This is a wonderfully Christmasy combination of a mandarin and cranberry chutney which goes well with cheese, and with gammon or ham, and also duck. It goes well with a pork pie… a game pie… and, incredibly, salmon!

Of course, you can substitute tangerines or clementines for the mandarins.

This also makes a good present – store in a sterilised glass jar – follow this link for various quick ways to sterilise glass containers.

Recipe for a Christmasy mandarin and cranberry chutney

Makes enough to fill a large glass sterilised jar

Ingredients

• 8 mandarin oranges (or tangerines or clementines)
• 120 ml/½ white balsamic condiment (or a good sherry vinegar – but you will need more time for reducing)
• 1 onion
• 180g/1½ cups dried cranberries
• ½ teaspoon ground ginger
• 1 tbsp dried mint
• 2 tbsps soft dark brown sugar
• ½ tsp smoked salt
• ¼ tsp Urfa pepper flakes – or a pinch of dried chillies
• cloves, juniper berries, star anise… all optional – put them in a submersible metal tea strainer and remove when you finish cooking

Method

1. Peel the mandarins, cut off any white pith, and slice, then cut the slices in half. Put the mandarins into a medium-sized saucepan.
2. Save the peel of one of the mandarins, cut in half, and cut that half into thin little shards. Add to the mandarins in the saucepan. Begin to warm over a low heat.
3. Add the dried cranberries and the balsamic condiment. Add the ground ginger and the dried mint. Add the sugar, and salt. Add the Urfa pepper.
4. Peel and chop the onion. Add to the saucepan. Stir, obviously!
5. Reduce the cranberry chutney until sticky and not slurpy – more solid – takes anything up to an hour.

Music to cook to

The Cranberries, Ode To My Family