Bacon Chutney with Apples, Blueberries, and Tomatoes.

 

 

 

Sometimes a day can begin with a headache and end with chutney--bacon-apple-tomato-blueberry chutney, to be precise.

 

 

  

It was one of those I-Need-Comfort-Food moments, but I just didn't want to grocery shop. 

I gathered  leftover vine tomatoes from last week's savory jam and set them on the counter. Next, I found an apple and fragrant, applewood smoked bacon. What could be more soothing than a chutney?

Something fruity, yet tart, shot through with smoke and spices. Something that would work on a ham or BLT biscuit (which is a foodie version of a hug).

 

Bacon Chutney with  Apples, Blueberries and Tomatoes

 

20 vine ripe tomatoes, chopped (they are larger than cherry tomatoes, rounder than Romas,

and a bit larger than golf balls). I didn't remove the skins.

12 slices applewood smoked bacon, cooked and crumbled

3/4 cup mixture of chopped Vidalia onion, green onions, and celery

3/4 cup apple jelly

5 Tablespoons bacon drippings

1 cup chopped apples

3/4 cup apple cider vinegar

2 Tablespoons balsamic vinegar

1/8 teaspoon minced garlic

1/8 teaspoon red pepper flakes

5 Tablespoons condensed tomato soup

1/4 teaspoon fresh lemon juice

1/4 teaspoon chili powder

1 pinch ground cloves

1 pinch ground cinnamon

Tabasco, to taste

salt and pepper, to taste

1 Tablespoon homemade Worcestershire Sauce 

1/2 cup Sunsweet dried blueberries (or fresh)

 

Prepare bacon. Chop apple and vegetables. Into a heavy saucepan, pour 5 tablespoons

bacon drippings and add chopped vegetables. Saute until tender. Add rest of ingredients. Simmer over a

low flame (use a flame tamer if your burners are fiesty) and reduce the liquid. This will take 40 minutes to 1 hour. Stir now and then to make sure the chutney doesn't stick to the bottom of the pan. Aim for a jam-like consistency. Cool. Transfer chutney into a sterilized jar and seal.

 

Yield: 16 oz

 

Printable Recipes

 

I was telling Chef Trey about this, and he said it had a lot of ingredients but sounded good. If I'd

had raisins, I would have added them. I was a little afraid to add dried blueberries, but they added

the right flavor and texture.

The chutney is deep red, almost too red, not the sort of thing you'd want to see after a headache. But the sublime taste makes up for the hue.

 

 

I'm thinking about making buttermilk biscuits, just so we will have an excuse to eat more bacon chutney.

 

 

 

Thanks for visiting!