Last Monday I got to cook on Talk of the Town with Lelan (Click to Play). He predicted all this mess today by the way! My guys went to the TV station to help, and as a reward, after we finished the show and got everything packed up, I took them to a new Indian restaurant for lunch. You might think that following a couple of days of baking and sampling popovers I would be tired of bread – but no. We ordered naan and chutney as an appetizer. The restaurant makes different chutneys everyday and the chutney that day was strawberry – it was delicious. I was personally gratified that it wasn’t mango. I love mango chutney – Major Grey’s was my first introduction – but many people insist that chutney must be mango to be authentic, and that just isn’t true.
Last night, with sleet and snow on the way, I decided to make my own chutney. I picked two of my favorite flavors – green apple and ginger. I had both on hand so it was an easy choice. Store bought chutney is quite pricey and having my own to sample and to give away seemed like a great plan! Chutney is such a versatile condiment. Served with cheese it’s a lovely appetizer, it can be delicious with grilled meat or chicken, and is a must with any curry. My son came by and we actually tackled making naan – that lovely flat bread- to have with dinner. It’s yeast bread flavored with yogurt so it’s got a fabulously tangy flavor – perfect with chutney.
The chutney is much easier to make than you might think. It’s like cooking jelly or jam, just with different flavors, specifically mustard seeds, red pepper, and vinegar. I did a lot of tasting and adjusting, and we thought the end product was just perfect – sweet and spicy with a nice after snap - the heat from red pepper flakes. It took about an hour total and a lot of that time involved the chutney simmering quietly on the stove. Now I have one large jar for us to keep and 9 little jars in the fridge to serve or share. The truth is I can’t wait to try different flavors. My Mom suggested green tomato, and next summer I’ll definitely give that a go. In the mean time, I’ll see what turns up in the store and do some happy experimenting. It’s hard to go wrong with fruit and sugar! You’ll love this easy recipe.
Green Apple and Ginger Chutney
Ingredients
6 large green apples, peeled and chopped
1 onion, chopped
2 oranges, juiced
2 Tbsp fresh ginger, chopped
1½ tsp mustard seeds
¾ cups cider vinegar
1¼ cups brown sugar
2 tsp salt
¼ tsp red pepper flakes (taste and add more if desired in the last 10 minutes of cooking)
1 cup raisins
Directions
Combine all ingredients except raisins in a large saucepan or Dutch oven.
Heat to a boil, then reduce heat to low and simmer, stirring occasionally, until most of the liquid is evaporated, about 40 to 50 minutes.
Remove from heat and add raisins.
Store in jars in the refrigerator.
