Chutney, chutney, chutney— that was the theme in my kitchen this summer. Chutney has more razzle dazzle than a simple jam or jelly and I am terribly fond of both razzle and dazzle. When Renee and I used to sell our Fig & Fromage tortas at Kowalksi's— coming up with chutney and cheese combinations was one of my favorite parts of the job— right up there with being the demo girl and obsessing about what ampersand and font to use for the labels. Chutney and cheese belong together, like Sonny and Cher, caramel and apples or George and tennis balls.
This chutney would be good with a sharp white cheddar, gorgonzola, an aged gouda or stuffed in a chicken breast with goat cheese. The good news is I have a lot of this chutney on the shelf and I'm going to have to get creative if we're going to use them before next year's blueberry crop. You'll know I've run out of ideas if you get a jar of chutney for your birthday, Christmas or National Taco Day.
Blueberry Chutney
6 cups blueberries 1/4 cup dried cherries 1/4 cup dried cranberries 1/2 cup dried currents 3/4 cup dry white wine 3/4 cup cider vinegar 1 cup honey 1/2 cup raw sugar 2 cups red onion, chopped 2 tbsp garlic, minced 1 tsp red chile flakes 1 1/2 tsp fresh thyme 2 pieces crystallized ginger, minced
Add all ingredients to a large pot and bring to a boil. Remove the cinnamon stick after 15 minutes. Reduce the heat to low and simmer, stirring occasionally, for 30 - 45 minutes, until mixture is thick. At this point, you can cool completely and it will keep in the refrigerator, covered, for up to a week.
You can also ladle hot chutney into hot sterilized jars, leaving 1/4-inch head space. Wipe rims of the jars, cover with lids, and screw bands on until just barely tight. Place jars on rack in pot and cover completely with water. Cover pot and bring to a boil over high heat. Boil for 10 minutes. Turn off heat, uncover pot, and allow jars to rest in water for five minutes. Remove jars from pot and allow them to rest undisturbed on countertop for six hours or overnight.
