Rhubarb teams with apples, onions and spices to become a tangy chutney that is wonderful with roast pork, game and venison sausages. It’s not the prettiest chutney, because the long cooking turns the rhubarb brown, but it tastes good.

Makes 1 litre. Takes 1½ hours.

750g rhubarb stalks
500g cooking apples, peeled and cored
2 onions, finely sliced
250ml distilled malt or white wine vinegar
250ml white wine
300g light soft brown sugar
1 small red chilli, finely chopped
2tbsp mustard seeds, yellow or brown
1tsp ground allspice
1tsp ground ginger
100g sultanas
1tbsp salt

Wash and trim the rhubarb, discarding any leaves, and chop into 2cm lengths. Chop the apples. Place the rhubarb, apples and onions in a heavy-based, non-reactive pan with the vinegar and wine, and bring to the boil. Simmer for 15 minutes until the onions are tender.

Add the sugar, chilli, mustard seeds, allspice, ginger, sultanas and salt, stirring, and continue to simmer for 45 minutes to one hour, stirring occasionally, until it is good and thick.

Remove from the heat for ten minutes, then spoon the chutney into hot, dry, sterilised jars and seal. Keep in a cool, dry place for two weeks before opening.

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