My apple-quest continues as the harvest from our garden keeps on giving!  The first batch was large, but poorly picked by our amateur hands, which basically meant lots of worm holes & a fair share of bad apples.  Little did I know there was a lot to learn about harvesting apples!  But thanks to today’s modern world, I got the 101 crash course through Pinterest and was able to bring home a bucket full of great apples this past week for more yummy desserts!

The one, single recipe I had for a salty & savory preparation of our beloved apples was chutney.  I’m a fan, especially of a mango variety I am familiar with.  Whether it’s as a topping for any kind of meat, or served on fresh buttery toast, or as a yummy dip…chutney will always give your food a fantastic kick.  Defined as a sauce in the cuisines of the Indian subcontinent, its other names chatney or chatni can also include such forms as tomato relish, ground peanut garnish or a yogurt dip.  Apple chutney, however, isn’t an authentically Indian condiment – after all, apples aren’t native to India, and traditional Indian chutneys are sugar-free & usually raw.  Like many great Indian delicacies, the offshoot that took root in Anglo-Indian cuisine usually includes a tart fruit such as sharp apples or rhubarb made milder by an equal weight of sugar & vinegar.  It’s now widely known that American & European-style chutneys are usually fruit, vinegar, and sugar cooked down to a reduction, with added flavorings such as salt, garlic, tamarind, onion, or ginger.  They often also contain dried fruit: raisins, currants, or sultanas.  This tradition of chutney making spread through the English-speaking world, especially in the Caribbean & American South, where chutney is a popular condiment for ham, pork, and fish.  It’s so easy and the results are so fantastic, you should definitely give it a try!

For the Chutney

• 1 lemon, seeded & chopped
• 1 garlic clove, chopped
• 1 shallot, finely chopped
• 5 cups of chopped peeled firm apples
• 2-1/4 cups of packed brown sugar
• 1/2 cup of apple cider vinegar
• 1-1/2 cups of chopped prunes
• 1/4 cup of shredded fresh ginger
• 1-1/2 teaspoons of salt
• 1/4 teaspoon of ground red pepper

Before you begin, be sure to have two sterilized pickling jars clean & ready.  Wash the fruit and combine all the ingredients in a large saucepan.  Simmer, stirring frequently, at least 2 hours, or until the sauce has thickened.  Pack the hot chutney into hot pint jars, leaving about 1/2-inch headspace.  Seal tight and process for about 15 minutes in simmering hot water. Opened processed chutney will last from 2-4 weeks in the refrigerator.  Enjoy with everything you can!