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WINE-SOAKED FRUIT
Level 2
Sangria Chutney
1 cup wine-soaked fruit yields 1/2 cup chutney
- a Marlene Samuels creation -
Ever make sangria for a crowd — and find yourself staring at three drained pitchers with marvelous wine-soaked limes, lemons, oranges, apples and raspberries sitting at the bottom? Recently this happened to me and the thought of feeding this colorful bonus to my garbage disposal so distressed me that I kicked into creative mode. What could I do with these delicious expendable edibles? Jam? No, too much citrus unless I made marmalade. Pureé? No, too much peel. Then it struck me: chutney!
Since I had triple the usual quantity of pitcher fruit, I felt brave enough to experiment, adding a number of Indian spices – specifically hot curry powder – to half of the chutney and a dash of cayenne pepper to the other half. After reducing each mixture to a nice chunky consistency, I spooned them into separate jars, sealed and refrigerated them.
I had totally forgotten about my chutney experiments until last night when – after roasting several Cornish game hens -I was trying to figure out how to impart an exotic flair to the dish. I decided to plate the hens on a bed of pink lentils steamed with finely chopped herbs and tossed with salt, pepper and olive oil. The coup de grace? A large dollop of my special “Sangria Chutney.”
It was an amazing hit, raising such questions as “Where did you find this chutney?” and “Wow, I never think to serve chutney with poultry!” My view is that chutney is fabulous with almost everything. Cooking the fruit with the vinegar, sugar and spices created a chemical reaction that broke down the citrus oils, eliminating the usual bitterness. The result was a chutney of delectable little bites, soft and sweet.
4-5 cups sangria pitcher fruit, sliced (apples, lemons, limes, pears, berries)
1 cup red wine vinegar
1 cup water
½ cup raisins or currants
½ cup brown sugar
1 tsp. whole cloves
1 cinnamon stick
1 tsp. coriander seed
1 Tbsp. shredded or chopped fresh ginger
1 purple onion, peeled and finely sliced
Optional: ½ tsp. cayenne pepper, ½ tsp. curry powder
1 cup red wine vinegar
1 cup water
½ cup raisins or currants
½ cup brown sugar
1 tsp. whole cloves
1 cinnamon stick
1 tsp. coriander seed
1 Tbsp. shredded or chopped fresh ginger
1 purple onion, peeled and finely sliced
Optional: ½ tsp. cayenne pepper, ½ tsp. curry powder
- Place all ingredients into a non-reactive saucepan.
- Bring to a boil, stirring until sugar is dissolved and ingredients well-blended.
- Turn heat to low and cover tightly.
- Cook for 1 hour, stir and taste for sweetness and level of spiciness.
- Adjust seasonings and cook uncovered until mixture is reduced and thickened.
- Let cool. Spoon into jars, seal and refrigerate.
Serving suggestions: This is a unique and elegant accompaniment to all kinds of poultry, roasts, and is especially tasty alongside grilled pork chops or lamb.
