Thursday, November 8, 2012

Apple, Plum & Apricot Chutney

Apple, Plum & Apricot Chutney 2

At I Heart Cooking Clubs, where we are discovering the joys of Indian cooking with Madhur Jaffrey, our theme this week is "Relishes, Chutneys and Pickles".  With Christmas looming large, my thoughts are turning to putting aside a bit of a stash of edible goodies for Christmas gifts, and I thought Madhur's Apple, Peach & Apricot Chutney would fit the bill perfectly.

I did play with the recipe a little ... subbing in some dried plums in place of dried peaches.  I also substituted soft brown sugar for the caster sugar called for in the recipe, because I like the greater depth of both flavour and colour that brown sugar brings.  Lastly, I replaced the white wine vinegar in the recipe with cider vinegar, as I thought this would work well with the apple.

I've always been a big lover of mango chutney, but with mangoes being a bit of a luxury commodity here in New Zealand, this chutney makes a great substitute.  There is a good bit of warmth from the ginger and cayenne pepper, acidity and sourness from the vinegar and apples, balanced with a delicious sweetness from the plums and apricots.  Although this would be great with all sorts of Indian dishes, it was sublime with nothing more complicated than good crusty bread and cheddar cheese, and I know it is going to be the perfect accompaniment to the ubiquitous ham sandwich on Boxing Day.

This could not be easier to make ... about five minutes of chopping, then everything in the pan together (I used a good, heavy, cast iron pan), and simmer for 30 minutes.  Cool and bottle.  I only made this yesterday and it tastes fantastic already.  I'm looking forward to seeing what it's like in a few weeks time - if I can keep my hands off it that long, that is.

Apple, Plum & Apricot Chutney 1

Apple Plum & Apricot Chutney Recipe
Adapted from a recipe by Madhur Jaffrey from
Makes 3x 250ml (8 fl oz) jars
Click here for a printable copy of this recipe

3x large sour apples, peeled, cored & roughly diced
(I used Granny Smith apples)
100g (4 oz) dried apricots
(I used plump Turkish ones, left whole)
100g (4 oz) dried plums, quartered
50g (2 oz) sultanas
6x cloves garlic, minced
5cm (2 inch) piece ginger, peeled & grated
400ml (14 fl oz) cider vinegar
385g (14 oz) soft brown sugar
2 teaspoons salt
1/2 teaspoon cayenne pepper

Put all ingredients into a heavy-based pan (cast iron is ideal) and bring to the boil.

Reduce heat to a vigorous simmer, and cook until the chutney has reached a thick, "jammy" consistency - about 30 minutes.  During this time, stir the chutney regularly and, as you get towards the end of the cooking time and the chutney thickens, you may need to reduce the heat a little to ensure that it doesn't stick to the bottom of the pan.

Remove from the heat and allow to cool for about 15 minutes.  Pour into warm, sterilised jars and cool completely before covering.  (Note:  The original recipe says to use non-metallic lids.  Not having any of those, I placed a square of baking paper over the top of my jars, before then screwing on my metal lids.)

Store jars in a cool, dark place or in the fridge.

If you would like to get to know Madhur a little better, then do go and visit my friends at I Heart Cooking Clubs and see what they've all cooked up ...

IHCC

... or check out Madhur Jaffrey's Indian Cooking and many of Madhur's other great titles available from Amazon USA, Amazon UK or Fishpond NZ.

          Madhur Jaffrey's Indian Cookery

I am sharing this post this week with my friends Michelle at Ms. enPlace hosting See Ya In the Gumbo, and with April at The 21st Century Housewife hosting Gallery of Favourites.


19 comments:

  1. A cheese and chutney sandwich really is one of life's delights! This looks delicious.

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  2. I love trying out chutneys and preserves and one inspired by Madhur Jaffrey means I just have to try, don't I?

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    1. Definitely recommend trying it Lesley. I find that I'm always interested in recipes for chutneys and pickles, but so many of them have onion in them which I'm not fussed on. Was delighted to find that this one didn't contain any onion.

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  3. I love pickles and chutneys and this sounds like the perfect curry condiment.

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    1. Thanks, Julie - I'm really looking forward to trying it with a curry.

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  4. I like all of your changes--very smart! Great gift idea--smart thinking there too!
    Thanks for linking up.

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    1. Thanks, Michelle - I've actually been really chomping through it, so I think I'm going to have to make another batch for those Xmas gifts :-)

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  5. Sue, Great looking chutney, looks deliciously moist and flavorful. Thanks for your nice comment on my corn chowder! I was not sure if you could get corn this early. We seem to always have it in Florida but some times of year it's more expensive.

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    1. Thanks, Tina - it has great texture too from the dried fruit which hold their shape. Yes, still a bit early for us for corn - round about February it gets plentiful (and reasonably priced) for us.

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  6. Sue, your Apple, Plum, and Apricot Chutney looks incredibly delicious, and such a beautiful presentation. The texture is so perfect and so inviting; would love to try to make this incredible recipe:) xo

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    1. Thanks, Elisabeth. Yes, this chutney has got wonderful texture. The apple almost dissolves completely, while the dried plums and apricots hold their shape and keep just a pleasing amount of "chew".

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  7. Wonderful! And your substitutions are perfect. What a great BD treat!

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    1. Thanks, Natashya. Yes, roll on Boxing Day. Since posting, I've tried this with a pork chop and it was great, so I'm more convinced than ever it's going to be great on a ham sandwich. Be pretty good too on a bacon "buttie" :-)

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  8. This chutney looks wonderful! I love how you played off on the flavors a bit. It's apple season here right now...might have to give this a go!

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    1. Thanks, Glennis. Hope you give it a try - I'm sure you'd love it.

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  9. The ingredients in your delicious chutney are literally making my mouth water! I think this sounds even nicer than mango chutney. It looks beautiful too. It's so seasonal, and would make a lovely gift.

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    1. Thanks, April. Well, there's no doubt that mango chutney is still a personal favourite, but this really does make a great alternative.

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  10. This looks delicious and I really liek the idea of using the baking paper as well.

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