Chutney - Feeding My Sunshine

Stone Fruit Salsa

Last week our CSA fruit share included a large box full of peaches and plums from the Western slope. They were ripe, juicy and delicious. After one day of eating them with every meal and not making a dent in the box, I realized I needed to get to work so this fruit wouldn’t spoil faster than what we could eat.

So I spent a little time in the kitchen. I made Peach & Plum Chutey, Peach & Plum Bourbon Barbecue Sauce, Peach and Plum Crisp and Peach Jam. And we still had peaches and plums. This fruit box was never-ending.

I was also cooking up some Beef Barbacoa in the crockpot for dinner, and realized we needed some salsa. Inspired by a few recent fruit salsa recipes (here and here) I attempted my own version. It’s a simple recipe and I used what I had on hand. It was fabulous with our barbacoa and equally delicious on my eggs the next morning.

Stone Fruit Salsa

Ingredients

2 large peaches, quartered and pits removed
2 small plums, halved and pits removed
1 jalapeño, seeded and finely diced
1 large tomato, seeded and diced
1/3 cup diced red onion
1/4 cup chopped cilantro
Juice from 1/2 of a lime
1/2 teaspoon salt

Instructions

Heat grill to medium-high heat and lightly oil. Grill peaches and plums for about 2 minutes per side. Not enough to cook the fruit, but enough to get pretty grill marks. (If you are too hungry/tired/lazy, feel free to skip this step. It will still be tasty with raw fruit.)
Remove from heat and set aside.
In a medium bowl, combine the remaining ingredients.
When cool, dice the peaches and plums and add to the rest of the ingredients.
Toss well and allow to sit for 15-30 minutes for the flavors to blend before enjoying.

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http://feedingmysunshine.com/stone-fruit-salsa/

You could easily adapt this to use any stone fruit, like nectarines or apricots. And definitely add another jalapeño if you can stand it. Enjoy!

Book & Cook: Catching Fire

Last month my book club read The Hunger Games and loved it so much we decided to read the second book in the series, Catching Fire. In both books, Katniss Everdeen enjoys a Lamb Stew with Dried Plums and at one point describes it as the most impressive part of her experience at the Hunger Games.

I knew I wanted to attempt this dish, but with the early arrival of spring here the last thing I wanted to do was eat a heavy stew. Instead, I made a lighter dish that was more appropriate for the warm weather we’ve been having – Rosemary Lamb Skewers with a Dried Plum Chutney.

To make the rosemary skewer, you need to find the toughest, woodiest stems of the rosemary so the weight of the meat will be supported. I removed the lower needles and reserved them for another use. I first used a bamboo skewer to pierce the meat to make it easier for the rosemary to go through.

I made the chutney a day before, it was super easy and stores well. I think the chutney would be delicious with lamb chops, leg of lamb or really any other type of meat (venison would go well too). Here is the recipe:

Rosemary Lamb Skewers with Dried Plum Chutney

Ingredients

2 tablespoons unsalted butter
8 shallots, halved lengthwise and sliced
1 tablespoon balsamic vinegar
3/4 cup chicken stock, plus more if needed
2 tablespoons dried cranberries
20 dried and pitted plums(prunes), roughly chopped
salt and pepper
2 lbs lamb shoulder, cut into 1" pieces
woody rosemary branches, lower needles removed
2 cloves garlic, minced
zest of 1/2 lemon
3-4 tablespoons of olive oil

Instructions

For the chutney:

Melt the butter in a medium saucepan over medium heat.
Add the shallots and cook until soft, but be careful not to brown, about 8 minutes.
Add the vinegar and cook until most is evaporated, about 2 minutes.
Add the chicken stock, cranberries and dried plums. Cook until the liquid is reduced by half.
Remove from heat and use an immersion blender to puree slightly(half pureed, half chunky). You could also keep the mixture chunky, if preferred.
Set aside and keep warm.

For the skewers:

Heat a grill (gas or charcoal) to a medium-high heat.
Pierce the lamb with a bamboo or metal skewer then transfer the lamb to the rosemary branches, about 3-4 pieces of lamb for each branch.
Mix the garlic, lemon zest and the olive oil and brush on the lamb. Season with salt and pepper.
Grill on all sides for about 8-12 minutes total for medium/medium-rare. Place the lamb so the remaining rosemary needles are not directly over a flame or they will burn.
Remove from grill and cover loosely with foil. Allow the lamb to rest for 10 minutes before serving.

Notes

Adapted from Martha Stewart Living, Oct 1994.

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http://feedingmysunshine.com/book-cook-catching-fire/

As a final note, this is a perfect appetizer serving but is best eaten with a plate and fork. The rosemary just isn’t strong enough. If you would like to serve this for a cocktail party with people mingling, I would suggest using a sturdier bamboo skewer and adding about 1-2 teaspoons of freshly chopped rosemary to the garlic, zest and oil mixture.

Enjoy!