Cooking with Catherine- Squash Chutney

Chutneys are the unsung heroes of meat dishes and cheese plates.  They are a mixture of fruits or vegetables with onions, vinegar, raisins, and spices cooked to perfection and then preserved. Originally a hallmark of Indian cooking, you now see chutney everywhere.

Kate’s grandmother had a favorite Squash Chutney recipe that Pippa shared in her book Celebrate. Pippa explains it’s a great way to use up a big batch of zucchini or yellow squash when your garden is overflowing with it in the summer.  Since Kate is a big gardener, I can see her making a batch every year.  I’m sure she uses the jars over the winter while cooking savory meat dishes for William. I have a feeling the recipe pairs well with Pork Chops or Chicken, and would be tasty over a piece of toast slathered in a soft goat cheese for a snack.

I made a half batch of her recipe as I’m currently up to my ears in different chutneys at home.  I find chutneys easy to make and this one was no different.  The longer Chutney sits, the more the flavors mellow, so plan on allowing yours to sit for two weeks before eating it.  Also, like all canned products, the food is only shelf stable if processed in a sanitizing water bath.  If this is your first time, I’ve got some great tips that I’ve shared on my own blog to get you started.  Otherwise, fill your jars and store them in the freezer or fridge until use.  Food safety first!

4-pounds of zucchini, peeled, seeded, and chopped into small chunks
4 medium Onions,peeled and chopped into small chunks
3 apples, peeled and cored, and chopped into small chunks
8-ounces of Golden Raisins
8-ounces of Pitted Dates roughly chopped
2 1/2 cups of Malt Vinegar
2-pounds of Soft Brown Sugar
1 teaspoon of salt
2 Tablespoons of Ground Ginger
2 Tablespoons of Pickling Spices, tide in a piece of cheese cloth (I used 4 ½ teaspoons of Whole Allspice and 1 6-inch Cinnamon Stick, broken since those worked well spicing a chutney I made before.)

Place all your ingredients into a large non-reactive pan (either stainless steel or enamel-lined cast iron) mixing them together and putting them over medium heat on the stove.  Bring the mixture to a boil, and then reduce the heat to a simmer cooking the mixture for 1 to 2 hours or until well blended and thick.  Take the pan off of the heat and remove the pickling Spices, squeezing the liquid from the bag (careful, it will be hot).

Use a funnel to put it into sterilized jars with lids if you are storing it in the refrigerator or freezer.  If you want to preserve it for shelf storage, follow these guidelines for water bath canning.  You will need to keep the jars in the bath for 10 minutes, adjusting the time for your altitude.

*** Shawn is a contributing writer for What Would Kate Do.  She also writes her own blog, The Healthy Helping, sharing her favorite recipes and musings on food. ***