Autumn in Still-Life:
Bringing the Autumn Garden into your Home……
A Vintage Recipe:
Shooting Party Chutney
I am not a lover of contrived arrangements, I prefer to admire my flowers in the garden and not in the vase, although, I do appreciate bouquets of flowers when given to me, what woman doesn’t! But, I do like to adorn my home with seasonal flora and foliage; it’s an elemental urge to bring greenery into the house in order to “deck it…they can be small posies of wild flowers in the spring and summer, or a stem of holly with its crimson berries and glossy green leaves in the winter…as well as swags of pine-scented Douglas fir at Christmas time, draped over old pine dressers and on the mantelpiece above the fire. At autumn time however, I tend to veer away from flowers, and it’s fruit and vegetables, as well as bronzed foliage and berries that make their way into my home….
…..Autumn is a bountiful season; in my back garden alone, I have an amazing palette of foliage, berries, fruit, nuts and vegetables to paint my home with…….the pyracantha hedge is covered in scarlet berries, and the resident blackbirds make their way backwards and forwards to gorge on the feast of berries, somehow managing to dodge in and out of the cruel thorns. My hens at the bottom of the garden are back in lay again, after a humid and wet summer, and they linger under the fig tree, ready to catch the falling fruits, anticipation showing in their eyes, ripe figs have proved to be a popular snack with them all! And, my walnut tree is shedding its load by the hour – fresh walnuts semi-clad in their old summer jackets lie on the ground, and already I have baskets full in the pantry and about the house.
So, when it comes to dressing or “decking” my home at autumn, I tend to embrace the “Still Life” approach…….the kitchen table has baskets and containers of varying shapes and sizes filled with fruit, eggs and nuts. Never has there been such a beauteous site than that of an old antique bowl filled with quinces; their heavy scent fragrancing the kitchen and surrounding rooms, waiting to be chopped, stirred and preserved. Quince Cheese, Quince Jellies and Quince Marmalades are already stored away in an old cupboard, waiting to be dressed with a mob-cap and label to be given with love at Christmas time.
Small plates of figs are placed on an old wooden coffee table, ready for instant snacking, whilst a larger bowl of figs sits by the windowsill, teasing the birds who watch outside the window. Fig and walnut salads have graced our mealtime tables and fig jams and chutney sit alongside their preserved quince cousins in the pantry, and a golden squash sits on a brass tray in the middle of a marble table, surrounded by bronzed leaves and a wreath of pyracantha berries…sheaves of corn are placed on old blue and white meat platters, and dried golden hops form a halo around a candelabra, it’s beery smell lulling anyone who sits next to it into a midday slumber.
Blue and white planters are filled with pine cones, and also I like to tuck a few cinnamon sticks amongst them as a seasonal room scenter. The whole of the house looks like an enormous still life painting, and my friends comment on how richly fragranced the sitting room is, whilst admiring the berried wreaths in the parlour as they devour a seasonal casserole at the scrubbed wood kitchen table. As the nights start to draw in, and wood burning fires are lit in the snug and the kitchen (ready for cooking as well as heating) the berries and fruits seem to glow in the dwindling light and their presence reminds me of how lucky I am to have such a harvest…the urge to “lay down stores” for the winter takes over, and gradually my still life painting dwindles, as my pantry shelves grows more crowded…but, I’m not sad, as there will be more paintings to be created later, when the holly and the ivy are heavy with berries, and the festive period approaches…and when fir wreaths adorn winter doors proclaiming joy the world, and there is preserving to be done with the last of the green tomatoes……
…….today’s recipe is very special, it’s a sweet chutney with a bit of a kick, it’s wonderful when served with salads, curries, cheese boards and charcuterie platters. Also perfect for any glut of green tomatoes you may have at the end of the tomato season. Adapted very slightly from a reader’s recipe that appeared in an edition of Farmers Weekly in 1934. (Mrs. L. Dallyn, Petworth, Sussex), if you make it now, with any lingering green tomatoes you may have, it will be nicely matured in six weeks, and you will be dolloping this fabulous chutney on all your cheese and cold cuts over the festive period.
