Apple Bourbon Chutney

Had a hankering for chutney - one of those projects that makes the entire house smell like vinegar.


Fair warning: ZING!! This chutney has got some KICK. This is not for the faint of palate. Eat with bread.

Re: the title of this post - I actually used Canadian whiskey. But I'm calling it bourbon because it sounds more American, and noble. Modified from this epicurious recipe. I made 3 small Ball jars out of it (so what is that? 3 cups?)

You need:
2/3 c apple cider vinegar
1/3 c white sugar
1/3 c brown sugar

4 medium Granny Smith apples, peeled, cored & chopped into 1/2" pieces
1/2 cup of raisins, soaked in 1/2 c water + 1/2 c bourbon or whiskey overnight*
1/2 c fresh cranberries (dried cranberries are fine too, just soak them along with the raisins in the bourbon)
1/3 c red onion, chopped (white onions might have been less zingy)
2 T fresh lemon juice
5 garlic cloves
2 thick slices of fresh ginger, chopped finely
salt, crushed red pepper (I would have reduced the red pepper out if I'd known how spicy this would be)
1 tsp mustard seeds

*Save the bourbon-raisin liquid to add if chutney if it's too dry. Or add it to a ginger-lemon tea. Just don't toss a perfectly good infusion away.

Directions:

Bring vinegar and sugar to boil in heavy large nonaluminum saucepan, stirring until sugar dissolves. Reduce heat and simmer 10 minutes. Remove from heat.

Toss apples and lemon juice in large bowl. (Skipped this step: Combine garlic, ginger, salt and red pepper in processor; blend until finely chopped.) Add apple and garlic/ginger mixtures, raisins, cranberries, and mustard seeds to vinegar. Simmer until apples are tender and chutney thickens, stirring occasionally, about 45 minutes. If you taste test at the 15 minute point it will be SPICY but never fear. The flavors will dull as you simmer. Just don't let it become a pulp. Place in bowl. Cool. Cover; chill. (Can be made 1 week ahead. Keep chilled.)

Just to prove I do eat green things (but... lately not as much), I'm taking a picture of the salad I made along with this mess. I used green leaf lettuce (the price of spinach and arugula is way outta line right now). Golden raisins, onions, feta, & a homemade balsamic vinaigrette.