Peach and Pepita Chutney

In Jan Berry's Art of Preserving, she recommends this chutney as an accompaniment to grilled game hen or chicken. I'm sure peach chutney would be delicious with grilled game hen or chicken. But I like chutney with everything. Of course I like to serve chutney with Indian food, but I also like it on cheese sandwiches; on turkey sandwiches; with eggs: scrambled eggs, boiled eggs, egg salad sandwiches; with meats of all kinds.

You really can't go wrong with chutney. Nor can you go wrong with half-priced, local, organic fruit. When I saw the baskets of peach seconds at the farmers' market on Wednesday, my first thought, having just had success with wild blueberry jam, was peach jam. Y. asked me to make chutney instead and I was easily persuaded. The seconds were not so-called for no reason. They were bitten and bored into and already a bit on the mushy side. I thought if they were puréed they would make an excellent base and then I could get a few firmer peaches to cut into chunks. So that's what I did and I would do it again. The pepitas were not in Ms. Berry's recipe, but they add a nice textural element, and she used raisins where I prefer currants, and she used a red chili and I a habanero. So you can see: there's always room for modification.

Peach and Pepita Chutney

With inspiration from Jan Berry

• 1 1/2 lb. overripe peaches
• 1/2-3/4 lb. firm ripe peaches
• 2 1/2 cups brown sugar
• 1/2 cup currants or raisins
• 2 generous Tbs. grated ginger
• 1 onion, finely chopped
• 2-4 garlic cloves, thinly sliced
• 1 hot pepper, finely chopped
• 1 1/4 cups white vinegar
• 1/2 tsp. salt
• 1/2-1 cup roasted salted pumpkin seeds

• Place enough jars to hold 4 to 5 cups of chutney into a large pot along with their corresponding domes and rings. Cover with water and bring to a boil. Turn off heat and let sit in the hot water.
• Peel and roughly chop the overripe peaches. Place them in a blender with about 1/4 cup of the vinegar and process until smooth. Set aside. Blanch the firmer peaches to make them easier to work with and then peel, pit, and cut into small wedges.
• Place peach purée, peach wedges and all remaining ingredients except the pumpkin seeds in a nonreactive saucepan over medium heat. Stir until the mixture comes to a boil, then reduce heat and allow chutney to simmer 30-40 minutes. Remove from heat and stir in the pumpkin seeds.
• Ladle chutney into prepared jars, wipe off the rims, and secure the lids. Re-submerge filled jars in the hot water and boil 10 minutes or so to seal. Remove from the water and allow to cool.

If you have the patience, wait one month before opening.

Apple Chutney

You might not think it, but there is a considerable amount of responsibility associated with a fall fruit share. Every week I am gifted with apples and it is my responsibility not to let them shrivel in the fridge. The first week I didn't make anything with them, just ate them out of the bag and I think there is still one Sansa left. The next week I made a tarte Tatin with the Ginger Golds. Last week we got Galas. The note from the farm said that the Gala is good for just about anything--it keeps well, it is a good eater, and a good cooking apple. I briefly considered making applesauce, and I'm sure I will before the season ends, but the Galas became chutney.

This is supposed to be quite a spicy chutney. Mine came out on the milder side because, unfortunately, I couldn't find any small, red chiles and used jalapeños instead. In an attempt to give it a bit more heat I added most of a teaspoon of dried, crushed red pepper. I worked with what I had, and it turned out just fine. Although the recipe didn't call for it, I added several small handfuls of currants to my chutney. Just, because, well, yum.

I am used to a thick, almost jam-like chutney, but am learning to appreciate its runnier cousin. A more pourable chutney is great with pocket-y foods, like pasties or samosas. Instead of the chutney lasting only one bite, the juices seep in to the filling and meld with the other flavors, and you do still have the chunks of fruit for texture.

Apple Chutney

adapted from Jan Berry's Art of Preserving

• 2 pounds cooking apples
• 2 large onions
• 2 small, red chiles
• 3 cups brown sugar
• 2 tsp. ground allspice
• 2 tsp. ground cloves
• 1 tsp. sea salt
• 1/2 tsp. ground black pepper
• 2 Tbs. ginger, chopped
• 3 cups cider vinegar

• Peel, core, and chop apples. Finely chop onions and chiles. Place in a nonreactive pan along with the rest of the ingredients and bring the lot to a boil. Reduce heat to medium and cook 30-40 minutes or until mixture thickens, stirring occasionally. Remove from heat and ladle into warm, sterilized jars. Seal jars by boiling for 25 minutes in water that covers them by at least an inch. Cool on racks and hear the lids pop.

A good accompaniment to samosas or pasties.

Chutney turned out to be the right choice. Y. and I are making an Indian feast for some friends on the weekend and applesauce just wouldn't have gone nearly as well.