Wednesday, January 26, 2011

Recipe: Cranberry-Rhubarb Chutney

I finally finished using this delicious chutney that I made right before the holiday season. It used some of our frozen rhubarb and some Michigan-grown organic cranberries I had purchased for Thanksgiving. Putting this together is a snap. It is beautiful, delicious, very versatile, and keeps for many weeks in the refrigerator.

Cranberry Rhubarb Chutney
1 lb rhubarb (about 3 cups diced)
1 cup cranberries (I used organic)
1 Tbsp. lemon juice
2 tsp. grated fresh ginger
2-4 garlic cloves; minced (I used the larger amount)
2 jalapeno peppers; seeds and veins removed (I used frozen diced jalapenos. 1/4 tsp. cayenne pepper may be used if no jalapenos are available)
1 tsp. paprika
1 Tbsp. black mustard seeds (I used 1 Tbsp. Dijon mustard)
1/2 tsp. ground cinnamon
1/8 tsp. ground nutmeg
1/8 tsp. ground cloves
1 c. brown sugar (next time I am going to try using our own honey)
1-1/2 c white vinegar
1 tsp. cornstarch

Chop the rhubarb into pieces 1/2 inch thick. If the stalks are wide, cut them in half lengthwise first.

Place all the ingredients in a non-corrosive pan, bring to a boil, then lower the heat and simmer, stirring often, until the rhubarb is broken down and the cranberry skins have popped, about 8-10 minutes.

When the cranberries pop the sauce should thicken but add a little corn starch if necessary.

Store refrigerated in a glass jar.

Here is how I used this chutney over the past 6 weeks:
1) as a side with Indian (curry) dishes
2) marinated and baked tofu squares
3) topping for baked potatoes
4) added some olive oil and vinegar to make a salad dressing
5) added to a stir-fry of Swiss chard, tofu, onion, and garlic served over brown rice
6) topping for organic cream cheese served with whole grain crackers as an appetizer

Sweet, sour, spicy, and scrumptious! Sorry I have no photos but this is a winner and I'll make it again for sure!

"Cultivate your life - you are what you grow - inch by inch, row by row"

Diana Dyer, MS, RD

5 comments:

Anonymous said...

MMMM...to bad I used the cranberries I bought to make cranberry cordial...next year;)

Diana Dyer said...

I always buy more cranberries in the fall than I think I need because they are so easy to freeze. That way I actually have some to use year-round. I often add a few to my soy smoothie to cut the sweetness of the other fruit just a wee bit in addition to enjoying the pretty color they add to the smoothie.

Uncharted Journey said...

Diana, How many freezers do you have? What size? What style?
I have a deep box freezer and I am wondering how you freeze foods and manage to find them in the future !!
Thanks, Elizabeth

Diana Dyer said...

Yes I have a deep chest freezer (I forget if it is 6 or 9 cubic feet). Here are some ideas:

1) My first help for finding things is to know what I have, so I keep a list(s) on the top itemizing how many packages of various fruits, vegetables, turkey, pesto, soup, etc. are actually in there.

2) Second rule, I try to remember to cross off the items I take out of the freezer.

3) Third, I try to keep things organized in baskets, boxes, or bags. I still have to lift things out to get what I am looking for, but at least things are not spilling all over the place getting even more disorganized!

4) Fourth, sometimes when I am on top of my game (not often these days), I try to bring items that I think I'll use for an entire week up from the big basement freezer to the freezer in our kitchen refrig.

Once we actually move out to the farm and get back to doing more of our own food preservation, I think we may need to purchase another freezer, too.

Hope that helps a bit!

Leah said...

Diana,
I discovered your blog today while searching for breast cancer survivor info. I was just diagnosed with Stage 1 invasive lobular carcinoma and have not had surgery yet. I am enjoying your blog posts alot! Thanks for sharing your life and energy. I'll be looking forward to reading more...
Leah Hartlaub, Cincinnati, OH