I took my first canning class in 2009, towards the end of the season. Last year I canned a little bit, mostly sticking to the recipes from Simply in Season. I wish I had taken the time to plan ahead, because when you have buckets of tomatoes and other extra produce, the last thing you have time for is to sit and say “hmm, what can I do with these?”
Nowadays I’m more likely to freeze than can, but if you are able to take the time to make some items like this chutney it is heaven to be able to pull it out of the cupboard in the middle of winter and have a ready-made sauce at your fingertips. Much better than fast food!
Mediterranean Chutney—“Perfect Preserves”
“Containing tomatoes, peppers, zucchini, and eggplant, this chutney should appeal to lovers of ratatouille. The proportions of the vegetables can be varied to suit your taste or to what you have available.”
—-Makes 4 lbs
NOTE: We used Smoked Paprika (found at Russos) instead of regular paprika and it really gives this chutney an incredible flavor! I highly recommend this for winter eating: I served it over wilted bitter greens & rice, with some feta sprinkled on top at a farm lunch, and the interns all asked “What is this?!!!!”
The Verdict: I was actually quite sad when we were done, because the taste was phenomenal. It dressed up boring chicken and rice quite nicely. I wish I took the time to can more of these types of things in summer, because it’s such a convenient thing to have in your pantry.
More Recipes to Savor the Harvest
Condiments
- Blackberry Lemon Thyme Syrup by Sunday Supper Movement
- Brinjal pickle (Indian eggplant relish/aubergine chutney) by Caroline’s Cooking
- Freezer Mixed Berry Puree by Cindy’s Recipes and Writings
- Ginger Fig Jam by Palatable Pastime
- Herbed Salsa by What Smells So Good?
- Homemade Giardiniera by Curious Cuisiniere
- Homemade Sriracha by Monica’s Table
- Hot Pepper Oil by Feeding Big and more
- Mediterranean Chutney by Wholistic Woman
- Nanny’s 7-Day Sweet Pickles by Grumpy’s Honeybunch
- Nectarine Kumquat Habanero Chutney by Food Lust People Love
- No Pectin Mixed Berry Jam by My Imperfect Kitchen
- Peach Butter by Redhead Baker
- Pear Ginger Jam by Hezzi-D’s Books and Cooks
- Simple Basil Butter by Momma’s Meals
- Spicy Mango Jam by Family Foodie
- Stove Top Roasted Garlic by Cricket’s Confections
- Tomato and Chili Pepper Jam by Delaware Girl Eats
Main dishes
- Grilled Peach and Burrata Pizza by An Appealing Plan
- Oven Roasted Tomato Basil Marinara Sauce by Renee’s Kitchen Adventures
- Tomato-Zucchini Pesto Flatbread with Chevre and Balsamic Drizzle by The Weekend Gourmet
Sides
- Garden Rice by Basic N Delicious
- Pickled Asian Vegetables by A Mind Full Mom
Snacks
- Homemade Fruit Leather by A Kitchen Hoor’s Adventures
- Slow Cooker Cinnamon Apple Sauce by Books n’ Cooks
Dessert
- Chocolate Zucchini Banana Muffins by The Bitter Side of Sweet
- Drunken Peaches by Nosh My Way
- Freeze and Bake Blueberry Pie by That Skinny Chick Can Bake
- How to Freeze Peaches and Make Peach Sauce by The Freshman Cook
- How to Make Chocolate Zucchini Bread by Asian In America
- Mom’s Zucchini Bread by Cosmopolitan Cornbread
- Peach Yogurt Popsicles by Food Done Light
- Summer Fruit Crisp by Pies and Plots
- Summer Fruit Popsicles by Powered By BLING
Beverage
- Berry Shrubs + A Cocktail by Culinary Adventures with Camilla
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OK – I really need to learn how to can. This looks so wonderful!
I canned once…so many years ago that it is still an intimidating thing staring me in the face.
I also need to get my garden going. After a few years of near total failures I hope we can pull it together this year.
There are a couple of West Michigan bloggers who hope to do a canning bee this summer – we’ll keep you posted! Water bath canning is so easy, after the hands-on lesson at my CSA I am totally comfortable with it. Pressure canning is a whole other story though 🙂 Luckily most of the things you would need to pressure can (vegetables, non-acidic things) are just as easy to freeze.
I haven’t started my garden yet either. Still dreaming and trying to determine what I can handle.
What is this about a canning bee?!!! I just bought my heirloom tomato seeds online this afternoon. I can’t wait for them to arrive so that I can get them started.
yay! I usually take the lazy way out and buy the plants from Trillium 😀 And yes, there are some who want to learn how to can and some of us who know how, so hopefully we’ll be able to figure out something. Plus, its so much more fun when you can in a group.
What an awesome way to keep the taste of summer all together. I love Ratatouille, this would be RIGHT up my alley. I am bookmarking this – thanks for linking up to Recipe Roundtable!
That does sound like a great way to quickly make a tasty chicken and rice dish. I haven’t done any chutneys, but do a wide range of other things. I don’t have a pressure canner, so that limits me to acidic recipes, but I still have plenty to last me through the season each year. The Big Book of Preserving you noted is my first book and a great resource; Saving the Seasons has beautiful pictures. I agree too that canned items will last longer than a year – check for fuzz and for bubbling – and you should be good to go, especially with acid ingredients. This year we picked a ton more fruit than usual, canned a bunch and froze it too. I’m going to do the tally at the end of May to see how we did on consumption. Your comment poster mysteriously rejects me as myself, so here’s some manual links related. Thanks for the post and recipe. Renee
http://faces-of-local-living.blogspot.com/2010/08/its-raining-peaches.html
http://faces-of-local-living.blogspot.com/2010/10/squirrel-family.html
Wendy,
Your chutney sounds incredible! Thank you for the tips on the books, and getting me re-energized to take a canning class in my community. A new place just opened up downtown a few months ago.
Always such a pleasure to have you be a part of “A Little Birdie Told Me…” Tuesday at Rook No. 17!
Jenn
What a great chutney!
This looks so marvelous and I am making it TODAY. Not sure why the comments are all from 5 years ago, but I’m seeing this today, and thanking you.
Also, no garlic? Is it because it might become bitter?