Apple, blackberry & cinnamon chutney

This wintry chutney is totally and utterly delicious and seems to go with absolutely everything. Makes about 1.3kg (V).

1kg Bramley apples, peeled, cored and cut into large chunks
300g onions, peeled and finely sliced (about 3 small–medium)
275g granulated sugar
150ml balsamic vinegar
2 tsp ground cinnamon
2 twists of black pepper
300g blackberries

The chutney needs to go into sterilised jars. The easiest way to do this is to put them in the dishwasher on the hottest cycle to wash and dry. Take them out when you are about ready to use them and don’t touch any of the inside of the jars with your hands.

Alternatively, put the jars in a very large pan of boiling water and boil for a couple of minutes before taking them out to dry on kitchen paper. You will also need to boil the equipment you use to take the jars out of the pan. At this stage, the jars can be popped into a low-temperature oven to dry. Make sure they are not cracked.

Put the apples, onions, sugar, balsamic vinegar, cinnamon and black pepper into a large pan over a medium heat and stir gently together. Slowly bring the mixture to the boil, then turn down the heat and leave the mixture to simmer for 45–55 minutes, stirring occasionally. The apples and onions should become lovely and soft, and the liquid should be thick and syrupy.

The blackberries need only a little while to cook, so add them at this point and cook for a further 10–12 minutes. While the chutney is still warm, use a sterilised jug to fill the sterilised jars, then seal and store in a dark place. This chutney will keep for up to four months.

Home Cooking Made Easy by Lorraine Pascale is published by HarperCollins, £20. Photography by Myles New