THE MOST APPEALING THING ABOUT CHUTNEYS, to me, is the sheer symphony of flavors it’s possible to combine into one humble, easy-to-execute food. While I love the following recipe for its balance, I give you full permission to color outside the lines with other flavors. Chutneys keep for ages because of the preserving quality of the vinegar, and they’ll dress up any simple dish with an exotic flair. I like this one with roast fowl or sautéed pork chops, or even alongside a simple, homey dish, such as cheese on toast. I’ll wager guests at your table will ask for the recipe. Keep a few extra jars on hand, so you can send those guests off with not only a recipe, but a beribboned jar of your very own for inspiration.
MAKES ABOUT
3½ CUPS / 700 MILLILITERS CHUTNEY
2 tablespoons vegetable oil
1 medium-size yellow onion, chopped
4 ripe figs, cut into wedges
1 mild chile pepper (like banana or poblano), seeded and chopped
⅓ cup / 65 grams granulated sugar
⅓ cup / 70 milliliters red wine vinegar
1 teaspoon ground cinnamon
1 tablespoon ground cloves
1 cup / 120 grams fresh cranberries, blanched in boiling water for 1 minute
Sea salt
Freshly ground black pepper
In a large, heavy-bottomed, nonreactive saucepan, heat the oil over medium heat. Cook the onion until it has softened and is beginning to become transparent, stirring often. Add the fig wedges and chopped chile pepper, and stir well. Add the sugar, vinegar, cinnamon, and cloves, and bring to a boil over high heat. Add the cranberries and lower the heat, then simmer for 20 to 25 minutes, or until the fig wedges and cranberries are soft enough to smash easily with a fork. Season to taste with sea salt and freshly ground pepper.
Ladle into hot, sterilized jars (see page 17), leaving a ½-inch / 1.3-centimeter headspace, and seal using the hot water bath (see page 43) for 5 minutes. This should keep for up to 6 months in a cool, dark place, if properly sealed.