My Pantry Shelf

Have you noticed the beautiful mangoes in the market this month?  They are abundant, inexpensive, and delicious!  Mangoes have firm flesh and a sweet and tangy flavor.  This makes them incredibly versatile.  They are hardy enough to cook, soft enough to eat raw, and excellent in salads and of course chutneys.  First though, you have to know how to cut into the fruit.  Since mangoes have a disc-shaped seed in the center of fruit, it is important to locate it and cut around the seed.

First peel the fruit.

Then, hold the fruit upright and slice down, guiding the knife along the side of the seed.  Repeat on the other half, so you end up with two halves and one seed pod with minimal flesh attached.  Slice or dice the mango halves depending on what you are using it for.

Mango Cranberry Chutney is a medley of sweet mango, tart cranberry, spicy peppers and zippy ginger.  I love having a stash of it in the pantry.  It is a wonderful accompaniment to a cheese platter.  I made this batch especially to serve with Redwood Hill’s cheese at the Sono-Ma Soiree tomorrow night.  It is also delicious as a side to any Indian meal.  Try it with Divine Indian Butter Chicken.

Note: If you cannot find fresh or frozen cranberries, I imagine that you could substitute with 1/2 cup of dried cranberries, add 1/4 cup of water, and reduce the sugar by 1/4 cup. Let me know how it turns out!

Mango Cranberry Chutney

makes 5 cups

4 cups slightly under-ripe mango, peeled and diced

2 jalapeños or other hot pepper

1/2 cup minced red onion

1 cup whole cranberries

3/4 cup brown sugar

1/2 cup apple cider vinegar

1 1/2 tablespoon freshly grated ginger

1/4 teaspoon ground clove

1/4 teaspoon ground allspice

1 Tablespoon mustard seed

¼ teaspoon salt

Combine ingredients in a heavy-bottomed pot on medium-high heat.  Bring to a boil stirring frequently.  Once boiling, reduce heat. Simmer until mango softens and the mixture begins to thicken and become syrupy. Pour into sterilized jars, cover, and refrigerate.

To preserve, do not cool chutney.  Spoon hot chutney into sterilized half-pint or smaller jars, wipe rims clean, and top with a new canning lid.  Process jars in a boiling-water canner for 10 minutes.  Remove from water, check that each lid has sealed.  Store on the shelf for up to one year.  Store any jars that did not seal in the refrigerator and serve within a month.

Serve chutney with cheese and bread for an appetizer.  This chutney is also a great accompaniment to any Indian meal.

Here is printer friendly version of the recipe: Mango Cranberry Chutney

For more information on food preservation see Home Canning Basics

You may also like:

Easy Cranberry Bread

Divine Indian Butter Chicken

Pickled Asparagus