Peel, quarter and core the pears, then slice the quarters crosswise about 1/4" thick. Wash, pit and quarter the plums. Sort, wash and drain blueberries. Reserve the fruits.

Combine vinegar, water, onions, sweet red peppers, garlic, salt, mustard seed, ginger, orange zest, cayenne pepper and cinnamon in a preserving pan. Bring the mixture to a boil, adjust heat, and simmer it, uncovered, 15 minutes, or until onion pieces are translucent.

Add brown sugar, granulated sugar, pears and plums. Bring chutney to a boil, lower heat, and simmer it, uncovered, stirring carefully from time to time (try to prevent breaking the fruit pieces) for about 1 hour, until chutney has thickened. Add blueberries and raisins, stir them gently, and cook chutney 15 minutes longer, or until it is as thick as you'd like it. (It will thicken further as it cools.)

Ladle boiling-hot chutney into hot, clean pint or half-pint canning jars, leaving 1/4" headspace. Seal jars with new two-piece canning lids according to manufacturer's directions and process for 10 minutes (for either size jar) in a boiling-water bath. Cool, label, and store jars. Let chutney mellow for at least 3 weeks before serving it. Keeps for at least a year in a cool pantry.

Witty writes: "A little of this fruit and a little of that goes into this sweet and moderately hot fruit relish. It is a good accompaniment for roasted meats or for curries of lamb, seafood, or beef. Spread a little on the buttered bread for a chicken sandwich, or add it to the dressing for chicken, turkey, or fruit salad.

"Adjust the texture to your taste: for chunky relish, cut the fruit more coarsely; for jamlike chutney, cut it finer."

From "Fancy Pantry" by Helen Witty. New York: Workman Publishing Company, Inc., 1986. Pp. 59-60. Isbn 0-89480-037-X. Posted by Cathy Harned. From: Cathy Harned