Pork with Plum Chutney
I had very ripe plums and wanted to use them in a savory dish rather than a dessert. I had made a pear chutney before, so that gave me the idea of using the plums in a chutney. I had some pork loin defrosted and I thought they would work well together. I was not disappointed.
I started by pitting and chopping up the plums. They were very ripe. I say in the recipe it was 2 cups, but let’s say a generous 2 cups. You can be off a little bit here. A few more plums aren’t going the hurt anything. I threw everything in a pot and let it cook until the mixture thickened. After it was finished I added a little honey because it seemed too tart. Trust your taste here for how much sweetening it needs.
Here is the recipe for the chutney and for the pork.
Plum Chutney
2 c. pitted chopped plums
1 small onion, minced
4 cloves garlic, sliced thin
¼ c. balsamic vinegar
¼ c. brown sugar
2 T. honey
1 t. cinnamon
Salt, pepper and cayenne to taste
Combine all ingredients, except the seasonings in a medium saucepan and s= cook over medium heat until thickened. This took about 20 minutes, maybe a bit longer. As the mixture gets thicker, stir more often to prevent sticking. I added the honey later as the chutney seemed too tart when it was finished. That is partly based on how sweet the fruit is and your personal taste. Makes about 2 cups. Will keep in fridge for weeks. Great on pork, duck and chicken or served with cheese and crackers as an appetizer.
Pork with Plum Chutney
1 lb. boneless pork, cubed
2 T. cornstarch
2 T. sherry, not cooking sherry
1 T. soy sauce
Oil
Additional cornstarch for dredging
Salt and pepper
About ¾ c. plum chutney
Place cubed pork in a small bowl and combine with the cornstarch, sherry and oil. Chill several hours, if possible. Heat oil in skillet. Dredge the pork in cornstarch and sauté until cooked through. Season with salt and pepper and spoon any excess oil out of the pan. Add the chutney and simmer until heated through. Serves 3-4.
Fresh Peach Chutney
Peaches are in season and I am loving it. Besides eating them fresh, I have been enjoying them in all sorts of dishes. Peach jam, peach ice cream, peach scones…. the list goes on.
This chutney is one more way to take advantage of peach season. Chutney is a dish that walks the line between savory and sweet. I made this batch a little spicy. The heat pairs well with the sweetness of the fruit. Feel free to adjust heat to suit your own taste.
You can serve this chutney like a relish, on the side. Or, use it like a sauce, adding to meats when cooking. Another option is to use it as a glaze, brushing it on meats while baking or grilling. A vegetarian option is brushing it on grilled portobello mushrooms or eggplant slices.
I have served chutney with a cheese board, too. Fun and easy addition to the appetizer menu.
So here is the recipe.
Fresh Peach Chutney
5 medium peaches, peeled, pitted and diced
1 medium onion, peeled and chopped fine
½ c. cider vinegar
½ c. sugar
½ c. water
2 T. honey
2 T. lemon juice
2 T. minced garlic
1 T. soy sauce, or a little more to suit your taste
½ t. red pepper flakes, or more for a spicier chutney
1 T. cornstarch
2 T. cold water
Combine all ingredients in a saucepan, except cornstarch and the 2 tablespoons of cold water, and cook over medium heat until peaches are tender and onion is translucent, about 15 minutes. Stir occasionally to avoid burning. Combine cornstarch with the cold water and stir until smooth. Slowly add to simmering chutney while stirring constantly. Mixture will thicken. Adjust seasonings, if needed. Makes about 3 cups. Will keep in fridge a couple of weeks- can be frozen.
Serve with pork or lamb. Great with duck or chicken, too. You can also serve as an appetizer with cheese and crusty bread.
Fresh Mango Chutney
If you never had mango chutney, it might be a little hard to describe. When you look at the list of ingredients, it might also seem like an odd combination. Fruit with garlic? Sounds funny, but it works well together- really!!
Chutney is a condiment that has its roots in India. There are plenty of variations out there-but I am partial to mango chutney. Mango chutney is sort of like a sweet pickle relish, but not exactly like a sweet pickle relish. There is the element of sweet and sour, through the combination of fruit, sugar and vinegar. The addition of ginger, garlic and hot sauce just add to the wonderful flavor of the chutney.
Chutney can be used as a side sauce- so it can be served with whatever food you are eating- sort of like cranberry sauce. You can also add chutney to a food before serving- like folding some into your favorite chicken salad. I find myself just spreading some on bread when making a sandwich. It can also be used to cool down the flavor of spicier foods.
Chutney is actually pretty easy to make. Just keep an eye on it so it doesn’t scorch. Once cooled, keep in a jar in the fridge. You could freeze it, if needed. I never seem to have a problem using it up before I have a chance to freeze it.
So here is my recipe.
Fresh Mango Chutney
2 large unripe mangoes, peeled, seeded and diced- about 2 cups
½ c. water
½ c. cider vinegar
1 ½ c. sugar
2 T. peeled, freshly grated ginger root
½ c. raisins
3-4 cloves of garlic, minced
1-2 t. hot sauce- or to taste
Salt to taste
Place diced mango in saucepan and add the water and vinegar. Simmer for 10 minutes, to soften the mango a little. Add the rest of the ingredients and cook over medium/low heat until mixture thickens. This will take about 20 minutes. Stir more often as mixture thickens. Adjust seasonings. Cool, then store in fridge until ready to use. Makes about 1½ cups. Will keep in fridge a few weeks.
