Wednesday, October 31, 2012

Choice and Chewy Apple Chutney

Many years ago, back in the pre-sailboat years, we had a lovely garden and a huge kitchen where we spent many happy hours canning and preserving the harvest we gathered every Fall.

We picked berries to make jams, and crabapples and rosehips to make jellies; we chopped veggies to make antipasto; we made cucumber and bean pickles; we canned fruit, and I made pear chutney.  I loved that pear chutney, and it has been on my mind for the last several weeks now... whenever I bite into a lush ripe pear, I recall the chewy raisins and the sweet and sour flavors.  The cloves and other spices smelled so lovely as it cooked away on the stove.

So, when recently I saw a recipe for apple chutney in a local grocer's newsletter, I decided to give it a try... it called for currants, which I don't really care for, and mint, too, which just didn't sound right to me... so after making a few little tweaks to the ingredients, I came up with this Apple Chutney.  Apples are so plentiful and such a great price right now.

The chutney is delicious!  And the kitchen smelled wonderful while it was cooking, too.  It is particularly nice along side some roast pork or baked chicken, and also swirled with a bit of cream cheese on a cracker.  I also served it as a side dish on a piece of baked Carnival squash... Mmmmm.  I hope you will give it a try. 

 



Apple Chutney
Makes 3 cups (12 servings of  approximately 1/4 cup each)
  • 1/3 cup raisins
  • 1/3 cup finely chopped onion
  • 1/2 cup unsweetened apple juice
  • 1/3 cup apple cider vinegar
  • 3 Tbs brown sugar
  • 2 tsp grated fresh ginger root
  • 1/4 tsp salt
  • 1/2 tsp ground cumin
  • 1/4 tsp cinnamon
  • 1/8 tsp red pepper flakes
  • 1/8 tsp ground cloves
  • 3 medium to large apples
  1. Halve and core each apple and then cut into 1/4-inch chunks..
  2. Place them in a heavy-bottomed saucepan with all of the other ingredients.
  3. Set the pot over MEDIUM-HIGH heat and bring to a light boil.
  4. Lower the heat and allow the mixture to simmer till the apples are tender and the chutney thickens slightly, about 20 minutes.  Stir occasionally.
  5. Remove from heat and allow to cool to room temperature .  It will thicken as it cools.
  6. Cover and refrigerate chutney till ready to serve. 
  7. It can be frozen if you are going to keep it for any length of time or you could preserve in sterilized glass jars using a basic hot water canning bath.
Per serving of 1/4 cup.
Weight Watchers P+ = 1.
Calories 49; Protein 0g; Carbohydrate 13g; Fat 0g; Fibre 1g.


Dice the apples fairly small.
 

Add the other ingredients and cook on simmer.
 

The apples will get soft and the broth will reduce and thicken a bit.
 


Sweet and sour, such a tasty delight!
 

5 comments:

  1. That looks so yummy! Thanks for sharing!

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  2. wow that is serious home cooking!! I have always wanted a garden and think we are going to get what is called a garden tower when we move!

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  3. Chutney is so delish! Thanks for the recipe!

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  4. Thanks for the recipe Elle. I always prefer to make my own chutneys and sides; you never really know what's in the things you buy in the grocery store. Ingredient labels are one thing, but I like to have CONTROL over my food!

    We are big foragers in my house too. 30-40 pounds of handpicked blackberries in the freezer and my hubby makes enough home made pesto to last until spring. Having some tonight!

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  5. wow never heard Chutney! I might have to get some more apples and try it out!

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