All the pears are ripening on our tree now and I am in a rush to get as much done with them as I can before its too late. I made the crumble the other day and then I made this delicious Spiced Pear Chutney! I call it Autumn in a Jar!
We love chutneys in this house. In fact chutney was one of the first things I learnt to make when I went to Culinary College. It is a very British thing. I think I could make a chutney out of just about anything.
A chutney is a spicy condiment/relish which contains the perfect balance of sweet, sour and spicy! Mango chutney is a favourite, but there is no end to the types of chutney you can create if you stick to the rule of thumb that whereas relishes mostly contain vegetables, a chutney is largely based on a fruit. And you want a perfect balance of the trinity of chutney which is as I said above, sweet, sour and spicy!
This one is largely composed of pears and onions with some dried cranberries. You could also use sultanas if you wished. DO be sure to use firm pears, not soft ones. Mine were not very ripe which is perfect for chutney as they held up their shape well in the long cooking process. You want to be able to tell that there is pears in it, or why make it?
The sour comes from the use of Cider Vinegar! I love Cider vinegar and it goes very well with the fruity orchard-infused flavor of pears. Apples and pears, pears and apples . . .
There is plenty of brown sugar in this chutney, which adds an almost sweet smokey depth to the flavor and then there is the spice . . .
Ground cumin, ground coriander, ground cinnamon and . . . for some heat, ground cayenne pepper! I used 1/2 tsp for the while recipe, which might seem like a lot, but trust me when I say it balances out well in the mix. You want your chutney to have a bit of a kick without going over the top.
We are really going to be enjoying this over the winter with all sorts. Perfect on cheese trays, in sandwiches, with cold meats and . . . . I will let you in on a little secret here . . . a dollop or two added to a stew, or soup, or . . . yes . . . Swiss Steak, goes fabulously and will have your guests and family wondering just what is that special ingredient you use to make your cookin' taste so good!
Yield: 3 PintsAuthor: Marie Rayner
Spiced Pear Chutney
prep time: 35 minscook time: 1 hour and 45 minstotal time: 1 hours and 80 minsSomething delicious to make with your pear glut.ingredients:
2 pounds firm pears, peeled, cored and diced1 1/2 pound brown onions, peeled and diced2 fat cloves garlic, peeled and minced150g dried cranberries (1 cup)400g soft light brown sugar (2 cups, packed)1 tsp ground cumin1 tsp ground coriander1/2 tsp cayenne pepper1/2 tsp cinnamon1 1/2 tsp salt710ml cider vinegar (3 cups)160g tomato puree/paste (5 1/2 ounces)instructions:
Prepare the pears and onions. Place them into a large deep saucepan.Cook over medium heat, stirring occasionally. Add the remaining
ingredients. Bring to the boil, then reduce to a low simmer. Cook for 1
to 1 1/2 hours until it is the consistency you want, stirring it
often. Ladle into hot sterilised pint jars, wipe jar rims, and seal.Created using The Recipes Generator
Pear Chutney . . . so delicious and it will have your kitchen/home smelling great for a few days after cooking it! Bon Appetit!
