Blackcurrant Onion Chutney

Onions meet with blackcurrant to form this gorgeous chutney.  This chutney would be good on the side of   many a savoury dish!  

I found punnets of lovely currants in a Ludlow fruit and veg market

Blackcurrant is a favourite berry to use in Britain.  It is the ingredient in Ribena, with the botanical name Ribes nigrum it only seems natural.  Blackcurrant flavours sweets of all sorts, jams, jellies, cakes, bread puddings, fresh/dried put into baked items, etc.   Several drinks that are common using blackcurrant syrup, two examples being; Guiness Black, and Blackcurrant and Lemo.  Don't think for two minutes that it isn't made into liquors and wine!

I sliced 2 large onions and carmelised them with a  knob of butter, sprinkled with a 1/4 c. of muscavado sugar over low heat for about 20 minutes.  I then poured in half of a large punnet of blackcurrants, about a cup and a 1/2. Add a few dashes of  mixed spice.  Give the ingredients a good stir and reduce until it forms a good thick mixture, about 45 minutes.  Stir frequently.  Add 3 tbsp. balsamic vinegar and 2 tsp. lemon juice. Cook another few minutes.  Cool.  

The chutney is really nice served with a strongly flavoured cheese.  Today, it was served with Tor, an ashed,  goat cheese from Somerset.

http://www.finecheese.co.uk/tor.html

The fruity, savoury and acid aspects of the chutney balance with the cheese.

Served on an herby cheese biscuit, it is divine.

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