Yields: 4 quarts
This is a great combination for autumn, something delicious we can make right now, at the end of the tomato season. I use the green tomatoes that never ripened, and combine them with the sweet, juicy new fruit of the season: apples. This condiment is a great accompaniment to many types of dishes, from grilled fish, meat and fowl to rice, grains and all sorts of fall vegetables, especially the roots.
I prefer to make the green tomato and apple chutney in large quantities because it keeps refrigerated for up to 3 weeks. If properly canned in jars, it will keep indefinitely.
2 Tablespoons vegetable or olive oil
3 large Spanish onions, peeled and thinly sliced
One 8-ounce piece of fresh ginger, or 4 ounces pickled ginger, finely chopped
6 jalapeņo peppers, seeded and diced
3 carrots, peeled and julienned
1/4 cup honey
1 Tablespoon each ground cumin and tumeric
2 teaspoons each ground allspice and cinnamon
1 cup rice vinegar (or white vinegar)
1 cup raisins or currants
10 medium green tomatoes, cored
10 medium cooking apples
1 bunch fresh cilantro, cleaned and chopped
Before you begin cooking the chutney, cut the tomatoes in half across and squeeze out the seeds. Cut into 1/2 inch dice and set aside. In another bowl, peel the apples, quarter, remove core and cut each quarter into 4 pieces, sprinkle with small amounts of vinegar and toss - this will prevent them from discoloring. Proceed with the cooking process.
In a large skillet, heat oil over high heat, add onions, ginger, peppers and carrots and cook approximately 5 minutes until vegetables begin to soften. Stir in honey, bring to a boil, add all the dry spices and stir. Pour in vinegar and stir again, let boil 1 minute. Add raisins and let cook 2 minutes to plump. Last, add tomatoes and apples, mix well. Let cook approximately 15 minutes until they are cooked but not mushy.
Remove from heat, add the cilantro and let cool. This is better if it sets a couple of hours to marry all the flavors.
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