Mediterranean Apricot and Date Chutney

We're still a couple of weeks from peak season for cherries and peaches, but I didn't want to fill the canner just for two half-pints of pickled artichokes.  So I got out this recipe that I had bookmarked in the Ball book and cut it in half.  Because it's all dried fruit, you can make it any time of the year.

Ok, half of the recipe is still a lot.  I don't think I read the yield correctly when buying the dried apricots.  On the other hand, this chutney is very versatile.  In addition to being a condiment for lamb, chicken, or pork, you could simmer it with onion and tomato paste and then whiz it in the food processor to make BBQ sauce.  Family doesn't like cranberry sauce?  Have this on the side with the turkey this Thanksgiving.  I'm probably going to try to turn this into a savory mincemeat pie at some point, maybe with ground venison. 

It's important to note that this is a chutney, not a jam.  There's vinegar and savory spices in it.  Yes, there's also brown sugar, but that's mainly to cut the tang of the vinegar.  When it cooks, you aren't looking for a gel set.  You only have to wait for the fruits to become completely hydrated to the point that they start to fall apart and thicken the liquids.  The dates will completely disappear.

I chose to use golden raisins in this batch because that's what I had.  Thompson or other dark raisins will produce a darker product.  The recipe wasn't specific as to what size "chopped" was, so I made the apricot slices about the size of the raisins, which were big because they were goldens.  I would probably cut them the size of Thompson raisins, or half as big, if I make this again.  It doesn't change the flavor, and probably not the cooking time.  It's a personal aesthetic choice.

1 lb dried apricots
water
1-1/2 C light brown sugar
1-1/4 C dates, chopped
1-1/4 C raisins
1 C white wine vinegar
1/2 Tb mustard seed
1/2 Tb kosher salt
1 tsp ground ginger
1/2 tsp ground coriander

1.  In a large, non-reactive saucepan, combine apricots with water to cover.  Let stand for 30 minutes.  Drain, chop, and return to saucepan.  I assume this makes them easier to chop and any water absorbed becomes part of the canning equation.  If not processing, you could skip the soaking step.

2.  Add brown sugar, dates, raisins, vinegar, mustard seed, salt, ginger, coriander, and 1 C water to saucepan.  Stir to combine.  Side note, instead of buying ground coriander, I ground up whole seed in my new grinder.  I let my cilantro go to seed every year for a reason; I'm not buying the ground up version of anything I grow myself.  Besides, freshly ground spices are so much more pungent and effective.

3.  If canning, prepare canner, jars, and lids for a 3-pint yield.  The Ball recipe only gives times for half-pint jars, I presume because this is a thick product and it might not be safe to process in pints.  I also chose to do this in regular-mouth jars instead of the squat wide-mouth ones, also because I wanted to make sure the center was thoroughly processed.

4.  Bring saucepan mixture to a boil over medium-high heat, stirring frequently.  Reduce heat and boil gently until mixture softens and mounds on a spoon, about 20 minutes, stirring frequently.  You'll know you're close when you can't find the dates anymore.

5.  Ladle chutney into hot jars, leaving 1/2" headspace.  Remove air bubbles and adjust headspace if necessary.  I de-bubbled aggressively, and it definitely made a difference in volume because this is a thick product that can form air pockets on the way down.  Wipe rims clean, center lids, and screw bands finger-tight.

6.  Place jars in canner and bring to a boil.  Process for 10 minutes.  Remove canner lid and wait 5 minutes before removing jars.  Cool and wait for the ping.  Test seals after 12 hours and refrigerate any fails.  Wash, date, and store the rest.  Sealed jars are good for 1 year, refrigerated about 2 months.

Makes 6 half-pints (6 cups)

Difficulty rating  :)