For those wondering about chutney, there are so many ways to use it. It’s a sweet, spicy, tangy blend with small chunks of fruit — peach or blueberry in the recent recipes I’ve posted but it could be tomatoes, apples, whatever you use, and there’s usually raisins, some kind of pepper — either pepper flakes or jalapeno slices, and there’s “juice”. It isn’t like jam or jelly but I would describe it more the consistency of a salsa.
Traditionally, it’s an Indian condiment but we don’t use it as such since I don’t cook Indian food. Google “chutney uses” and you’ll come up with all kinds of ideas. We like it on meat — pulled pork, fried chicken, grilled meat, Evelyn suggested serving it with fish. We also like it served over cream cheese with a variety of crackers. I don’t eat ketchup so I eat chutney in places where a lot of people eat ketchup. Tonight instead of using mint jelly, I used blueberry chutney with my lamb chops and it was really good!
The best way to describe it that it’s just a burst of flavor when you take a bite. You might get a sliver of jalapeno, or crunch on a small piece of ginger, or bite into what seems like a piece of sweet, pickled peach. Some grate the ginger with a microplaner and I used to do that but I like to bite into a tiny piece of ginger and get that taste, rather than have it meld into the overall flavor as it did when it was grated.
For us, there aren’t a lot of rules when it comes to food. If we like something, we eat it with whatever we want to eat it with.
Be bold! Experiment with new things. If you don’t like it, you can always serve it over cream cheese as an appetizer when you need to bring a dish somewhere.
Connie says
Thanks, Judy. Now why didn’t I think to google, I live by google. LOL I’ve had it with cream cheese as an appetizer at parties, but just was trying to figure if there were ways my family would eat it.
Kathy says
Now I get it! I plan to be bold and give it a try!
Penny says
I take it from your detailed explanation that chutney isn’t a store cupboard staple in the US? Here in the UK its very popular, although not so much homemade these days. I especially enjoy it with some good homemade crusty bread , some nice strong Cheddar cheese and a pickled onion or two. We would call that a Ploughman’s lunch. Last year I made a great chutney with a rather large marrow, apples, onions, dried fruit, spices etc. Perhaps you don’t have marrow either, it would be a very oversized zucchini, you know, the one that got overlooked until it was way to big to be eaten in the normal way.
Karen M says
We get overwhelmed by pears from our single tree every year. My favorite thing to make from them is a pear-apricot chutney. We use it in all the ways you describe, and its especially good with pork. Strangely enough, its also great over vanilla ice cream!
CJ says
I adore chutneys! They absolutely make meat dishes!
Cindy C says
Hey Judy! I am making the peach chutney, but I am a bit confused, is the 4 quarts of peaches after you have cut them up or before you start peeling and cutting? Smells delicious!!