“Millions of peaches, peaches for me…” So the song goes. And that is just a-okay with me.
I love peaches, so the idea of having millions of them seems like a pretty grand one. This week, I stopped by the farm stand and treated myself and my family to a whole lotta freshly picked peaches. So many, in fact, that my wife was a little horrified by my peach inspired shopping spree.
“What in the world are you going to do with all these peaches?” She demanded.
What in the world, indeed? Peaches are a versatile fruit because you can prepare them in so many fantastic ways – cooked, canned, flambéed, puréed, baked – all delicious. Although many people think of dessert when they hear the word peach, they also make a wonderful accompaniment to main dishes like pork chops and roasted chicken.
This week, I am sharing my recipe for peach chutney, which would go very well with the pork tenderloin recipe I shared earlier this year. And for the record, once my wife tasted my peach chutney, she stopped complaining about the exorbitant amount of peaches I purchased and started canning (take that Fresh Tomato Sauce Recipe!)!
Happy Cooking!
Chef Stephane
Peach Chutney
Ingredients:
- 3 pounds firm, ripe peaches, peeled and cubed (pits removed)
- 1 2/3 cups light brown sugar
- 1 cup apple cider vinegar divided
- 2 tablespoons of olive oil
- 2 tablespoons minced fresh peeled ginger
- 1 tablespoon of fresh minced garlic
- 1 large shallot, finely diced
- ½ cup dry raisins
- 1 tablespoon each of ground cinnamon, nutmeg and red chili powder
- 1 squeezed lemon
- Salt and cracked pepper to taste
Directions:
- In a large skillet, heat olive oil at medium heat then add the shallot, garlic, and raisins. Saute and stir until the shallot sweats.
- Add ¼ of the apple cider vinegar and the peaches.
- When peaches start to golden (about 5 mins), add the rest of the ingredients and gently stir for about 5 mins.
- Simmer the chutney by covering the pan and cook on low for about 15 mins.
- Uncover and increase heat to medium high for about 5 mins or until you have reached your preferred thickness.
- Let cool and serve or can it and place in fridge.