but I couldn't find any of those in the supermarket either, so I used tomatilloes - another first. I remember seeing an episode of one of the River Cottage series where Hugh F-W made a chutney with them, which he then entered in the local show (didn't win a prize - needed more age on it).

Not sure whether I'm supposed to simmer it with the lid on or off. The recipe doesn't say. Judging by the amount of liquid, I'd surmise 'off'.

I won't find out for a few weeks whether it's any good cos it has to mature - Hugh tried to age his prematurely by adding some expensive balsamic vinegar. I think I have some balsamic in the pantry so I might add a little to mine too.

If this turns out okay I might have a crack at piccalilli

Assuming I can find some pearl onions,

If you're unfamiliar with tomatilloes, they are almost entirely unlike green tomatoes. But don't fret. In a pickle they may be surprisingly good, just not what you may be expecting. I use tomatilloes in my salsa and it is excellent if I must say so myself.

Also, I'd love to give you my jar of Branston Pickle because I can't stand the stuff. It's way too sweet for my palate. I found it at a local Kroger Signature store, so keep your eyes open.

"Almost entirely unlike". Oh Douglas, you did some wonderful things with the English language

Well, it's in the jar (it didn't make much - not quite a full pasta sauce jar), and just a short while ago the button in the lid went *click* as the chutney cooled and pulled it tight, so now I have to wait a few weeks. I can see I'm going to have a lot of fun with trying out different combinations of ingredients and spices.

I really don't know what to expect. I've never done this before and never bought tomatilloes (and didn't try eating one before I put them in the pan). There will be a progress report, of course

BV actually passed me on a link for a home made Branston, but it seems awfully convoluted
http://www.food.com/recipe/the-almost-original-branston-pickle-recipe-246675

*pulls out her handy "Ball Complete Book of Home Preserving" and utterly fails to find a recipe for Branston Pickle*

There's a Green Tomato Chutney and a Sweet Yellow Tomato Chutney. There are also chutneys made with nearly any kind of fruit you can mention.

Want me to make you some Green Tomato Chutney? My tomatoes seem to be doing wonderfully this year!

Oh please do

Here's the recipe I used. It's a link to a BBC pdf file
http://downloads.bbc.co.uk/tv/hairybikers/mkbrecipes/JAMS-AND-CHUTNEYS-GREEN-TOMATO-CHUTNEY-Timonthy-Whiles.pdf

Oh dear ... it's all Metric and European-y.

It seems very similar to the recipe I have. I'll see what I can do.

Is one allowed to transport chutney over state lines?

I'll use the good 'ole US Postal Service. They need the money!

I'm helping them out by still paying most of my bills by cheque and watching lots of Netflix DVDs I've subscribed to several magazines too

You're a good man, Gosho!

One does what one can

Once a month I get a parcel too Got another coming in the next few days

I love making pickles, relishes, chutneys, jams, etc. I have loads of recipes if you decide to experiment.

Spinach and tomato quiche, and Welsh cakes.

The Quiche turned out really watery. I used frozen spinach and I don't think I squeezed all the liquid out. Tastes pretty good all the same. And the Welsh cakes are and so easy to make

I nearly opened the chutney today but I want to give it a while longer to let the flavours mingle.

Getting back to the Branston*s, I agree it's too sweet. Is there another equivalent like Daddy*s is to HP?

I tried making BP one time, it wasn*t bad but it wasn*t BP. I simmered a sauce out of chopped dates, tomato sauce, apple sauce and malt vinegar until I liked it, then I added whatever powdered spice I thought tasted good* and then blended it and then added chopped and heavily blanched swede, carrots then coarse chopped pickles (gherkins or cornichons) sugar to taste, which is to say little. Nice and tart and it canned well.

*Powered cinnamon, nutmeg, ginger, white pepper, dried hot mustard (Coleman*s), a little salt and a drop or two of tabasco.

I forgot to add *cocktail* or *pearl* pickled onions, who really don*t deserve to be forgotten.

I imagine chutney's something of a movable feast. There must be a wealth of recipes out there that range from sweet to mouth-puckeringly tart, and like Alton says, play with your food. Tweak it, try something different.

If you want mouth puckering, try a lime pickle

I had a hot lime chutney once that might have been tart but the flames numbed my puckery taste bud.

Well it's definitely not the most exciting chutney I've ever tasted - a bit too sweet and not spicy enough. But I'm pleased with it. It's starting point