Food writer Karen Hart has put together her favourite stone fruit preserving recipes to delight your taste buds all year round.

Makes 8 jars of 250g each

Ingredients:
1 x 15cm cinnamon stick
2 Tbsp coriander seeds
1 tsp black peppercorns
2 kg red plums
2 large onions, chopped
5 garlic cloves, chopped
2 red chilies, deseeded and chopped
1 x 5cm piece of fresh ginger, grated
Zest and juice of 2 limes
Zest and juice of 1 lemon
2 cups red wine vinegar
2½ cups brown sugar

Method:
Grind the cinnamon stick, coriander seeds and peppercorns in a spice mill or with a mortar and pestle until you have a fine powder.

Halve and stone the plums and roughly chop.

Put all the ingredients in a large saucepan or preserving pan and bring slowly to the boil, stirring often to dissolve the sugar.

Once the sugar has dissolved, simmer gently for an hour until the chutney is thick.

Stir frequently to prevent the chutney from sticking to the bottom and burning.

Once the chutney is reduced and thickened, turn off the heat and allow it to cool for about 20 minutes.

Ladle into sterilized jars and cover with vinegar-proof seals.

Store in a cool, dark place for at least a month before using.

Tip: This chutney is the perfect condiment to brighten up your cheese platter. It also goes very well with roasts, especially pork.