Adding dates to a tamarillo chutney softens the sharp flavour associated with tamarillos.

Ingredients

• 1 kilogram red or yellow tamarillos
• 3 medium cooking apples, peeled
• 1 orange
• 1½ cups pitted dried dates
• 4 onions, peeled and finely chopped
• 6 cups sugar (white or soft brown)
• 2¼ cups vinegar (malt, white or wine)
• 1½ teaspoons salt
• 1 tablespoon mixed spice
• ¼ teaspoon cayenne pepper

Method

1. Cut a cross in the base of each tamarillo. Plunge a few tamarillos at a time into a saucepan of boiling water for 1-2 minutes and then plunge immediately into ice-cold water to arrest cooking. Peel away the skin. Chop the fruit roughly.
2. Dice or slice the apples finely. Grate the rind from the orange. Peel or cut away the thick bitter white pith and discard. Dice the flesh. Chop the dates roughly.
3. Combine all the ingredients in a preserving pan and bring slowly to the boil. Lower the heat and then simmer gently for about 1½-2 hours, stirring frequently until the mixture is thick and pulpy. Bottle into clean, hot, sterilised jars; cover and seal when cold.