Mustard seeds
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I have always enjoyed good chutney no matter what fruits or vegetables or both they were made of. Chutney is a term for a variety of sweet and spicy condiments involving fresh chopped primarily fruit or vegetables plus various kids of seasonings. Chutney is very similar to pickle relish or salsa and can be used like either one of them but yet it is different too.

We really like a good chutney with a nice smoked pork roast in the smoker or with most any fish grilled or baked. A good chutney really adds a lot.

Here are the recipes for a couple of our favorites made with rhubarb.

RICH RHUBARB CHUTNEY

8 cups rhubarb diced

3 tbsp sugar

1/2 cup honey

1/2 cup dried cherries

5 tbsp red wine vinegar

3 tbsp dry red wine

2 tbsp mustard seeds

1/2 tsp kosher salt

Pinch cinnamon

Pinch allspice

Pinch cayenne

1/2 cup red onion diced

3/4 cup celery

1 tbsp jalapeno,seeded and minced

2 tbsp orange zest

2 tsp lime juice

Place rhubarb in a colander and sprinkle with sugar and drain for 30 minutes.

Cook the honey, cherries, vinegar, wine, mustard seeds, salt, cinnamon, allspice, and cayenne in a ten inch skillet over medium heat, stirring occasionally until syrupy.

Mince onion and cut celery into 1/2 inch pieces. Stir into the cherry mixture and cook for two minutes. add the rhubarb and cook over medium heat for 10 minutes, stirring occasionally. Avoid overcooking (The rhubarb should be tender but not mushy). Add the jalapeno and the orange zest; cook for 1 minute. Stir in the lime juice, remove from the pan and cool. Serve at either room temperature or chilled.

Try dried cranberries or dried peaches or apricots diced up in place of the cherries. This is delicious with grilled snapper or grouper or try it on some good smoked ham.

Here is another that is a little different but equally as good.

PIE PLANT CHUTNEY

8 cups rhubarb

1 red bell pepper

1 orange

1/2 lemon

1 1/2 cups chopped onion

1/2 cup golden raisins

1 clove of garlic minced

1 cup sugar

1 cup brown sugar

1 cup vinegar

1/2 tsp cinnamon

1/4 tsp ground cloves

1/4 tsp cayenne pepper

1/2 tsp salt

Prepare rhubarb by chopping stalks into 1/2″ pieces. seed and coarsely chop red pepper. Remove the seeds from the orange and lemon and chop finely including rind.

Combine all ingredients in a large stainless steel sauce pan. Cover and bring to a boil. Simmer gently for 1 hour or until mixture is thick enough to mound on a spoon.

This chutney will keep for up to four weeks in a refrigerator or may be canned by the water bath method, processing for 10 minutes.

Either one of these rhuibarb chutneys are good with most any kind of meat. I especially like this one with some good meatloaf and some garlic bread.

Thanks to University of Alberta Press for their great recipes in their Book “Rhubarb, More Than Just Pies.”

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