I make this chutney in the fall & winter. Nicely spiced and chock full of fruit! It is really fabulous served with Tourtiere, roast pork, lamb or roast turkey. It’s pretty darned good with a grilled ham & cheese sandwich too. Pretty useful stuff I think! It keeps really well in the fridge for a month or so and you can freeze it too. If you are feeling generous, give some to friends!
Makes about 6 cups
2 cups cider vinegar
1 medium onion, finely chopped
½ cup water
1 Tbsp. ground ginger
2 tsp. grated orange peel
1 ½ tsp. salt
½ tsp. ground cinnamon
1 garlic clove, minced
¼ tsp. dried red pepper flakes
3 cups packed golden brown sugar
2 small Bartlett pears, diced
1 large Granny Smith apple, cored & diced
2 cups fresh cranberries (or frozen)
½ cup dried currants, rinsed with hot water & drained
Combine first 9 ingredients in heavy medium saucepan over medium-high heat. Bring to a boil, stirring frequently. Reduce the heat to low & cook 15 minutes, stirring occasionally.
Add sugar, pears, apples, cranberries & currants & stir until sugar dissolves. Cook until fruits are soft & liquid thickens slightly, stirring occasionally, about 1 hour. Cool to room temperature. The chutney will thicken more as it cools. Place into a large glass jar with a tight fitting lid & store in the fridge.
You can place the mixture into hot, sterilized jars & place into a hot water bath to seal. If you want to find out how to do this, see the Bernardin website http://www.bernardin.ca/
