Apple Chutney

Last Saturday, I passed a relatively new food place in North Beach. For years, the building had housed a Italian grocery store (the only non-Safeway big grocery this side of Chinatown), but circumstances lead it to being closed. What opened in its place was a sort of cafeteria / salad bar / gourmet food upscale thing-a mabob. White on ceramic white decor with sales islands placed just so. What drew me in was a special on the chalk-board: Italian sausage patties with apple chutney. I was feeling nostalgic about farm cooking and the price was commensurate with what was in my pocket. (i.e. not much) Here is a brief overview of the dish, followed by a close look at the chutney, which is the make or break part in my opinion.

The plate is simple. Don't try to fix it, upscale it, or add kumquat studded with juniper berries. The sausage can be artesian salumi if you have some, but Jimmy Dean works just fine. If you have some pork loin from a previous service, there you go. A dollop of polenta, (if your using the Dean sausage, call them yellow grits and add a dollar) some greens, (swiss chard is great) and the chutney in a ramekin, plate, serve, done. And Good Lord, don't use that spray varak from the previous post on your Jimmy Dean, irony isn't good for sales on a lunch service.

Chutney is a sweet/sour accompaniment. You can buy it premade, and for some of the more exotic ones, this is ok. Indian groceries have a selection that will knock your socks off, and most American groceries carry at least the old standby, Major Grey's. Apple chutney, however, is quick to make and very cost effective to do in house.

• 4 tablespoons butter
• 2 cups chopped tart apple
• 3 tablespoons light brown sugar
• 2 tablespoons golden raisins
• 2 tablespoons dried cranberries
• 1/4 cup pecan pieces
• 1/2 teaspoon cinnamon
• 1/4 teaspoon nutmeg
• 1 teaspoon lemon juice
• 1/3 cup apple cider or juice

Heat butter in a medium saucepan; add apple, brown sugar, raisins, cranberries, pecans, spices, and juices. Cook over medium heat until apple is tender, dried fruits are softened, and cider has boiled away. If necessary, add a little more apple cider to keep the mixture from scorching.

You can see the general outline and the usual 101 ways to personalize the recipe. I don't think jalapenos work too well for heat, too vegetal. If you need something hot, go with cayenne or one of the more floral chilies. Ginger, fresh, candied, or dried, slip right in. Cardamom, black or white, is a go. You can try garlic, but I think you might need to replace some of the cider with cider vinegar to hit a good balance. Remember to use cooking apples, (Granny Smith, Golden Delicious, McIntosh, or Fuji) Red Delicious turn into a sort of watery applesauce on the stove. In general, keep it straightforward. In this dish, the chutney serves as a major component, not as a stand-alone as in Indian style dining. Consider the sausage's flavor profile, and balance with that in mind.