An Ancient Recipe for Blackcurrant Chutney

Finally, finally coming to the bottom of the freezer and the last of last years Blackcurrants…so many of them…over 150lbs!

I have eaten Blackcurrants every day since last summer.

I have a very simple meal that I make with them…raw food vegan!

It’s simply putting a handful of sunflower seeds in the blender with 3 or 4 big handfuls of organic oats.

Blend.

Add soya or other vegan milk, or dairy if that’s your choice.

Blend.

Add 1/4 lb of frozen Blackcurrants and some Maple Syrup to taste.

Blend.

The result is a cross between an ice cream and a smoothie…spoon it out and enjoy!

This evening I have made four pound pots of delicious Blackcurrant Chutney. The recipe is quite ancient…passed down to me from someone very close.

The taste of this chutney is unique and delicious and not to be compared to any other!

Here’s the recipe…

1 lb Blackcurrants

 1 lb moist brown sugar

1/4 lb chopped seedless raisins

1oz crushed mustard seeds

1oz chopped onion

1/2 oz  ground ginger

1 heaped teaspoon salt

1/2 pint distilled white vinegar

Cover the currants with the vinegar, and cook them gently until they are tender.

Let them cool, then mix in all the other ingredients.

Stir well together, boil up for about ten minutes, and bottle and cover tightly when cold.

Most delicious and you can adjust the ingredients to taste and to suit…not too much though!

This recipe was handed down from my great grandmother, Mary Ann Higgins-Baxter, who grew masses of Blackcurrants on her small farm on the Derry Road in Omagh, County Tyrone.

This was the thatched cottage owned by my great grandmother.

It was recommended by Mary Ann that the Blackcurrant Chutney be served with Goats Cheese, which she made herself from the many goats she kept and milked.

Blessings XXX Colette