Spiced Apple Chutney
By: my pennington
Published: Wednesday, January 6, 2010 - 3:04pm

Ingredients




2 pounds cider apples, cored and cut into small cubes (skins intact)
1 onion, finely chopped
2 tablespoons olive oil
1 teaspoon coarse salt
12 whole cloves
1 teaspoon cinnamon
1/2 teaspoon curry
1/2 teaspoon cardamom
1/2 teaspoon red chili flakes
1/4 teaspoon ground all spice
1/4 teaspoon cayenne pepper
2 tablespoons crystal ginger
2 teaspoons mustard seed, muddled until coarsely ground
1/2 cup raisins
1/2 cup brown sugar
1 cup apple cider vinegar

Preparation

1 Place large saucepan over medium high heat and add olive oil.  When warmed, add onions and salt. Saute until tender and starting to brown, 10 to 12 minutes.  Add apples and saute until tender and starting to brown, 10 to 12 minutes.  Add all spices and ginger.  Stir for a minute or two before adding apple cider vinegar and brown sugar.  Bring the chutney to boil and then lower heat to a simmer.  Cook until thick and apples are beginning to break down, but hold their shape, about 45 minutes to an hour.  Remove from heat and hold in clean jar in the fridge.  Will keep for three to 4 weeks. 2 Serve alongside roast pork, or on an appetizer plate of cured meat, sharp cheese and crackers.

About


This fragrant recipe was inspired by a dear friend who is seemingly obsessed with chutney. After talking with him about this spiced preserve on several occasions, I couldn't stop thinking about chutney myself!  
This fragrant chutney relies heavily on spices for flavor and has a bit of a bite from the red chili flakes and cayenne pepper.  Cider apples make the best chutney, as they are tart and quite firm so they will hold their shape and not turn too soft from cooking.  If you can't find those apples, it's ok to substitute another firm apple, such as Granny Smith.
There should be enough acid in this recipe to allow for safe water-bath canning, but I haven't tested the final pH, so I suggest keeping this chutney in your fridge for storage.  Should you have a pH meter (who doesn't?) this would be a good one to test and seal properly for long term pantry storage.