Spring Flavors For The Winter

Anyone who reads the recipes that I post here know that I put a premium on taste. The following recipe is spicy/fruity/sharp/sweet all in one. In the winter, it gives a real lift to chicken, pork, ham, beef, and probably salmon too. Since a batch is simmering down on the stove, here's the recipe for you to try:

Rhubarb-Ginger Chutney
1 cup apple-cider vinegar
2 cups brown sugar, packed
4 lb. rhubarb, trimmed and sliced crosswise into 1/2 inch (or less) pieces (close to 10 cups)
1/2 cup peeled fresh ginger, sliced and cut into fine julienne (I grated much of mine)
4 cloves garlic, peeled and minced (or 1 heaping Tablespoon of minced garlic from a jar)
12 black peppercorns or 12 good twists from a pepper grinder
1 cup currants or raisins
1 tsp. salt
Using a non-reactive large pot, bring vinegar and sugar to a boil, add all other ingredients. Lower heat to simmer and cook (without a lid), stirring occasionally. Cook down to desired consistency. This may take 45 minutes to one hour depending on how high your simmer setting is. Be sure to watch and stir more frequently as chutney thickens. This makes about one quart.

I freeze mine two different ways. For individual 1/2 cup servings, either freeze in covered 1/2 cup containers or put plastic wrap squares into 1/2 cup cupcake tins. Once tin contents are frozen, pop out the individual servings, wrap, and freeze in gallon Ziploc bags. The other way that I freeze this is to use a 1/2 cup measure and put two scoops into a Ziploc sandwich bag (ergo one cup per bag). Again, when the bags are full, they are stored in one gallon Ziploc bag in the freezer.

To use, remove from freezer just before starting supper preparations. Serve either on the plate or in separate condiment bowls. Our family likes it still partially frozen but if that doesn't suit your tastes, lightly microwave for a few seconds to completely thaw.