Hot Apple Chutney

Hello! Welcome to Brisbane Harvest. I'm living in Brisbane and writing a blog of recipes and experiences of living in this climate.

My fresh produce comes via Food Connect. Food Connect sources sustainable, local produce from farmers around Brisbane. I am creating recipes to fit the food available each week.

In the week of the autumn equinox I received a box of apples and pears. I'm not much of a sweets person, so I needed to figure out a way to use 1.5kg of apples. I came up with: Hot Apple Chutney.

Ingredients
1 onion chopped finely
2 tbsp ghee (or butter/olive oil)
2 finely chopped fresh red chillies (chillies last really well in the
freezer. Try freezing curry leaves, lime leaves or ice-blocks of
coconut milk)
1 tsp mustard seeds
1 tsp cardamom seeds
1 tbsp ground cumin
1 tbsp smoked paprika
1 tbsp grated ginger
4-8 cloves of minced (locally grown) garlic
1.5kg apples peeled, cored and diced
6 dried dates chopped
1/3 cup apple cider vinegar
1/2 cup chopped kalamata olives
Salt & pepper to taste
1/2 cup water

Method
Fry up ghee & onions on low heat for 5mins. Add fresh red chillies,
mustard seeds and cardamom seeds for 2mins. Add cumin, smoked paprika, ginger & garlic
for 1 min. Add diced apple, finely chopped dried dates, apple cider
vinegar, water, salt & pepper. Simmer for 30mins. Add olives in the
last 5mins.

Serve heaped chutney alongside dahl, vege curries, roast pork etc...

Pears and figs can be added/substituted into the recipe. Store
leftovers in the fridge for up to 1 week. Yum! :)


This is not the best photo, but you can see fresh broccoli that is absolutely delicious right now. I'll try to take pictures on more beautiful plates from now on! :)



My first lunch box contains a grated carrot salad with sprouted mung beans, olives and a salad of cos lettuce, green capsicum & tomato. I made a dressing of lime juice, garlic, olive oil, salt and pepper. I added a block of satay tofu and some leftover roast pork for protein.

Whew! Welcome to my little adventure in eating.


My partner Morgan and I getting handfasted by Red Oak Grove in NJ May 31 2005.

It's gorgeous weather right now. The summer rains and humidity have eased up. Days are sunny and languid with a gentle breeze coaxing qi through my kitchen. There are lots of moths about and the nights are cool enough to sleep beneath a sheet and cotton blanket.