THESE CHUNKY MELANGES OF FRESH AND DRIED FRUITS, SPICES, AND SOMETIMES NUTS OR VINEGAR ARE EXCELLENT ACCOMPANIMENTS TO MEATS AND CHEESES. THEY ARE NOT DIFFICULT TO MAKE BUT LOOK BEAUTIFUL—COLORFUL AND TEXTURED IN THE JAR—AND ARE MUCH-APPRECIATED GIFTS.
Similar to jams, conserves are soft spreads with pieces of fresh and/or dried fruits and often nuts. Serve with pancakes, waffles, scones, and other breakfast breads. They lend a hint of sweetness when used to garnish meats or a splash of color when presented with cheese on an appetizer tray.
Cooking conserves is similar to the technique used to make jams. The fruit is cooked with sugar, spices, and sometimes additional liquid. If nuts are used they are usually stirred in just before filling the jars. Nuts will soften with processing and storing, so if crunchy nuts are important to you, leave them out and wait to stir them into the conserve when you serve it. Since conserves are made up mostly of fruit and sugar, they are processed in a boiling-water canner.
A chutney is similar to a conserve in that it is made with a combination of fresh and dried fruit, but the addition of vinegar gives a characteristic sweet-sour flavor. Recipes often include spices, onions, garlic, and peppers. Chutneys vary in flavor from mild to hot and in texture from chunky to smooth. They are delicious with meats and cheese and also as a sandwich spread.
When making chutney use nonreactive utensils and pots. Some materials react with vinegar, causing an unpleasant flavor in the finished product. Use stainless-steel or plastic utensils as well as stainless-steel, enamel, or nonstick pots.
Chutneys and conserves made without pectin can be frozen as well as canned. To freeze, prepare the recipe as directed up to the point of filling the jars. Ladle the chutney or conserve into half-pint freezer containers. Leave a ½-inch headspace to allow for expansion. Cool for 30 minutes before sealing and labeling the containers. Store for up to 2 weeks in the refrigerator or for up to 6 months in the freezer. If frozen, thaw in the refrigerator. Chutneys and conserves taste best at room temperature or warmed. Allow the container to stand at room temperature for an hour or so before serving or warm in a saucepan or in the microwave.
Toasting enhances the flavor of nuts and helps maintain a little crunch. To toast whole or coarsely chopped nuts, spread them in a shallow baking pan. Bake in a 350°F oven for 5 to 10 minutes or until light brown, stirring nuts or shaking the pan once or twice to toast evenly. If you are toasting hazelnuts, turn them out on a clean kitchen towel; rub with the towel to remove loose skins. Toast finely chopped nuts or seeds in a dry skillet over medium heat just until golden, stirring and shaking pan frequently so they don’t burn.
Chutneys and conserves taste best served at room temperature or even warmed. Heat the contents of a jar over low heat and stir often to avoid overheating or scorching.