I hope you enjoy Autumn as much as I do, as well as this rather lovely old British chutney recipe. Karen
Shooting Party Chutney (Green Tomato Chutney)
Print recipe
| Serves | Approx 7 to 8 lbs |
| Prep time | 1 hour |
| Cook time | 2 hours |
| Total time | 3 hours |
| Dietary | Gluten Free, Vegan, Vegetarian |
| Meal type | Condiment |
| Misc | Pre-preparable, Serve Cold |
| Occasion | Barbecue, Casual Party, Christmas, Easter, Formal Party, Halloween, Thanksgiving |
| Region | British |
| From magazine | Farmers Weekly, 1934 |
Ingredients
- 1.2 litres (2 pints) malt vinegar
- 1/2 teaspoon English mustard powder
- 675g (1 1/2 lbs) Demerara sugar
- 1 teaspoon Cayenne pepper
- 225g (8ozs) sliced apples (cored but not peeled)
- 1 teaspoon sea salt flakes
- 2.25kg (5lbs) green tomatoes (chopped finely or even grated for a smoother chutney)
- 225g (8ozs) sliced onions (peeled)
- 1/2 teaspoon ground ginger
- 5cms (2") ginger root (finely diced or grated)
- 225g (8ozs) sultanas or raisins
Note
A sweet chutney with a bit of a kick, this is wonderful when served with salads, curries, cheese boards and charcuterie platters. Also perfect for any glut of green tomatoes you may have at the end of the tomato season. Adapted very slightly from a reader's recipe that appeared in an edition of Farmers Weekly in 1934. (Mrs. L. Dallyn, Petworth, Sussex)
Directions
| Step 1 | Place all the ingredients into a large preserving pan, and bring to the boil slowly, stirring all the time. |
| Step 2 | Once a rolling boil has been reached, turn the heat right down and simmer, uncovered, for 2 hours, until there is no liquid left when you drag a wooden spoon over the base of the pan. Do NOT over cook though, the consistency needs to be wet and not too dry. |
| Step 3 | Allow to cool in the pan; stir before pouring or spooning the chutney into cold, sterilised jars. Seal with screw lids or with rubber seals for Kilner jars and leave to mature for 2 to 3 months before using. |
| Step 4 | NB: The original recipe says to allow the chutney to go cold and then decant into cold jars, but I prefer to decant the chutney whilst still hot into warm jars and seal straight away with screw lids or rubber seals for hinged jars. |
Sandra says
Looks yummy. I love making homemades. I’ve got a great recipe for Apple Chutney and Chilli Jelly.
Karen Burns-Booth says
I love making home-made chutney and preserves too Sandra!
I LOVE the sound of your Apple Chutney and Chilli Jelly too……..Karen
jacqui says
please can you clarify for me, a typo i found (or something i’m not understanding properly)
The penultimate ingredient on the list says:
5cms (2 (finely diced or grated)
What is the ingredient please ?
Karen Burns-Booth says
Ah, that was a glitch with my recipe software Jacqui, I have amended it now, it is root ginger! Thanks for pointing it out to me!
Liz Thomas says
What a wonderful write up. That should be in a book! Or at least a magazine article! My mother used to make a green tomato chutney very similar to this. And she did it for shooting parties too.
Coincidently, I am working on a green tomato chutney too — I’m calling it “Green” Green tomato chutney — only green tomatoes (not one of mine ripened, I think we put them in too late) which I have simmered until soft with fennel, bay leaves and long pepper, then add sugar and vinegar — I’m playing around with a few other spices but it has stayed a lovely green colour and it tastes pretty good too.
We leave a week tomorrow so unfortunately our plans for a meet up wont work — just where has the summer gone!? Five months and it’s flown by.
I’ll email you when I get time next week
Cheers!
Liz
Karen Burns-Booth says
Thanks so much Liz.
This was a draft article I write for a magazine, funnily enough, but I decided to share it here!
I only used Green Green Tomatoes in my recipe here too, you may be able to see from the photos, and like you, we think we planted some of the tomatoes too late, although we did get lots of lovely red ones earlier on in the year, we tend to plant in two or three tranches.
