Recipe: Tomatillo Chutney
The definition of chutney is a “spicy condiment made of fruits or vegetables with vinegar, spices and sugar, originating in India.” This is a pretty general description so it’s easy to leave the country of origin behind and design a chutney based on any combination of ingredients that suits your palate. I happen to love chutney — the combination of sweet, spicy and sour is always a good idea with any kind of roasted, seared or grilled protein. It is also a pretty topper for goat cheese on crackers or cream cheese on toast points for breakfast. In other words, it’s a whole lot of wonderful in a small package and will stay fresh for a few weeks refrigerated in a tightly sealed container.
The recipe I’m sharing today was a concoction I came up with to elevate my mother’s original dish we used to devour called Texas Enchiladas. The latter should also be memorialized and I promise to do so at a later date because there is no enchilada recipe that comes close. These enchiladas are rolled in flour tortillas, packed with poached chicken breasts, smothered in heavy cream, layered with jack cheese and sprinkled with some chopped chilis and peppers for color and texture. They are essentially a white, creamy bomb of richness that needed some heat and spice for levity.
I couldn’t serve an Indian chutney with the enchiladas so I started thinking about a Mexican fruit I could cook in the same manner. The tomatillo, also known as the Mexican husk tomato, came to mind. They are crunchy, sweet and sour, and I knew could stand up to all the other ingredients I had in mind. I was right and, after making this once, I have made it scores of times, most recently as a dipping sauce for cheddar cheesy corn fritters. They were perfect together.
So here is my decades-old tomatillo chutney recipe. Make a big batch and enjoy it all summer.
Tomatillo Chutney
Yield: 3 cups
2 lbs. tomatillos, husked, rinsed very well, and quartered. (If particularly large, quarter and then halve slices.)
1 red onion, roughly chopped
2 jalapenos, seeded and roughly chopped
1 red bell pepper, seeded and roughly chopped
2 tblsp. grapeseed or canola oil
1 cup sugar
½ cup apple cider vinegar
½ lime squeezed
1 tsp. salt
1 tsp. ground cumin
Coat a large saucepan with oil. Add onions and jalapenos to the pan and saute over medium heat until onions are translucent. Add the remaining ingredients to the pan. Cook over medium heat until sugar has melted and all ingredients are incorporated in a syrupy goop. Turn heat to low and simmer for 25 minutes until fruit and vegetables are tender and liquid has congealed into a jammy texture. Stir often to prevent sticking.
Please Support Rural Intelligence
We want to continue delivering the entertaining, informative and upbeat stories in the inimitable Rural Intelligence style, despite a pandemic. But we need your support to keep us going. Please consider making a donation; even a small amount helps secure our future. Support us now.
(If you prefer, mail a check to: 45 Pine Grove Ave., Suite 303, Kingston, NY 12401.)
Support Now