Hoarding for Winter

After yesterday's allotment trip, today was all about finding ways to preserve the crops through winter. First and definitely the easiest is popping things in the freezer - but even the big chest freezer in the garage is starting to groan under its load. Even so,it's the best way I think to save the sweetcorn, chopped into mini cobs and blanched first. I think there's more this year than last; so far about 3 times the amount shown here and a lot more still to be picked!





Then on to the more troublesome courgettes and tomatoes. I already have some of each frozen, plus one of the courgettes was a bit too overgrown and soft, so I decided to try an old chutney recipe that I haven't made up in quite a while.
While it used up most of the spare courgettes (1 1/2lb) it didn't make much of a difference to the tomatoes (only half a pound)




 Being a small-ish quantity, I just used a big saucepan and didn't bother struggling to get the preserving pan out.It's an easier recipe than some - courgettes, tomatoes, onion, garlic (all home grown), sugar, vinegar and spices thrown in the pan and boiled.
it turns the normal murky brown of chutneys when cooked but tastes different to my usual rather sweet varieties. I just wish I'd managed to find two medium sized jars, instead of one little and one large!