I know, it is a REAL shame we didn’t get to meet up, mainly my fault I think, as I have been away for such a lot of the year…….definitely next time, I hope?
PLEASE do email me – I am away again, my last trip of the year, between the 23rd October and the 9th November, but I will reply in full when I’m home!
Bon Voyage!
Karen
Janice says
I love green tomato chutney, Karen. As we don’t grow tomatoes I don’t have a source of the green ones. Lovely photographs of your autumn foliage.
Karen Burns-Booth says
Thanks Janice, I have always loved green tomato chutney in all forms too…….it tastes “zingier” than other tomato chutneys!
Karen
Emma says
I can just imagine your glorious home now, bedecked in beautifully autumnal foliage!
Karen Burns-Booth says
Thanks Emma, it’s a nice way to welcome the new season into my home!
Katie B says
Absolutely delicious!!! This would be a favourite lunch of mine, with lots crusty bread – what could be better???
Katie x
Karen Burns-Booth says
Thanks Katie, it is a regular on our table now, having made it two months ago and allowing it to mature – I MUST make sure that I keep some back for Christmas and the New Year!
Dom says
such a lovely glimpse of autumn… it makes me want to go for a walk and then eat a bucket of cheese!
Karen Burns-Booth says
Thanks Dom, a bucket of cheese sounds fab too!
Choclette says
Oh what spoilt chooks you have Karen – ripe figs indeed! I’m just envious, as I am of all your other bounty. Splendid post as always. Love autumn’s bounty. Your chutney and all these lovely pictures are making me feel very hungry. Luckily, it’s very nearly lunch time 🙂
Karen Burns-Booth says
Thanks Choclette, I do love this time of year, I almost prefer it to the Summer!
Sue Kingman says
Hi Karen,
I’ve been making Shooting Party Chutney for years – my mother got the recipe from a magazine and we tried it out together when I was a girl. I make a lot of it now as I make preserves for charity fund raising and it is one of my most popular chutneys. My original recipe is slightly different though – I sprinkle the chopped green tomatoes with salt and leave them overnight before draining and adding the other ingredients. Thank you for identifying the origins of the recipe, I had always wondered where it came from. Best wishes, Sue
Karen Burns-Booth says
Thanks Sue! Yes, it is a FABULOUS recipe and I used it every year when I have a glut of green tomatoes! I may try you soaking overnight method, although it seems to work fine like this, but I like to try new things! I have a whole host of other vintage recipes from the Farmer’s Weekly magazines, they are a source of great recipe inspiration! Karen
Mary McAndrew says
Hi Karen, I love all your recipes! I’m new to England (I live in Northumberland) and love eating Branson’s pickle with cheese. If I wanted to make something like the store bought stuff, is there a recipe that might come close? I hope to try your recipe here someday, it sounds great.(we didn’t grow enough tomatoes!)
Karen Burns-Booth says
Hi Mary! Lovely to meet you through my blog and I know Northumberland well!
I DO have a similar Branston recipe and will post it soon and let you know when it’s live.
Karen
Mary McAndrew says
Great Karen I can’t wait! I just started making jams last year and love it! I always reduce the sugar and don’t mind if it’s a bit looser, but so far all have been mighty tasty. I’m from New York state but live in Northumberland now. I love it here and love learning traditional British recipes. Been following your blog for awhile!
Meryl says
Looking for a new green tomato chutney..been making various ones for almost 50 years ..found yours so just about to try it. Never tasted a chutney did not like. Im a Brit living in the US where strangely Chutney is not known about so much.
Karen Burns-Booth says
I hope you will like this recipe Meryl! Karen
Sherry says
Your recipe says that it is gluten free, but everything that I have read says that malt vinegar is not gluten free, since it comes from barley malt. Do you have any suggestions for a substitute? I’m worried that the recipe will suffer using another vinegar.
Thank you for your wonderful recipes.
Karen Burns-Booth says
You could use red wine vinegar or even cider apple vinegar
Sherry says
Thank you so much, Karen! I will try those and see which tastes best. I love your recipes..
Karen Burns-Booth says
Thnaks so much Sherry 🙂