Method

• 1.
  Peel and cut apple and eschalot into 1.5cm cubes, keeping apple and eschalot separate. Finely zest 1 lemon and peel remaining lemon into long, thin strips.
• 2.
  Place sugar and 1 tbs water in a large saucepan over medium heat. Cook, stirring occasionally, until sugar melts and turns golden. Add eschalot and cook, stirring occasionally, for 10 minutes. In this time, the eschalot will drop its juice and begin to soften. The sugar may seize in small lumps; this is normal and lumps will cook out once eschalot has begun to soften.
• 3.
  Add vinegar, chilli, 1/2 tsp freshly ground black pepper and 2 tsp salt flakes and cook, stirring occasionally, for 10 minutes or until liquid begins to reduce and thicken. Add apple and cook, stirring gently and occasionally to preserve shape of apple, for 25 minutes.
• 4.
  As liquid reduces it will begin to candy the apple, making the outer edges transparent. Once mixture is glossy and thick, remove from heat. Add mint sprigs and zest and peel, then bottle in sterilised jars. Cool completely at room temperature then refrigerate unopened jars for 1 month. Once opened, use within 3 weeks, and keep chilled.