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Adapt Mango Chutney Recipe for Tomato/Pear Combo?

grlsixx
12 years ago

Hi everyone!

As usual, I have a an old family favorite that I would like to try to can safely. I reviewed the NCHFP guidelines, and I think that the mango chutney recipe is really close to my original, if I modify in a few ways:

substitute 50/50 mix of tomatoes and pears for the mango

substitute cinnamon sticks (during cooking) and mustard seeds for the chili powder

omit the garlic

substitute 1/2C of onion for 1/2C chopped hot chiles

I am most concerned about the addition of the chiles, safely. Any suggestions you have would be great! maybe it's too dangerous and I need to just use cayenne?

Thanks as always for your vast expertise and willingness to share it!

Best,

Heather

Comments (7)

  • digdirt2
    12 years ago

    I guess you ruled out the Tomato-Apple Chutney recipe for some reason?

    Much less substitutions for it, just switch the pears for the apples. It already includes the onions and you can sub the hot peppers for the sweet peppers in whole or part as long as the total stays the same. Dried spice substitutions are no problem.

    Did I miss anything?

    Dave

  • grlsixx
    Original Author
    12 years ago

    I looked at the tomato apple recipe, but it doesn't have fresh ginger and has bell peppers which aren't in my original recipe. Could I use the tomato apple recipe and sub more onions for some of the bell peppers? I would like to add some hot chiles, but not a full cup (1C bell peppers in recipe)! Then, what about the fresh ginger? Can I safely add that in? I really think fresh ginger instead of ground is critical to the end product.

    I usually make this chutney and keep refrigerated. Do you think freezing would be a better option than canning?

  • digdirt2
    12 years ago

    If you freeze it you can use any recipe you wish. Only the canning becomes difficult when it comes to substitutions.

    If you can it you can only sub like for like - peppers for peppers but not onions for peppers. So no, you cannot increase the onions.

    However you can always leave low-acid ingredients out. For example you can use your hot peppers for part of the sweet peppers - however much you want as long as it doesn't exceed the 1 cup in the recipe - and leave the rest of the sweet peppers out since they aren't required.

    The fresh ginger may pose an issue since fresh can change the pH while dry herbs/spices do not. I seldom use fresh ginger so I can't be sure of its effect or even how much you would use? I'd stick with the dry called for in the recipe or perhaps others here more familiar with fresh ginger can advise on it.

    Dave

  • grlsixx
    Original Author
    12 years ago

    Appreciate the feedback Dave. I will see if anyone has ideas on the ginger. Otherwise, will try freezing my original recipe.

  • readinglady
    12 years ago

    I'm assuming you're not using ginger in large amounts, as it can be overwhelming, especially after the chutney sits on the shelf a while.

    Personally, while ginger is low-acid, in small amounts (say julienne slivers) I think it would be OK. Chutney is normally long-cooked and it would be pretty thoroughly infused with vinegar by the end of the time.

    Two other options - Slice the ginger into quarter-size circles (whatever amount you desire) and place it in a bouquet garni bag during cooking then remove. All the ginger flavor without the risk.

    Or gently heat and infuse some ginger in your vinegar. Use the ginger vinegar for the chutney. I store my peeled ginger chunks in sherry. I can always add the ginger-infused sherry to stir-fries. The point is there's more than one way to add the flavor of fresh ginger while avoiding risk.

    Actually, unless it's crystallized ginger, I'm not personally wild about ginger bits in the chutney. I'd rather the flavor without the chunks. But crystallized ginger is less risk-prone because the moisture has been supplanted by a sugar solution. Add the vinegar to that and I don't foresee a problem.

    So you do have options.

    Carol

  • grlsixx
    Original Author
    12 years ago

    Carol- Thanks for the great ideas on getting the ginger flavor without the risk. I really like the idea of infusing the vinegar with ginger!

    Dave- I have decided to follow your suggestion to use the Tomato-Apple recipe, subbing some hot peppers for the bell pepper and just infuse the vinegar with ginger.

    I bet that noone will notice it's not *exactly* our favorite family recipe! If they do, I will just shrug my shoulders and say that I don't have my Oma's touch. She could work magic in the kitchen! I still can't replicate her yeast rolls, and I have been trying for 15 years, with her instruction in the kitchen!

    Thanks again to you both for taking the time to answer my questions!

  • boeremeisie
    12 years ago

    I put up this tomato chutney recipe, often substitute bartlet pears for the apple and ripe tomatoes for the green ones. Recipe includes ginger and peppers, I modify peppers depending on what I can get at the market. This is really tasty on burgers, with sausages and in omelets (of over scrambled eggs, too).

    Gayla's Definitive Green Tomato Chutney

    http://www.yougrowgirl.com/2010/08/06/canning-tomatoes-3-recipes/

    Here is a link that might be useful: You Grow Girl