Spiced Tomato Chutney

Spiced Tomato Chutney

Adapted from Martha Rose Shulman by Blue Heron Kitchen

This wonderful condiment is between a chutney and a ketchup. Martha calls it ketchup, but in my world, there’s one ketchup; and it’s among one of those 57 varieties.

I used plum tomatoes and didn’t bother to seed or peel them. I coarsely puréed them in my Vitamix and then put the finished product through a medium disc in my Mouli food mill. You don’t have to use a food mill; and you can use regular tomatoes too. If you do, make an ‘x” at the bottom of each one with a sharp paring knife and plunge them in boiling water for one minute. Remove them and their skins will peel like they’ve gone to the dermatologist for a chemical peel. Then slice them through the circumference and squeeze gently to get the seeds out. Voila!

I opted for muscovado sugar over brown sugar. Its molasses appeal worked for me. The roundness of chipotle chili over cayenne also made sense as did raw honey.  You can use whatever hot pepper or mild honey you choose. You’re the boss.

Toast cumin and grind your spices. There’s no explanation for not taking these steps.

This chutney will complement pork roast, roast chicken, meat loaf, hamburgers, turkey burgers, veggie burgers, roasted white or sweet potatoes or grilled veggies or you can use it as a spread on sandwiches. 

peace and love,

jane

Ingredients:

2 Tbsp. extra virgin olive oil

1 Tbsp. fresh ginger, minced

2 garlic cloves, minces

¼ c. apple cider vinegar (I use Bragg’s)

¼ c. muscovado sugar, packed (if you can’t find it, use dark brown sugar)

2 pounds plum or other ripe tomatoes, peeled, seeded and diced (or not and coarsely puréed in a Vitamix                   or food processor)

1 tsp. cumin seeds, toasted, cooled and ground

½ tsp. ground cinnamon

8 allspice berries, ground

2 whole cloves, ground

1/8 tsp. ground chipotle chili (or ‘other’ hot pepper)

freshly ground pepper, to taste (salt, if you feel it needs it – I didn’t add any)

1 Tbsp. raw honey (or mild honey)

Procedure:

In a heavy-bottomed saucepan, heat olive oil

Add garlic and ginger and cook, stirring, until fragrant, but not brown – about a minute.

Add vinegar and raise heat. Reduce volume by ½ - about 2-3 minutes.

Add sugar and stir until dissolved.

Add tomatoes and spices (not ground black pepper), bring to a simmer and then reduce to very low.

Partially cover the pot and simmer slowly until reduced to a very thick purée and there’s very little liquid in the pan. This will take at least 1 ½ to 2 hours.

Uncover and continue to simmer until all liquid is evaporated, about 15 more minutes. Season to taste with ground pepper (and if using, salt) and stir in the honey.

Continue to simmer, stirring until mixture is sort of shiny, about 5 more minutes.

Remove from stove and cool. Taste and adjust seasonings. Transfer to a jar and if not using right away, refrigerate.

If you’re putting this through a food mill, you can do it warm or after it has been cooled and refrigerated.

This will keep for a couple of weeks (or more) in the refrigerator.