Fruit Chutney

14Jun Light Bites 11 comments

Cathi Dicocco’s Fruit Chutney

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Chutney is a wonderful way to use and preserve fruit when it’s plentiful and in season. This recipe shows you how easy to make and how truly delicious homemade chutney can be. You’ll love the mouth watering aromas and the special complement this chutney is to just about anything you serve all year.

Ingredients:
8 fresh organic apples (any type of crisp apple works)
3 1/2 c. whole organic cranberries (frozen is fine)
2 oz. fresh ginger, chopped fairly small
1 c. plus 2 T. brown sugar
1/3 c. red wine vinegar
¼ t. cayenne pepper

To prepare:
Core and chop apples into rough quarter to half inch pieces. Peel and chop the ginger. Remember if the ginger is very firm and fresh you can skip peeling it.

Heat a large saucepan over medium heat, then add the brown sugar, cayenne pepper, and red wine vinegar and stir. Add the ginger and simmer everything for a 5 minutes or so. Next, add the apples, stir to combine them with the liquids and cook, stirring occasionally, just until the apples are fork tender. Be careful not to let them get too soft – we don’t want applesauce.

Strain the apples over a wide bowl to reserve the juice, then add the juice back into sauce pan and put the cooked apples into another bowl. Allow the apple juice to reduce for a minute or two, then add the cranberries and continue to cook just until the skin on the cranberries begin to pop.

After the berries have broken open, strain them over still another bowl and add that juice back into the sauce pan, just as you did with the apple juice. Simmer the juice mixture until it’s reduced to a thick-ish syrup. This should reduce to about a half a cup in volume.

Now combine the apples and cranberries and pour the syrupy juice over the fruit, fold together to combine well and you have chutney.

This chutney can be used immediately, stored in the refrigerator for up to two weeks, or frozen for up to six months. If you’re going to freeze it, spoon chutney into serving size containers, then defrost any time of the year and enjoy the fresh burst of fruity flavor.

Use the chutney as an addition to muffins or scones, as a dessert or dessert topping, piled onto sandwiches, or as an accompaniment to any savory dinner. It’s absolutely wonderful with curries or served with cheese and crackers. We love it as a holiday accompaniment to Tofu Pot Pie. You can also substitute pears for apples, add raisins or nuts or other fruits. This is a great basic and buildable recipe destined to become a family favorite.

About the author

Written by

Toni Fiore was raised by an Italian-American father and a German mother who instilled in her a sociable nature and the love of travel and of good food. She has lived in Italy and Germany and now resides in southern Maine. She is the author of: Totally Vegetarian: Easy, Fast, Comforting Cooking for Every Kind of Vegetarian

11 Responses

  1. I just found your show today with chutney making. Just had to go on line to get the recipe. It looked very good, hope it is. Thanks! Lillian Peterson

  2. This recipe really is delicious! Much easier than I ever thought chutney would be to make. Let us know what you think and thanks for writing!

  3. Chef Toni: I recently began watching your show as it has been airing on WLIW Create TV here in New York. While I’m not a strict veggie, I enjoy a lot of meatless dishes. I made this chutney yesterday and also added some ancho chilli powder (I like it spicy) and it came out really great! Every bite tastes a little diffrent and the ginger really gives it a punch! I served it with Lamb burgers (sorry for using the “M” word) and roasted Sweet potato planks. Terrific! I really love your Italian recipes and will me making more of them in the future. I very much enjoy your show. Regards, Ed Brown

  4. Hi Ed, Nice tip on the variation of spices! I hope others who like more kick to their chutney will try your idea. It sounds as though you like to use imagination and experimentation with food, soooo… perhaps you’ll be inspired one day to try the Beet Burger. I’m curious what your thoughts might be about that particular recipe. Please write again! It’s always nice to hear new ideas. Take care and thanks for watching DTV,

    Regards, Toni

  5. Woooooooooowwwwwwwwwwwwwww!!! This is very delectable and simple. Thank you!
    If I was going to add an onion, where in the process would I do it? In the beginning with the ginger? Thanks for your chutney advice. Love the show!

  6. I make something similar for my son who is allergic to cranberries. Dried cherries make a tasty subsitute. (Just discovered your show and love it. Because of health issues, my husband and I have joined our son and daughter-in-law in vegetarianism, so I welcome your recipes. Thanks.

  7. I received a large quantity of pears as a holiday gift and tried this recipe with pears instead of apples. I also added two tablespoons of port at the final reduction. Yum!

  8. This recipe is excelent. I made a perfect chutney. Thank you!

  9. Hi Toni. I love your podcast, your recipes all look lovely. I decided to make this to put in little jars and give as Christmas presents so I just made some in order to see how it turned out. However, my juice would not thicken even though I left it as long as I could. Also, I don’t think my cranberries were ripe enough as my liquid did not turn as red as I would have hoped. Any tips on thickening the syrup? Thanks!

  10. Saw the episode this weekend on PBS – just had to try it. The chutney was easy to make and delicious. Love that ginger! The brie and chutney on focaccia bread grilled sandwich was wonderful!

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