Call it what you want to call it, I am going to eat all of it….
Compote or chutney. For what I make, I generally like to use the word chutney, because I’m more of a savory girl, as opposed to one that likes things sweet. Chutney traditionally has fruit, acid (vinegar), sugar, and spices in it. Compote has fresh or dried fruit simmered in a sugary syrup.
One of my earlier memories is of my grandma serving something similar, calling it stewed fruit, and serving it in tiny glass dishes. I can eat it right off the spoon, but my favorite is to slather it on breakfast items, top my ice cream, or eat it on a cheese or brae plate, which isn’t complete without some type of savory preserve.
Starting with your dried fruit - you can use any type of dried fruit for this easy recipe. I like to use Avila and Sons Farms mixed fruit medley because it comes chopped with apples, pears, golden raisins, apricots, and plums. Apricots and cherries are my favorite fruits, so sometimes I add more of one or the other into the mix.
I started making this when I had leftover brandied fruit during the holiday season, after making my now famous fruit cake, which gets eaten most by the people who say they hate fruit cake, you know who you are.
But the simple rule of thumb is, if you have it and it looks good, fruit, vegetable, or nut, add it to the pot.
Chutney or compote are great if you have end-of-season fruit or veggies. You can eat it, can it, or freeze it for later in the winter when fruit is scarce. Also in winter you can bring out the dried fruit and reconstitute them to make dried fruit chutney or compote like I do, savoring your fruit all year long.
Then you add your liquid - fresh fruit doesn't require as much liquid as dried fruit does. For dried fruit, I generally start by covering the fruit in the pan and adding more as you need it. You can use water, fruit juice, liquor, or wine. I generally use a base liquid like juice or water to reconstitute my fruit, and then liquor like brandy or amaretto towards the end to give it more flavor.
To sugar or not to sugar - Adding additional sugar is up to your taste buds. Some fruits naturally have more sugar, so your mix doesn't need a lot more. If you use concentrated fruit juice instead of water, it also adds additional sugars, so taste it as your mix to make sure the sweetness is to your liking. If I add acid (which I usually do - lemon juice, apple cider vinegar, or balsamic vinegar), I will add in a tablespoon or so of sugar as an offset. When I make homemade applesauce (which is a type of stewed fruit too) I don't add sugar though, because I like the natural taste of the apples.
Herbs and Spices - depending on your background, your cupboard may hold different spices than mine does, and your taste probably varies as well. Traditional spices include cinnamon, cloves, or cardamon, but you can also use thyme, fennel, mint, citrus zest, ginger, coriander, black pepper, or even fresh chilies or chili powder.
Nuts - nuts are a big thing in our house, we put nuts on just about everything. In the definition of chutney or compote, nuts don't show up, but if you live in the California nut country, nuts are your life. You can use just about any type of nut if you have it; walnuts, pistachios, pecans, almonds, peanuts. I wouldn't add Brazil nuts, because those nuts are evil, but anything else I'm game for.
Dried Fruit Chutney Recipe
1/4 LB Dried Fruit - I used Mixed Fruit Medley from Avila and Sons Farms
1 1/2 Cup Liquid - I used 1 cup water and 1/2 cup brandy
1/4 LB Nuts - I used pecans
1 TBSP White Sugar
1/4 Cup Lemon or Orange Juice (or 1 TBSP vinegar)
1/4 - 1/2 tsp Spices
Here's what you do...
Put your dried fruit in the pan, place 1 Cup liquid in the pan, or until the fruit is covered. Simmer on low for about 15 minutes, or until it looks as if most of the liquid has been adsorbed by the fruit. Add 1/2 Cup more of liquid in the pan, along with your nuts, sugar, acid, and spices. Simmer for another 5-10 minutes. Then cover and let cool.
Chutney Variation Suggestions
Apple Walnut Cranberry Chutney | Apple Cardamon Chutney |
Ginger Mango Almond Chutney | Cherry Vanilla Bean Chutney |
Fig, Caramelized Onion & Walnut Chutney | Pineapple and Bell Pepper Chutney |
To Top It Off
Chutney is super easy to make and you can do so much with its flavor with different fruits, vegetables, liquids, and spices. My favorites have always been the fruit and nut chutneys if you couldn't tell by the list above. But what do you eat with this awesome mixture you say? Here is a list of ways I like to eat my chutney -
On top of Dutch Babies (oven pancakes) or waffles
As a side for grilled meat or fish
On ice cream
With cheese and crackers
On a grilled cheese
On oatmeal or yogurt
Served on a burger
Spread on a sandwich
So dip-it, spread it, top it or just plain eat it...we hope you enjoy this recipe.
Avila and Sons Farms is located in sunny Central CA, cultivating rich seasonal nut and fruit crops. On any given day we are growing, picking, drying, roasting, making homemade jams, and creating handcrafted nut butters all on the farm.
You can grab some homemade jams, nut butters, roasted nuts or fresh seasonal fruits at one of the markets we attend - see schedule here. Or shop online - we ship our California nuts, dried fruits, jams and butters all over the country.
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