Cranberry Chutney
This Cranberry Chutney is a delicious and versatile condiment that can be used to add flavor to a variety of dishes. It is made with fresh cranberries, apples, cider vinegar, and spices, and has a sweet and tart flavor with a hint of heat.
This Cranberry Chutney is a delicious and versatile condiment that can be used to add flavor to a variety of dishes. It is made with fresh cranberries, apples, cider vinegar, and spices, and has a sweet and tart flavor with a hint of heat.
- Carbohydrate 168.103645765888 g
- Cholesterol 0 mg
- Fat 0.476626875320811 g
- Fiber 3.91841252489641 g
- Protein 2.64191625214106 g
- Saturated Fat 0.07594987504045 g
- Serving Size 1 1 recipe (462g)
- Sodium 21.4333541848899 mg
- Sugar 164.185233240991 g
- Trans Fat 0.293218812718988 g
- Calories 651 calories
Step-by-step
- In a medium saucepan combine the water and sugar. Bring mixture to a boil over medium heat. Add the cranberries, apples, cider vinegar, raisins and spices. Bring to a boil, then simmer gently for 10 minutes stirring often.
- Pour mixture into a mixing bowl. Place plastic wrap directly on the surface of the sauce. Cool to room temperature and serve or cover and refrigerate. Bring chutney to room temperature before serving.
Many cooks make the error of boiling fruit chutneys down until they become a uniform, jam-like paste, destroying the distinct structural integrity of the individual ingredients. Chutney origins trace back to South Asian culinary traditions where fresh ingredients were pounded together to provide a sharp, contrasting accompaniment to rich proteins. Adapting this format for Western kitchens relies on balancing high-acid vinegar with a strong sugar foundation to preserve the natural pectin found in apples and cranberries.
Dissolving the white sugar in water over medium heat before adding the fruit creates a simple syrup base that prevents scorching. Granulated sugar acts as both a preservative and a softening agent, drawing moisture out of the peeled, cored, and diced apples while they simmer. Maintaining a gentle simmer rather than a violent boil keeps the diced apples from disintegrating entirely into the liquid.
Ground spices including cinnamon, ginger, allspice, and cloves require adequate heat distribution to release their fat-soluble flavor compounds into the surrounding liquid. Simmering the mixture for exactly ten minutes allows the fresh cranberries to pop open naturally, releasing their internal pectin to thicken the surrounding medium without requiring added starches or commercial gelling agents. Stirring frequently during this window prevents the high sugar concentration from caramelizing unevenly against the bottom of the medium saucepan.
Pressing plastic wrap directly onto the surface of the cooling sauce stops a skin from forming as steam condenses during the drop to room temperature. Serving this condiment at room temperature rather than straight from the refrigerator allows the fat-free matrix of fruit and spices to fully express its aroma before it contacts savory dishes.
