June 30, 2010
Five Spice Rhubarb Chutney It’s good to have friends and even better to have friends that graciously share their rhubarb and kitchen. My friend Lauren harvested the rhubarb for this recipe from her garden on Indiantown Island in Maine. Then she turned me loose in her kitchen. The chutney would be a natural with lamb or duck, but we loved it with slices of crusty fresh-baked French bread and crumbly slices of the cheddar-like ”City of Ships” Cheese from Maine’s Hahn’s End Artisan Cheese. 1 cup light brown sugar, tightly packed2 cups rhubarb, 1/2” dice1 medium onion, diced1/2 jalapeno pepper, minced (spice wimps should remove the seeds)1/2 cup cider vinegar1/4 cup balsamic vinegar1/3 cup dried currants1 T fresh ginger, minced1/2 tspn. salt3/4 tspn. Asian five spice Combine all ingredients except the Asian five spice in a medium saucepan. Bring to a boil over medium-high heat. Reduce heat and simmer for 30 minutes. Add Asian five spice and simmer until thick, about 15 minutes. Makes 2 cups. Adapted from Cooking Light, May 2008

Five Spice Rhubarb Chutney

It’s good to have friends and even better to have friends that graciously share their rhubarb and kitchen. My friend Lauren harvested the rhubarb for this recipe from her garden on Indiantown Island in Maine. Then she turned me loose in her kitchen. The chutney would be a natural with lamb or duck, but we loved it with slices of crusty fresh-baked French bread and crumbly slices of the cheddar-like ”City of Ships” Cheese from Maine’s Hahn’s End Artisan Cheese.

1 cup light brown sugar, tightly packed
2 cups rhubarb, 1/2” dice
1 medium onion, diced
1/2 jalapeno pepper, minced (spice wimps should remove the seeds)
1/2 cup cider vinegar
1/4 cup balsamic vinegar
1/3 cup dried currants
1 T fresh ginger, minced
1/2 tspn. salt
3/4 tspn. Asian five spice

  1. Combine all ingredients except the Asian five spice in a medium saucepan.
  2. Bring to a boil over medium-high heat.
  3. Reduce heat and simmer for 30 minutes.
  4. Add Asian five spice and simmer until thick, about 15 minutes.

Makes 2 cups.

Adapted from Cooking Light, May 2008

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December 5, 2009

Jelly or Jam? Preserves or Conserve? What’s the Difference?

jelly
A clear mixture made from strained fruit (juice), sugar and usually PECTIN. The texture is tender but will be firm enough to hold its shape when turned out of its container. (In Britain, jelly is the term used for gelatin dessert.)

jam
A thick mixture of fruit, sugar (and usually PECTIN) that is cooked until the pieces of fruit are very soft and almost formless.

preserves
Fruit cooked with sugar and usually PECTIN, used as a spread. Preserves differ from jam in that the chunks of fruit are medium to large rather than the texture of thick puree.

conserve
[kuhn-SERV, KON-surv]
A mixture of fruits, nuts and sugar, cooked together until thick.

marmalade
[MAHR-muh-layd]
A preserve containing pieces of fruit rind, especially citrus fruit. The original marmalades were made from quince — the Portuguese word marmelada means “quince jam.” Now, however, Seville oranges are the most popular fruit for marmalades.

Definitions based on THE FOOD LOVER’S COMPANION, 2nd edition, by Sharon Tyler Herbst.

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