Sous Chef

Himself is very partial to HP Sauce, so much so, that left to his own devices it would be dolloped liberally on everything! He has learnt over the years that it doesn’t pay to upset the cook by dousing her lovingly flavoured food with HP!

I’m not completely cruel….he is allowed it on fry-ups, cottage pie, beans-on-toast and his all time favourite, a bacon buttie (sandwich).

5 cups of plums pitted and diced

5 cups apples peeled and diced

1/2 cup water

1 onion peeled and diced

2 cloves garlic peeled and crushed

1 tsp grated fresh ginger

1 TBSP tamarind paste

1 TBSP tomato paste

1 TBSP all spice

1 TBSP nutmeg

1 TBSP Peri Peri powder or cayenne pepper

1 TSP salt

2 TBSP Worcester sauce

1 TBSP Tabasco

1 TBSP dark treacle

375ml apple cider vinegar

375ml brown sugar

In a large saucepan put the plums, apples, water, onion and the ginger.

Bring to a boil and then simmer gently for 30 minutes.

Add the remaining ingredients and simmer for another hour or until you get a nice thick consistency.

Allow to cool and then blend in a blender or you could use a stick blender.

Using a funnel pour into sterile glass jars/bottles (to sterilize, rinse in hot water and pop straight into the microwave for 1 minute on high)

Leave in a dark place for at least 6 weeks, the flavour develops the longer you leave it and the colour darkens accordingly.