Pear-Apple-Cranberry Chutney

Well, I'm addicted to chutney.  I might have to start a support group, but before I take that drastic step, I decided to make some more chutney.

This recipe is based on my old recipe but without ginger and groundcherries (because I didn't have any). 

Ingredients

1 tbsp vegetable oil

1/2 tsp chile flakes

1 cup diced yellow onion (approx. 1 medium onion)

3 cups pear - cored and diced (approx. 2 medium pears)

2 cups apple - cored and diced (approx. 2 medium apples)

2 cups cranberries (fresh or frozen)

1 cup unsweetened apple cider

1/3 cup cider vinegar 

1/3 cup demerara sugar (or light brown sugar)

1 tbsp curry powder

2 tsp pumpkin pie spice mix

1/2 cup raisins or golden raisins

1/2 tsp Kosher salt

1/2 tsp black pepper

Zest of one orange

 

Preparation

 

In a sauce pan heat the oil and add the chile flakes. Be careful not to burn the chile, just toast it long enough to flavor the oil. Add the onions and sweat until soft. 

Gradually add the diced pear and apple. Cook for 1-2 minutes. Stir in the cranberries.

Add the apple cider, cider vinegar, demerara sugar, curry powder, and pumpkin pie spice mix. Stir to combine. Add the raisins, salt, pepper, and orange zest (if you're using a grater, be careful of your knuckles). Bring the mixture to a simmer and allow to reduce for about 30 minutes, stirring frequently.

I used a mild yellow curry powder but feel free to use a spicier blend if you wish.

Apple-Cranberry-Groundcherry Chutney

First off, I don't know how I made it almost 33 years without this chutney.  Sweet, bitter, sour, tangy, and slightly spicy, it is absolutely fantastic.  Now here's the story behind the chutney:

In the not too distant past, I became the proud owner of a bag of groundcherries.  I wasn't very fond of the flavor, so I decided to make them into a chutney.  I did some research, found a mango chutney recipe that was a suitable base for my recipe, and got to work.  As it turns out, the foundational recipe bears only a passing resemblance to the chutney that I made, but that's just the way I roll.

The chutney is fairly mild but has surprising depth.  The sweetness of the apples and the tangyness of the cranberries makes this a perfect accompaniment for naan bread, toast, or Quorn fillets, or you can eat it straight out of the jar - which is probably what's going to happen to the batch that is currently chilling in my refrigerator.

If you can't get groundcherries, feel free to replace them with one cup of cranberries or diced apple (or cherry, if it floats your boat). 

Ingredients

1 tbsp vegetable oil

1/2 tsp chile flakes

1 cup diced yellow onion (approx. 1 medium onion)

1/8 cup minced fresh ginger

3 cups apple - peeled, cored and diced (approx. 3 medium apples)

1 cup groundcherries (aka cape gooseberries)

2 cups cranberries (fresh or frozen)

2/3 cup unsweetened apple cider

1/3 cup cider vinegar 

1/3 cup demerara sugar (or light brown sugar)

1 tbsp curry powder

1 tsp pumpkin pie spice mix

1/2 cup raisins or golden raisins

1/2 tsp Kosher salt

1/2 tsp black pepper

Zest of one orange

 

Preparation

 

In a saute pan heat the oil and add the chile flakes. Be careful not to burn the chile, just toast it long enough to flavor the oil. Add the onions and sweat until soft. Add the ginger sauté for 1-2 minutes.

Add the diced apple. Cook for 1-2 minutes. Stir in the cranberries and ground cherries.

Add the apple cider, cider vinegar, demerara sugar, curry powder, and pumpkin pie spice mix. Stir to combine. Add the raisins, salt, pepper, and orange zest. Bring the mixture to a simmer and allow to reduce for about 30 minutes, stirring frequently.

I used a mild yellow curry powder but feel free to use a spicier blend if you wish.

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Vegan Curry Cookie Recipe

Earlier today, I was sitting in my apartment thinking about two things: curry and cookies.  My mind Frankensteined the two ideas together and came up with the following recipe.

The initial flavor of the cookie is sweet until a touch of cinnamon and ginger begins to shine through, and just when you think it is over, the spicy curry flavor hits.  The flavors are complex and build upon each other in an intriguing way. 

I may experiment with the recipe a little bit.  I think 2 tsp of vanilla would nicely accentuate the almond and curry flavors.  I think I would also like to try a version with coconut instead of currants. 

Ingredients:
3/4 cup softened vegan margarine
1 cup demerara sugar (or regular sugar)
1/4 cup dark brown sugar
2 1/2 cups whole wheat (or all-purpose) flour
1/3 cup water
1 1/2 tsp baking soda
2 tsp fresh ginger
4 or 5 tsp curry powder (I used a hot curry blend)
1 tsp ground cinnamon
1/4 tsp salt
1/2 cup dried currants or raisins (optional)
1/2 cup roughly chopped almonds

Preparation: 
Preheat the oven to 350 degrees Fahrenheit.

In a large bowl, cream together the margarine and sugars until light and fluffy.  Add the flour and combine.  Add the water, baking soda, salt, ginger, and cinnamon.  Incorporate 4 tsp of curry powder.  Taste the batter to check your spice levels (there are no eggs, so you can taste the batter without threat of salmonella).  If desired, add another tsp of curry powder.

Add the currants and almonds into the mixture.

Shape the dough into walnut-sized balls and place the cookies on an ungreased cookie sheet.  Flatten slightly. 

Bake at 350 degrees Fahrenheit for 10-12 minutes.

 Makes approximately 45 cookies.


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