Move over, Mrs. Balls

Method:

1. Soak the dried apricots in the hot water for 1 hour. They should become plump and supple to the touch. 
2. Bring a pot over low heat.
3. In the meantime, finely chop the red chillies and slice the onions into thin rounds.
4. Once the pot reaches temperature, add (olive) oil and then add the onions to soften and lightly caramelise over the course of an hour.
5. Once the apricots have rehydrated, drain them and place onto a chopping board. Keep the water aside for now – we’ll use it again later on.
6. Chop the apricots into rough chunks. 
7. Place all the ingredients (apricot water, apricots, sultanas, sugar, vinegar, chillies) back into a pot and increase to medium heat until it reaches a boil. Don’t cover. 
8. Lower the heat to a simmer and let cook for around 1 hour, while stirring intermittently. The mixture should reduce into an almost jam-like consistency, but still retain some liquid.
9. Once the hour is up, let the chutney cool for around 15 minutes. During this time, it should thicken considerably. 
10. Now, transfer the chutney over into sterilised glass jars and store them in a cool, dark place. If it’s summer, the fridge will do fine. These are ready to eat immediately, but if you like your chutneys with a little more depth, leave to ferment for 2 weeks.

Tip: You can make seasonal chutney from different fruits. In August, we make mirabelle plum chutney.