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This cooks in a single pot in about 15 minutes. The idea is to add the gentle things last. You don’t want the apples and pears to end up as applesauce; they should contribute to the whole but retain a little of their structure. It’s the cranberries that need to cook, and the shallots, lemon and spices should be doing their work from the outset.
In a three-quart kettle, combine everything except the apples, pears, walnuts and ginger. Turn up the heat and bring everything to a gentle boil. Let it boil for a minute or so, and then turn it down to a strong simmer. Stir in the grated ginger.
When maybe half of the cranberries have popped, stir in the diced apples and pears. Simmer for no more than five minutes, stirring occasionally. Watch the apples and pears. When they are beginning to soften, stir in the walnuts, simmer for another minute or so, then remove from heat. Allow to cool, then cover and refrigerate.
The chutney will keep in the refrigerator for several weeks.
The goal is to produce a relish with a bit of chunkiness to it. The proportions can change to suit taste and availability, as can the scale. But if you’re doubling the recipe, think twice about doubling the ginger.
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