Friday, March 27, 2009

Apple-Poblano Chutney

By nature, I am not a patient person.

Little things annoy me.

If a book is boring, I'll skip a hundred pages and see if I can pick up the story. (By the way, if I can pick up the story, I throw the book away; anything that transparent and glacially paced doesn't deserve to be read.)

I don't understand why supermarkets have 20 checkout lines but never open more than 5.

Why do I have to listen to the lie about the phone options changing because they never do?

Hell isn't fire and brimstone, it's the Post Office at noon. It's Airport Security on a quiet Tuesday.

There's a reason this site is called Crabby Cook and not Chuckles the Chef.

Usually I don't let this impatience affect my cooking.


Today I'm giving you a recipe that flavor-wise survived my restlessness. Sadly, my temporal intolerance affected the texture of this chutney, (shown here with roast pork loin). It's got great flavor, you just need to give it some extra time to properly enjoy...

Apple-Poblano Chutney
from A Cowboy In The Kitchen by Grady Spears and Robb Walsh

1 TBSP unslated butter
1 cup peeled, cored and diced Granny Smith apples (1 large)
1 cup diced red onion
3 cloves garlic, minced
1/2 cup roasted Poblano peppers, diced*
1/2 cup white wine
1 cup Jalapeno Pepper jelly
1/2 cup julienned fresh sage
Salt & Pepper to taste

Heat the butter in a large non-stick saute pan over medium heat.

When melted, add the apples, onions and garlic. Cook for about 5 minutes or until they just begin to soften.

Add the diced Poblano peppers.

Pour in the white wine and cook until the wine has evaporated, stirring occasionally.

Add the jelly, stirring to fully melt and incorporate into the mixture. The mixture should be thick and jam-like.

Remove the pan from the heat and fold in the fresh sage. Season with salt and pepper. Set aside and serve at room temperature.

As you can see from the photos, I got impatient and served it warm, as a result it wasn't fully set. No worries crablings, it was still very good. It sets up quite nicely in the fridge and can be used over the next week or so.

OK, time to go relax a bit. Until next time, remember you can do it, you can cook.

*Roast Poblanos

Turn your broiler to high. Lightly oil the peppers and place on a broiler pan.

Roast the peppers, turning as each side becomes charred black. Place the blackened peppers in a paper bag and fold the top closed. Allow them to steam in the bag for approximately 10 minutes. The steam will loosen the charred skins of the peppers. Peel and discard the skin.

Cut the peppers in half and discard the seeds.

Peeled roast peppers will keep in the fridge for 3 days or 3 months if frozen in a plastic bag.


WineWizardBob said...

By nature, I am a very patient person.

My wine cellar proves it.

But when you have big flavors you need to drink young wine to stand up to this onslaught on your olfactory.

Tempranillo is the most famous grape of Spain. A young one from the Rioja region will be a tasty match for this chutney on pork. Do not get a Reserva, you want one that says Joven(young) or Tinto on the label. If you can find it, Hermina is a nice affordable name.

Or you can test your wine merchant and ask for a more modern style(fruitier) Rioja and not a traditional (oaky) one. If the merchant is good, he will not only know what you are talking about, but also will be able to show you at least one of each type.

Back to the cellar to watch the dust thicken.

Scott at Real Epicurean said...

Great chutney recipe, totally different from the "run of the mill" stuff which usually churns its way out of my kitchen each year. Time to re-think.