Apple Chutney

fresh apples plus pantry staples is all you need!

I have made chutney before, (apricot – see it here) and loved it, but never – I repeat NEVER – as good as this! If you like chutney, make this immediately. You will either DIE or THANK ME or both! You can also thank the goddess Mollie Katzen who wrote the hippie bible, The MoosewoodCookbook, in 1977.

It also helps if you have lots of tart apples from your best friend’s tree (thank you Misty!) because there is nothing like local produce. I thought of applesauce, but why not take it one step further and have this super yummy condiment for your sharp cheddar sandwiches or to top your pork chops! And it can’t get any easier, you don’t even have to peel the apples. Get picking and stewing!

it helps to have a helper to grate the ginger

Chop - don't peel! EASY

Stew: throw ingredients in a pot, apply heat and get YUM!

Chutney makes a perfect topper for pork chops. (Fresh corn on the cob doesn't hurt either.) OR try it on a sandwich with salami and cheddar cheese! YUMMMM!!!

Ingredients: 

1 1/2 pounds apples (you can use a combo of peaches, pears - any stone fruit)

1 clove garlic, minced

1 Tbsp grated ginger root

1/2 cup orange juice

1 tsp cinnamon

1 tsp ground cloves

1 tsp salt

1 cup honey (to taste)

1 cup cider vinegar

cayenne to taste

Method:

1. Coarsely chop the apples. (You needn't peel them) ** YAY!

2. Combine everything in a heavy saucepan. Bring to a boil, then lower to a simmer.

3. Simmer, uncovered, stirring occasionally, 45 min to 1 hour. Cool before storing in a jar.

Cheddar-Topped Apples

When asked to bring a dessert to a Tupperware party recently, I naturally reached for my copy of their own cookbook from 1986, “Quick and Easy Cooking with Tupperware”. In the section entitled “Cabinet Cuisine”, I learned that “the secret to off-the-shelf success is stocking the right foods”, and sure enough, I had all these items at hand, so I deiced to make their Cheddar-Topped Apples and transport them in, what else, vintage Tupperware.

Now I will admit I was in a bit of a hurry when I first read over the recipe, because I got the WRONG IMPRESSION ENTIRELY about what the dish was going to be. Somehow, I envisioned apple slices with a topping sprinkled over them, such as might be served on a tray as finger-food. However, these are in fact, nothing like that. At all. Not that I’m saying they aren’t good, they just are NOT what I thought they would be. Nor, in fact, are they very attractive, so they turned out to be NOT IDEAL for a party. But, where would I be without the failures along the way, right?

So if for some reason you are really in the mood for apple pie filling, and you like that topped with cheddar cheese (a big thing, I know, I know!) but you also do NOT want to suffer the added enjoyment of a crust, this dish might be for you. Or, I thought, possibly it could be made in individual ramekins – but to be honest, just plain baked apples with cinnamon would seem tastier, and easier. This was tasty enough, just not quite… RIGHT. Read on and see what you think!


Cheddar-Topped Apples

3 Tbsp sugar
2 Tbsp all-purpose flour
2 Tbsp brown sugar
¾ tsp ground cinnamon
¼ tsp salt
1/3 cup water
1 Tbsp lemon juice
6 medium baking apples, peeled, cored and sliced
½ cup raisins (NOTE: I left those out because I can’t stand raisins!)
½ cup shredded cheddar cheese (2 oz)
¼ cup broken walnuts

In the Ultra 21 1-Quart Casserole (NOTE: just use Pyrex if you don’t have Tupperware / don’t want to cook in plastic!) combine the sugar, all-purpose flour, brown sugar, ground cinnamon, and salt. Stir in the water and lemon juice. Add the sliced baking apples and raisins; stir to coat.

Bake, covered with the vent closed, in a 350 oven for 35 to 40 minutes or until the apples are tender. Uncover, sprinkle with the shredded cheddar cheese and the broken walnuts. Let stand, covered with the vent closed, for 2 to 4 minutes or till the cheese is melted. Serves 6.