This chutney delivers a rich, intense and layered flavour — ripe blackberry with apple, heat and a bright vinegar tang. Its deep vermilion colour makes it an attractive accompaniment on a plate.

I first served it with a cheese board; the sweet, sour and spicy notes paired beautifully with a selection of cheeses and crusty sourdough. Later I used it to deglaze a hot pan after quickly frying sirloin. A splash of crème fraîche, a grind of pepper and the meat juices turned it into a fruity, glossy sauce that complemented the steak perfectly.

I wanted a blackberry preparation that wasn’t just jam or jelly but worked well with savoury dishes. After trying several recipes and finding them one-dimensional, I developed this chutney to build more complexity and balance.

If you’re able to forage or grow some of the ingredients, this chutney can be genuinely homegrown and seasonal.

Ready to try it? Read on for the recipe.

Blackberry, apple & chilli chutney recipe

Ingredients

This batch yields about 1,500 ml of chutney. Scale the quantities up or down to suit what you have.

700 g freshly picked blackberries, stalks removed and washed
700 g apples, washed and roughly chopped, including skin and cores*
1 tbsp vegetable or rapeseed oil
2 tbsp brown mustard seeds
2–3 (or more) fresh chillies, finely chopped (dried chillies can be used)**
2 red onions (about 150 g), peeled and finely chopped
2–3 garlic cloves, peeled and finely chopped or grated
30 g fresh root ginger, scraped and finely chopped or grated
300 ml good-quality cider vinegar
300 g sugar (golden caster sugar works well)
1 tbsp ground mace

*I used windfall cooking apples; crab apples are also good. Use what’s available.

**Chilli heat varies considerably. Taste your chillies first and adjust the amount to suit your preference so the chutney isn’t overpowering.

Method

Place the blackberries and chopped apples in a pan and bring gently to a simmer. The fruit will release enough juice, so no extra liquid should be necessary. Simmer until the apples are soft.

Pass the fruit mixture through a food mill or a coarse sieve to remove pips, skins and core. A fine sieve is difficult to push this pulp through, so use a coarser option.

In a clean pan, heat the oil over a medium heat. Add the mustard seeds and fry until they begin to pop. Add the chillies, onions, garlic and ginger and sweat gently until the onions are soft and translucent.

Stir in the vinegar and sugar and warm gently until the sugar has dissolved.

Add the fruit pulp and the ground mace, then return to a gentle simmer. Cook for about 20 minutes, or until the chutney has thickened slightly and the flavours have melded.

While still warm, ladle the chutney into warm, sterilised jars and seal. Store in a cool, dry, dark place. Properly sealed jars will keep the chutney for several months; refrigerate after opening for best quality.