by AntoniaJames
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AntoniaJames's Notes:
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1 medium yellow onion, finely chopped
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1 tablespoon olive oil
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Pinch of salt
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4 medium garlic cloves, minced
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1 tablespoon finely grated ginger root
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¼ cup ruby port
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¾ cup Zante raisins (sometimes called “currants”)
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½ cup dried red currants
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3 pounds of pluots and/or plums, any variety
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1 lb. peeled, cored and sliced apples (weighed after trimming)
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1 cup light brown sugar
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1 teaspoon aniseed, lightly crushed
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1/2 teaspoon yellow mustard seeds, lightly crushed
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1/8 teaspoon ground coriander
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1/8 teaspoon mace
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1 teaspoon kosher salt
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1 cup white wine vinegar
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1/4 teaspoon freshly ground green or black pepper
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In a heavy, non-reactive saucepan cook the onion in the oil with a pinch of salt until translucent. Add the ginger and cook for a minute more, then add the garlic and cook for another minute, stirring frequently and taking care not to burn it.
Ask the hotline about this step!Pit and cut into eighths the pluots or plums.
Ask the hotline about this step!Deglaze the pan with the port. Add the currants, pluots, apples, sugar, spices (except the pepper) and salt, with about a quarter cup of vinegar.
Ask the hotline about this step!Cook over medium heat, stirring constantly. After a few minutes, add another ¼ cup of vinegar and continue to stir. As the mixture reaches a boil, add the remaining ½ cup of vinegar, and stir well to combine.
Ask the hotline about this step!Reduce to a simmer, stirring occasionally as the mixture thickens, for about 20 to 30 minutes.
Ask the hotline about this step!Add the freshly ground pepper and stir well.
Ask the hotline about this step!Transfer chutney to sterilized jars.
Ask the hotline about this step!For stable shelf storage, seal according to the jar manufacturer’s instructions, then process for ten minutes in a rolling boil water bath. See the canning tips below, too.
Ask the hotline about this step!If not sealing, cover and refrigerate. It will last for 2 to 4 weeks.
Ask the hotline about this step!Enjoy!!
Ask the hotline about this step!CANNING TIP #1: Regardless of what other instructions you see in recipes posted in various places on the internet, make sure that you put your canning lids in simmering water (no hotter than 180 degrees) and that you keep them hot just until you use them. It's not enough simply to make sure they're clean. You put them in the hot water to soften the gasket (the rubber rim), which is essential to creating a good seal.
Ask the hotline about this step!CANNING TIP #2: A procedure I discovered (and have wondered how on earth it's taken so long, after all these years of canning, to figure out) is to use a large, towel-lined rectangular baking pan for moving jars to and from the hot water bath, to and from my workspace, and from the stove to the shelf where I cool the jars. Just make sure it's a pan you don't need to use for other things during the twenty-four hours that the jars are cooling. It's a really safe way to move hot jars, and is so efficient, too!!
Ask the hotline about this step!CANNING TIP #3: Here’s a tip about making condiments for gift giving. All condiments taste better after a few weeks or in some instances, after a month. Every batch will vary, regardless of how many times you’ve used the recipe, because the fruit will be different from year to year. I usually do my initial vacuum seal of condiments in pints or quarts, and then, in the weeks before the December holidays, taste test the condiments again. If they are worthy of gift giving, I then reheat to boiling and re-seal and process the condiments in 4 or 8 ounce jars. You can also test and correct seasoning at this point.
Ask the hotline about this step!I've made it, Ms. T, and it's really really good. And I was just at the Thursday Farmer's Market at the Civic Center yesterday and there were lots of great looking pluots and plums still coming in!
Thanks, both of you! I saw pluots at the downtown Oakland farmers' market today . . . lots of them! Regular plums also work. Select and use at least a few pieces of fruit that's just barely ripe. Have fun!! ;o)
Thanks for the tips ChezSuzanne and AJ :) I did find some gorgeous plums at the farmer's market last weekend. As well as some beautiful figs that I couldn't resist inviting to the party. I used AJ's recipe as inspiration and a jumping off point, but tweaked it a bit to use what I had on hand. Which included a heavier proportion of apples--the whole purpose of this project was to use up the apples from my backyard tree--the aforementioned figs and a slightly different mix of spices. It came out pretty good, but I haven't canned it yet, because I need to balance out the flavors a little. (Probably should've just followed AJ's recipe closely instead of trying to improvise!) I threw in some cardamom--but kinda wish I hadn't because it's a bit overpowering. So I will keep tweaking my little chemistry project and see if I can balance it out a bit. Thanks again for the inspiration!
I'm adding this one to my canning list! I really like the spice combination you've chosen here - really yummy with the plums and apples.
I hope you try it . . . by the way, you can substitute 5-spice powder for the aniseed, ground coriander and mace. And, for the record, your jam was the inspiration for using port instead of red wine in this! ;o)
This looks great, and I really appreciate the canning tips! I wonder if I can still get good pluots or plums this time of year....Will look at the farmer's market this weekend!