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I was delighted to receive a sample case from POM Wonderful with bottles of their 100% Pomegranate juice with a request to not only sample the juice but perhaps use it creatively in my cooking.
Between Mr. Hubby & I, we have since consumed the 8 oz bottles at an alarming rate and left in the refrigerator are only 2 measly bottles. The flavor with its tartness and a hint of sweetness tastes very much of its origins - the pomegranate.
It's arrival has also coincided with kumquat season - these mini tart oranges that are a blessing to those who love making their own jams & jellies, makes one wicked marmalade. Try it and I think you'll agree that it's time to exit from traditional orange marmalade and enter the world of kumquat marmalade - which is what I'll do next year with a bit more planning.
But this year its all about the chutney!
I'm going to replace the use of any vinegar & wine with pomegranate juice which I think is clever isn't it? Any way, I'd rather cook with fruit juice over vinegar any day as long as I get the acidity that the dish needs.
I love spicy fruit chutneys which make every mundane thing fabulous and make delightful things even more wonderful. Serve it with everything from soft cheeses like Brie or Camembert & crackers to cream cheese, crusty bread or roasted meats or as in my case, delicious chicken & pecan crumb pie, the post for which you are not going to want to miss.
Its wonderful to have this chutney around & each batch will last 2 weeks in the refrigerator. Canning is the way to go for indefinite shelf life. Since I am not big into canning, I usually make everything (including my jams & chutneys) in small batches to last about 2 weeks. I freeze the bottles for up to 6 months.
You'll love this chutney if you like yours exploding with flavor - tart, sweet, aromatic spices & a touch of heat all at the same time.
The main ingredients are - small Spanish red onion, fresh ginger root, jalapeno chile, olive oil, kumquats, navel
orange, canned pineapple chunks in juice, light brown
sugar, ground nutmeg, 8oz bottle
POM pomegranate juice, & a wee bit of cornstarch
Prepare the ingredients -
Spices - In a clean & dry small saute pan, add the whole spices. Roast
on low heat for 1-2 minutes till the seeds are slightly brown and very
fragrant. Cool completely. In a clean coffee grinder, grind the whole
spices to a fine powder.
Ginger - Jalapeno - Peel and the ginger, roughly dice and set aside, Halve the jalapeno & discard seeds & membranes. Ina mini-chopper place the jalapeno & ginger. Finely chop & set aside.
Kumquats - Slice the kumquats in circles thinner than 1/8". Discard the green knob tip & the seeds that reveal themselves during slicing.
Orange - Skin, discard membranes & seeds. Cut the flesh into chunks and set aside.
Red Onion - Peel, discard skin. Finely chop in a clean rinsed mini-chopper.
Pineapple chunks - Halve the chunks and set aside
In a saute pan, heat the olive oil for a minute over medium heat. Add the onions & saute on medium heat for 5 minutes or until it has just begun to soften.
Add the chopped ginger jalapeno & saute for another 2 minutes or so.
Add
all the fruit and stir. Saute for about a minute to warm through.
Add
the ground spices and also the ground nutmeg. Stir till completely
mixed. Add the the brown sugar and stir
for another minute or so.
The fruits would be releases their juices and the brown sugar will begin to dissolve. Once the sauce is slightly thickened, add the bottle of POM juice.
Stir and bring to a simmer. Fit with a tight fitting lid and simmer on low heat for 30 minutes.
Add the cornstarch dissolved in water and stir for a minute or so till the chutney is thickened. At this point you can leave the chutney chunky. I like it chunky but also slightly blended to smooth it out a bit.
To
do this, with a hand immersion blender, pulse the chutney 5-6 times at
various places in the pan. Stir and set aside to cook completely.
Refrigerate at least 4-6 hours before serving, preferably overnight. Place
in clean sterilized jars for up to 2 weeks in the refrigerator or freeze for longer.
This is a chutney that is intensely flavorful. The aroma from the spices infuse the fruit and play against the sweet & tart flavors from the POM juice but also in the fruit - the kumquats, orange & pineapple.
There are layers of spice in from the ginger, jalapeno as well as the roasted spices. You know what else - just like wine, different people experience it differently - for me I could taste the fennel, Mr. Hubby the cardamom, others nutmeg - isn't that great? Same food, different perception!
When paired with soft cheeses & creamy pies, it not only complements that to which it is paired but takes on a life of its own that all the more delicious and memorable.
And to bring a smile on your face, I leave you with this, one of my favorite ads -
Recipe for
Chutney de POM, Kumquat & Ginger
Preparation time - 30-40 minutes
Cooking time - 30 minutes
Cooling & Chilling time - Minimum 4 hours, preferably 24 hours
You
will need -
1 small Spanish red onion (to yield 1/4 cup finely chopped)
2" fresh ginger root
1/2 jalapeno chile
2 tbs olive oil
16 oz kumquats
1 navel orange
1 cup canned pineapple chunks in juice
1-1/4 cup brown sugar
1/4 tsp ground nutmeg
1 # 8oz bottle POM, pomegranate juice
1/2 tsp cornstarch dissolved in 1 tsp water
1 tsp coriander seeds
1/2 tsp black peppercorns
1 tsp whole cardamom seeds
6 whole cloves
1 tsp fennel seeds
Spices - In a clean & dry small saute pan, add the whole spices. Roast on low heat for 1-2 minutes till the seeds are slightly brown and very fragrant. Cool completely. In a clean coffee grinder, grind the whole spices to a fine powder.
Kumquats - Slice the kumquats in circles thinner than 1/8". Discard the green knob tip & the seeds that reveal themselves during slicing.
Orange - Skin, discard membranes & seeds. Cut the flesh into chunks and set aside.
Pineapple chunks - Halve the chunks and set aside
Ginger - Jalapeno - Peel and the ginger, roughly dice and set aside, Halve the jalapeno & discard seeds & membranes. Ina mini-chopper place the jalapeno & ginger. Finely chop & set aside.
Red Onion - Peel, discard skin. Finely chop in a clean rinsed mini-chopper.
Cooking method -
In a saute pan, heat the olive oil for a minute over medium heat. Add the onions & saute on medium heat for 5 minutes or until it has just begun to soften.
Add the chopped ginger jalapeno & saute for another 2 minutes or so.
Add all the fruit and stir. Saute for about a minute to warm through. Add the ground spices and also the ground nutmeg. Stir till completely mixed.
Add the the brown sugar and stir for another minute or so. The fruits would be releases their juices and the brown sugar will begin to dissolve. Once the sauce is slightly thickened, add the bottle of POM juice.
Stir and bring to a simmer. Fit with a tight fitting lid and simmer on low heat for 30 minutes.
Add the cornstarch dissolved in water and stir for a minute or so till the chutney is thickened.
At this point you can leave the chutney chunky. I like it quite chunky but also slightly blended to smooth it out a bit.
To do this, with a hand immersion blender, pulse the chutney 5-6 times at various places in the pan. Stir and set aside to cook completely. Refrigerate at least 4-6 hours before serving, preferably 24 hours.
Place in clean sterilized jars for up to 2 weeks in the refrigerator.
Absolutely wonderful with the chicken & pecan crumb pie.
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