This chutney, with the cinnamon and cardamom, has the taste of India. Here I’ve served it with a cheese and cracker assortment but it would go very well with samosas, pakoras, dosas, dal, or rice.
The cheese, starting at the top center and continuing clockwise are a local cheese called Hereford, which is like a dry cheddar, a Cabricharme (way too strong for me but Lewis liked it), a chèvre (again I’ll pass), and a triple crème brie, my favorite.
The Cabricharme is a Trappist style raw goat’s milk cheese. Over the course of 6 weeks, the cheese is washed in a brine solution that gives Cabricharme’s salmon-pink rind its color and helps the ivory white interior develop its flavor and supple texture. If you like goat cheese, this is a lovely indulgence.
- 4 cups coarsely chopped butternut squash
- 4 pears, cut into ½-inch chunks
- 4 Asian pears, cut into ½-inch chunks
- 4 shallots, coarsely chopped
- 1 cup ground cherries, husks removed
- 1 cup dried cherries
- ½ cup walnuts, coarsely chopped
- 2 cups raw or light brown sugar or 1 cup honey
- 2 cups cider vinegar
- Juice of 1 lemon
- 1 4-inch cinnamon stick
- 4 tablespoons finely chopped fresh or ½ teaspoon dried ground ginger
- 4 garlic cloves, finely chopped
- 1 Thai red chile pepper, stemmed and seeded
- 8 cardamom seeds, husks removed
- 4 star anise
- 1 teaspoon salt
- ½ teaspoon freshly ground black pepper
- Place all of the ingredients in a large, wide, non-reactive (no aluminum, please) pan and bring to a boil over medium-high heat.
- Reduce the heat to medium-low and simmer, stirring frequently to prevent burning, for 1 hour. The fruit will have become translucent and all of the liquid should be completely absorbed and reduced to a thick, syrupy consistency.
- Mash last 15 minutes, if desired, for a less chunky chutney.
- Place chutney in clean jars and cool to room temperature.
- Keep refrigerated for up to 1 month. If canning for long storage, follow the directions for water bath canning and process for 15 minutes. Freeze for up to 6 months.
Chutneys are so easy and make great gifts. Let them sit in the fridge for 2 weeks for all of the flavors to meld.
Sheila