This is re-blog from a couple of years ago as it is a recipe which gets used each year at this time of year. While we have a couple of feijoa trees they aren’t that productive so once again we were grateful for the many generous neighbours who have shared their bounty.
Feijoa season is upon us here in NZ and we are consuming them by the dozen! They are one of my favourite fruit and one that until very recently you never saw in the supermarket which made it all the more special and tasty when they were in season. One of the best things about them though is that there is never any doubt when they are ready as they fall when ripe and lay just waiting for you to come along and collect them.
However even I have limits of how much fresh feijoa I can consume, so when we were gifted a huge box of huge feijoas it was time to search out my chutney recipes. I do have a great feijoa recipe (shared it a while back if you want an alternative) which is super easy however as I was searching for my paper copy of it I stumbled across a chutney recipe from my grandmother which looked like it might just hit the spot on this occassion.
The thing that really appealed to me however was the name (Mt Peel Chutney) as I just been doing a bit of research on the Māori name for Mt Somers, where our family originally settled, to add to my pepeha. for my next Māori lesson. While they are different places they are in the same area, for those of you outside NZ, or Canterbury, Mt Somers is only about 40 min drive to Mt Peel, and our family worked, had land and lived all around that area. So …… I’m guessing this recipe may just be a family one, as I couldn’t find anything online with same name. Well that’s my story now anyway and I’m sticking to it 😉
Below is the feijoa version of this chutney that I have made though the original recipe actually says 2lb fruit (just under a kg). As feijoas are quite ‘juicy’ you’ll see that I have increased the amount of fruit to 1.5 kg just to give it a bit more chunk rather than liquid. Being my usual, time efficient, self I simply top and tail the feijoa and roughly dice. Then once the mixture has boiled and softened I give it a quick mash to help blend it all. I have also used coconut sugar for the first time, not because I think it is better than sugar (honey is out for the vegan’s on the bus) but because himself has decided he doesn’t want to eat refined sugarcane anymore ….. always keeping us on our toes that one!!
Anyway here it is and I’m sure you will be able to adapt it to your own kitchen supplies and preferences, just as I constantly do. 🙂
Nannan’s Mt Peel Chutney – Feijoa version
400 gm coconut sugar (or any other sugar of your choice)
500 gm raisins
750 ml white vinegar
1.5 kg feijoa (topped and tailed then diced)
4 cloves garlic
A few good grinds of salt
1 tsp mixed spice
1 tsp ground ginger
1/4 tsp ground cayenne pepper
Optional: If you like a really spicy chutney then add in some fresh chopped chilies
- Boil fruit, sugar and vinegar together till soft and brown.
- Give a quick mash or blend if you want a smoother chutney.
- Take off the heat and add the seasonings. Stir well and blend if you like your chutney smooth or leave as it is if you like your chutney chunky.
- Bottle and label. Heat jars in the oven before hand to sterilize and avoid cracking with hot chutney.
See, couldn’t be easier …. just my kind of recipe!! Hope this finds you relaxing and easing through life with joy.
Arohanui
Y
Becoming Healthy 