Spiced apple chutney

Day two of my paternity leave. I haven’t exactly been cooking all day, that would be great, but there are other good reasons for my two months off work than stirring risottos and the like. That said, I have been fairly productive in the kitchen, largely because the main and real reason for being at home on a regular Tuesday, i.e. Jakob, just got his high chair. He now loves sitting in the kitchen with a big wooden spoon in his small hands listening to the radio and wondering what his dad is up to now.

Today I was up to a couple of things: a spiced apple chutney great for giving everyday meals a little extra umpf, and a equally spiced cranberry concoction – more on that another day. The apple season has been great this year despite global warming and the like, and if you’re lucky enough to get hold of properly grown local apples you’re in for a real treat. Old varieties like cox orange are great for just picking out of the bowl and eating straight up, but once in a while it doesn’t hurt doing a like more. I hunted a recipe for chutney down in one of my trusted cookbooks (Ælle bælle frikadelle) of Danish cooking matron extraordinaire Camilla Plum, and as always with her recipes it turned out great. Sweet from the apples and sugar, hot and spicy from chilies and spices. It went great with dinner, tonight that included meatballs, a salad of shredded apples and beets dressed with olive oil and apple vinegar, roast potatoes and gurkins. Traditional with a twist.

And what did Jakob eat, I hear you ask? A boiled meatball mashed with potatoes and pumkin. No chutney yet!

Spiced apple chutney (adapted from Camilla’s recipe)
500g cox orange apples
1 large onion
150 ml apple cider vinegar
150 ml water
175 g sugar (depending on the apples)
2 tbls mustard seeds
1 tbls coriander seeds
garlic
1 stick of cinnamon
half a nutmeg
2 chilies

Combine everything in a saucepan exept the apples and bring to the boil. Meanwhile roughly dice the onions and prepare the apples by cutting out the pit – do not peel – and cut into chunks. Put the apples into the saucepan and return the mixture to the boil. Lower the temperature and simmer untill the apples are soft and the chutney thickened slightly.

Tags: apples, chutney