Green bean chutney

Like many chutney recipes, this one has been passed down from mother to daughter through time, with each generation gently adapting it to suit modern tastes, but like my grandfather’s axe, it remains true to its origins. Crunchy in texture and pickle-like in character, it’s a good alternative to piccalilli. Adding the beans at the end helps keep their squeaky crunch.

Credit: Dan Jones

• makes

  3-5 jars

• prep

  20 minutes

• cook

  25 minutes

• difficulty

  Easy

Ingredients

• 500 g green beans (French or bobby), topped and tailed and chopped into 2 cm lengths
• 400 ml (1 ¾ cups) malt vinegar
• 2 medium onions, peeled and diced
• 100 g (2/3  cup) sultanas
• 2 tsp fresh red chilli, deseeded and chopped
• 300 g (1½ cups) raw cane sugar
• 2 tsp yellow mustard seeds
• 2½ tsp ground turmeric
• 1 tsp sea salt
• 2 tbsp cornflour, heaped
• 1½ tbsp mustard powder

Instructions

Blanch the beans by putting them into salted boiling water for 3 minutes, then drain and rinse with cold water to stop them from cooking further. Set aside to drain.

Put the vinegar, onions, sultanas and chilli in a large, heavy-bottomed preserving pan and boil for 5–10 minutes to soften the onions. Add the sugar, mustard seeds, turmeric and salt to the pan and stir.

Mix the cornflour and mustard powder with 1 tablespoon of water to make a paste and stir slowly into the pan. Boil for 5–10 minutes until the desired consistency is reached, stirring regularly to stop the chutney catching on the base of the pan. Test by running a spoon along the bottom of the pan – if the channel you make doesn’t fill immediately, the chutney is ready.

Take the pan off the heat and add the green beans, then spoon the chutney carefully into sterilised jars and seal immediately. 

Note

• Store for two months before using.

Recipe and image from Savoury Preserves by Guy Tullberg & Becky Vale (hbk, $35). Read our review here.

Cook's Notes

Oven temperatures are for conventional; if using fan-forced (convection), reduce the temperature by 20˚C. | We use Australian tablespoons and cups: 1 teaspoon equals 5 ml; 1 tablespoon equals 20 ml; 1 cup equals 250 ml. | All herbs are fresh (unless specified) and cups are lightly packed. | All vegetables are medium size and peeled, unless specified. | All eggs are 55-60 g, unless specified.