Green Tomato Mincemeat

I made a batch of green tomato chutney last week. Here's another perfect use for those hard green tomatoes that pile up at this time of year. This is my sister Sylvia's recipe for a really fresh tasting mincemeat.

Ingredients: 

• 8 cups cored, finely diced green tomatoes
• 4 cups cored, finely chopped apples
• 2 cups raisins
• 2 cups dried currants
• 1 cup mixed candied peel
• 2 cups chopped apricots
• 1 cup chopped candied pineapple
• 2 tsp (10 ml) ground cinnamon
• 2 tsp ground ginger
• 1 tsp mace
• 1 tsp sea salt
• 2 cups lightly packed brown sugar
• 1 cup granulated sugar
• 1/2 cup apple cider vinegar
• 1/4 cup orange marmalade
• Zest from 1 lemon
• 1 cup unsalted butter
• 1 cup Grand Marnier or other brandy

Methods: 
In a large saucepan/heat resistant pot, and while stirring frequently, cook the green tomatoes and apples in the cider vinegar and sugar for approximately 1/2 hour. Add the remaining ingredients to the pot. Simmer on a low heat, again stirring frequently until the mixture is quite thick. Add the butter and half of the brandy, then simmer again to thicken. Remember, you will be making pies or tarts with this mincemeat, so the texture needs to be substantial. Remove the mincemeat from the heat and stir in the remaining brandy. Sylvia reckons that the total cooking time is approximately 2 hours on a very low heat.

Fill sterilized jars, then seal and sterilize the jars for 15 minutes in a boiling water bath (if pints), or 20 minutes (if quarts). This recipe makes 12 pints of mincemeat.