Citrus Chutney Food

CRAN-CITRUS CHUTNEY

Steps:

• Empty a 12-ounce bag of fresh or frozen cranberries into a saucepan and transfer 1/2 cup to a small bowl. Add 1 1/4 cup sugar, 1 strip orange or lemon zest, 1/2 cup red wine, a cinnamon stick, 1/4 cup crystallized ginger, 1 each sliced unpeeled orange and lemon (seeds removed), 1/4 cup golden raisins and 2 tablespoons water to the pan and cook over low heat, stirring occasionally, until the sugar dissolves and the cranberries are soft, about 10 minutes. Increase the heat to medium and cook until the cranberries burst, about 12 minutes. Reduce the heat to low and stir in the reserved cranberries. Add sugar, salt and pepperto taste and cool to room temperature before serving.

MANGO CITRUS CHUTNEY

Steps:

• In a pan, mix together mango, vinegar, sugar, shallots, ginger, chiles, citrus peel and salt. Bring to a boil over medium heat. Reduce heat slightly to maintain a gentle boil. Cook until reduced to a thick puree, about 15 minutes.
• In a small pan, heat oil over medium heat. Add nigella and saute until fragrant, about 20 seconds. Add fenugreek and saute for 10 seconds. Pour oil mixture into chutney and mix.
• If canning, ladle hot chutney into two hot 8 oz. canning jars leaving 1/4-inch headspace. Process for 15 minutes in a boiling-water canner. Chutney has a shelf life of one year.
• Otherwise transfer chutney to a clean jar and let cool. Store tightly covered in the refrigerator for up to 10 days.

CRANBERRY CITRUS DRESSING

Steps:

• Start by making a simple syrup: dissolve the sugar in the water in a medium saucepan. Add vanilla beans and bring to a simmer. Add the orange juice and cranberries, a dash of salt and some freshly ground black pepper, to taste. Simmer until cranberries begin to pop and become tender, about 3 to 5 minutes. Remove from heat and stir in Dijon mustard. Chill cranberry sauce until ready to serve. The sauce can be made up to 2 days ahead of time. Just before serving, garnish sauce with freshly grated orange zest.

CITRUS CHUTNEY

Steps:

• Place a small dish in the freezer. Combine all of the ingredients with 2 cups water in a pot and bring to a boil. Decrease the heat and cook on a low boil, covered, for 10 minutes. Uncover and bring the chutney back up to a boil. Uncover and increase the heat so the chutney boils rapidly for 20 minutes. Turn off the heat and place a few tablespoons on the frozen dish. Replace the dish in the freezer. After 5 minutes, nudge the chutney with a spoon or your finger. If it has the proper consistency, it's done. If the chutney is still runny, continue to cook for another few minutes, then test it again. To store in the refrigerator, let the chutney cool to room temperature. Pour into an airtight container and refrigerate for up to 2 months.
• VARIATION: Citrus Marmalade
• For a delicious, easy marmalade, leave out the onion and vinegar, and use just a dash of salt. The ginger is optional.
• Basic Canning
• Canning is a straightforward process that experienced veterans can do instinctively. It's fun and easy, but because detailed procedures must be followed in order to prevent the growth of toxic bacteria, you should first learn from an experienced canner or study one of the books recommended in the Resources section (page 194) if you want to strike out on your own. Describing the full canning process, which results in foods that can be stored at room temperature for up to a year in a cool, dark, place, is beyond the scope of this book, so the preserve recipes that follow are ones that can be stored in the fridge for 1 to 2 months.

SPICED AND GRILLED STEAKS WITH CITRUS CHUTNEY

Steps:

• Make the chutney:
• Bring grapefruit, kumquats, shallot, sugar, salt, and 1/4 cup water to a simmer in a small saucepan over medium-low heat, stirring occasionally and lowering heat if needed, until citrus is soft and liquid is syrupy, 45-60 minutes. Stir in vinegar and let cool. Cover and chill.
• For the steak and assembly:
• Toast coriander seeds in a small skillet over medium heat, tossing occasionally, until fragrant, about 2 minutes. Let cool, then finely grind in spice mill or mortar and pestle. Mix ground coriander, coffee, salt, brown sugar, cocoa powder, and pepper in a small bowl.
• Prepare a grill for medium-high heat; lightly oil grate. Season steaks generously with rub (you'll have some left over). Grill steaks, turning occasionally, until lightly charred and cooked to desired doneness, 8-10 minutes for medium-rare. Transfer to a cutting board and let rest 10 minutes, then slice against the grain. Serve with citrus chutney.
• Do Ahead
• Chutney can be made 1 week ahead. Keep chilled. Rub can be made 1 day ahead. Store airtight at room temperature.

LAURA'S FRUITY CHUTNEY

Steps:

• Halve, stone and chop the plums (about the same size as you would for an apple pie - not too big, not too small). Drop them into a large saucepan. Core, peel and chop the apples and pears in the same way. Peel, stone and chop the mango. Put all the fruit in the pan.
• Stir sugar, vinegar, onions, ginger, garlic, mustard seeds, coriander, crushed chillies and salt into the pan, then drop the cinnamon stick on top. Heat slowly for about 20 mins, giving an occasional stir, until the sugar has dissolved. Now leave the chutney to simmer at a steady pace, without a lid, stirring occasionally until reduced and thickened, but still with a nice balance of syrupy juice. This will take about 1½ hrs. You don't want to cook it until all the liquid has gone, as it will thicken once it cools. Discard the cinnamon stick.
• Using a heatproof jug, pour the chutney while still hot into sterilised jars. It will keep for about a year in a cool, dry place.

LEMON CHUTNEY

Steps:

• Mix first 9 spices and salt in a nonreactive 2 quart saucepan. Add 1/2 cup vinegar. Boil 2 minutes.
• Add rest of vinegar, boil another three minutes. Strain into nonreactive bowl to set aside and cool.
• Slice lemons finely, removing pits. Add sliced onions and raisins. Put into a bowl, sprinkle with the salt, and mix well. Add enough spiced vinegar to cover the mix, and leave overnight.
• The next day, pour lemons, onions, raisins & their soaking vinegar into a nonreactive pan, add mustard seeds and ginger, cover and simmer for one hour or until the lemon is tender.
• Mix the sugar with the remaining spiced vinegar. Add to the pan and boil for about 15 minutes or until the mixture thickens somewhat, stirring constantly.
• Ladle into warm sterilized pint jars.
• Hot water bath process 10 minutes.

CITRUS CANTALOUPE BUTTER

Steps:

• Process cantaloupe and orange sections in batches in a blender until pureed. Transfer to a Dutch oven., Add sugar, lime juice, cinnamon and zest. Bring to a boil. Reduce heat; simmer, uncovered, until mixture is reduced to 5 cups and reaches a thick, spreadable consistency, about 2 hours, stirring frequently. Discard cinnamon sticks., Carefully ladle hot mixture into 5 hot half-pint jars, leaving 1/4-in. headspace. Remove air bubbles and adjust headspace, if necessary, by adding hot mixture. Wipe rims. Center lids on jars; screw on bands until fingertip tight. , Submerge jars in a canner with simmering water, ensuring that they are completely covered. Bring to a boil; process for 10 minutes. Remove jars and cool.