A chutney is one of the easiest things you can create in the kitchen. This king of condiments is popular in Australia & England, but its brilliance has yet to be fully embraced by Americans. Fig & tomato chutney is an essential part of a good cheese platter, as it’s brilliant with a sharp cheddar, blue cheese & any smoked or creamy cheese.
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For those unsure: a chutney is a condiment & in its broad sense, is made with vegetables, fruit, sugar, vinegar & spices. Chutney is somewhere between a relish & a jam. Having said that, in India – where chutney originated, it can be anything from a dry spice rub, yogurt, a dip or ingredients ground together with a mortar & pestle to form a paste. What I have here is the British version of chutney – the sweet, vinegary, spicy, jammy condiment.
Chutney has versatility – pair it with a perfectly grilled steak or roast. Add it to a sandwich or a panini – it’s absolutely delicious with cold cuts, cheese & pickled onions on a sandwich. Take it on a picnic to serve with radishes, tomatoes, cold meats & cheeses. Add some to savory pie fillings, savory quick breads, soups, stews & even marinades.
This fig & tomato chutney, as with most of the chutneys I make, is ridiculously easy to cook: the few ingredients go into a saucepan where they simmer for 15 minutes – give or take, to create a chutney that’s thick & glossy. Spoon it into jars, pop it in the fridge & wait a day or so as the flavors develop (I’m horribly impatient & usually can’t wait that long). It doesn’t last long in our house because I’m also greedy – this chutney I can eat straight off a spoon – it’s one of my favorites, with the perfect blend of spice.
Grab yourself some good cheese, some artisan bread or crackers (make them yourself like these Almond Crackers or if you buy them, these Raincoast Crisps are good), pop the lid off the chutney, pour a glass of vino & put your feet up. I’d be happy eating this way most nights. Cheers, Lovoni
tomato fig chutney
Ingredients
- 4 medium vine-ripened tomatoes 20 oz/600g
- 1 medium red onion, diced (1 1/2 cups)
- 7 oz 200g dried figs, chopped (generous 1 cup)
- 1 tablespoon black mustard seeds
- 2 teaspoons crushed red pepper dried chilli flakes
- 1 teaspoon ground coriander
- 1 teaspoon ground ginger
- 1 1/2 teaspoons salt
- 3/4 cup red wine vinegar
- 3/4 cup granulated sugar white
Instructions
- Make a small X on the bottom of the tomatoes. Bring a large saucepan of water to the boil. Carefully lift the tomatoes into the water using a slotted spoon. Blanch them for 1 minute. Carefully lift them out of the water & rinse under cold water. Remove the cores & peel off & discard the skin.
- Chop the tomatoes & put them into a large saucepan with the remaining ingredients. Bring to a boil; reduce to medium. Boil gently (you want to see bubble action, if not you might have to increase the heat), uncovered, for 15 minutes, stirring occasionally, until chutney has thickened – it will thicken further on cooling. Makes about 2 2/3 cups.
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