I am the designated pickler and fermenter at my current restaurant job. Because we are a farm-to-table restaurant with a full-time gardener, our menu changes weekly, inspired by what’s coming out of our kitchen garden. This summer’s weather has been extremely kind to our garden, and our tomatoes are beautiful and prolific. With such abundance, I’ve been tasked with preserving some of our green tomatoes.
There are two types of green tomatoes. Some varieties of heirloom tomatoes remain green when ripe. This type often has vertical stripes or other coloring variations, and they’re soft when pressed. Heirloom green tomatoes taste like typical red tomatoes. More often, green tomatoes are just tomatoes that miss the chance to ripen before the weather gets colder – in late summer and early autumn. An unripe tomato is pale green, has an almost crunchy bite, and tastes tart.
Last year I worked for a Southern chef and because of his influence I made pickled green tomatoes and green tomato chow chow. This spring I became friends with Indian cookbook author Anupy Singla and because of her influence I’ve added green tomato chutney with an Indian spice blend to my fall canning repertoire.
A chutney is a savory condiment made to complement other dishes. Originating in India, chutneys have traveled around the globe and other food cultures have versions of this versatile condiment. Authentic Indian chutneys are usually fresh preparations used as a curry condiment and dipping sauce for naan. Ingredients might include coconut, mint, peanut, mango, tamarind and spice blends. Many Indian dishes are not considered complete without chutney to accompany the meal.
As a consequence of 89 years of British rule in India, chutneys made their way into Britain’s food culture. Major Grey’s Chutney is a popular Anglo-Indian condiment dating back to 1876. It is a reinterpretation of traditional Indian mango chutney but with the addition of raisins and lime juice.
Contemporary Western interpretations of chutneys are usually quite different from Indian chutneys. They are rich, highly spiced, sweet-sour preserves made from long-cooked chopped fruits and vegetables. Apples are commonly used in place of mangoes. Dried fruits are often added to add natural sweetness and spoonable texture. Fresh ginger, spices and vinegar are added to preserve the chutney and give it a tangy flavor.
Unlike a sweet jam, chutneys are savory and do not rely on added pectin as a thickener. Chutneys can either be left chunky or blended until smooth. Chutneys share similarities with relishes. Both condiments are made with chopped vegetables, vinegar and added spices, but chutneys usually contain a fruit component and are cooked longer. Relishes can be used immediately, but chutneys benefit from several weeks of aging. The long cooking time evaporates most of the water content and the high proportions of sugar and vinegar help preserve chutneys without the need for canning. I prefer to store my chutneys in the back corners of my fridge.
Making a chutney can be time-consuming and require a bit of knifework, but the resulting condiment can be enjoyed for a long time. A chutney I made a year ago still tastes bright and delicious. Some useful tips: 1) Cut your ingredients into similar-sized pieces so everything cooks at the same rate. 2) Use a stainless steel pan and a wooden spoon – other materials might react with the vinegar and cause discoloration. 3) Cook your ingredients low and slow to achieve a rich, smooth and mellow chutney. 4) Toward the end of the cooking time, stir frequently so the chutney doesn’t stick to the bottom of the pan and scorch.
Green tomato and squash chutney
My chef asked me to create a chutney with green tomatoes and butternut squash. This is what I came up with. The unlikely pairing turned out surprisingly well. It is a great way of using end-of-the-season produce. I like to use it as a condiment on a cheese board. It would also be good for brightening up a bland soup or stew.
Ingredients:
1 lb. green tomatoes
1 medium butternut squash
1 head of garlic
2 sprigs rosemary
3 pitted dates
½ tsp garam masala
1-inch piece of fresh ginger
Approximately 150 g (¾ cup) light brown sugar
Approximately 150 ml ( cup) apple cider vinegar
A pinch of salt
Preparation
Preheat oven to 400 degrees.
Remove any green stems from the tomatoes and cut them into ½-inch chunks. Peel and seed the butternut squash and cut into ½-inch cubes. Arrange the tomatoes and squash cubes on a parchment-lined oiled sheet tray. Trim the stem end from the head of garlic to just expose the cloves and nestle in the middle of the tomatoes and squash, cut side down. Tuck in the rosemary sprigs. Roast for 45 minutes or until the tomatoes begin to collapse and release their juices.
Set a saucepan on a digital scale and zero out the scale with the tare button.
Remove the sheet tray from the oven and transfer the tomatoes and squash and their juices to the saucepan. Squeeze the garlic cloves out from the skins, directly into the pan with the tomatoes. Discard the rosemary sprigs.
Finely chop the pitted dates and add to the pan with the vegetables. Grate the ginger into the pot. Add the garam masala and stir to combine.
Weigh the mixture. For a more traditional, sweeter chutney, add 50% brown sugar and 50% vinegar. For example, if your vegetable and date mixture weighs 300 grams, use 150 grams of sugar and 150 grams of vinegar. If you want it less sweet, replace some of the sugar with vinegar. For 300 grams of vegetables, use 100 grams of sugar and 200 grams of vinegar.
Set the pan over medium heat and bring to a boil, then reduce to a simmer, and stir to dissolve the sugar. Cook it low and slow, stirring occasionally, until all the ingredients develop a jam-like consistency, for about two to three hours. The chutney will thicken slightly on cooling. The best way to test if your chutney has cooked down enough is to put a spoonful on a plate in the fridge and let it chill for five minutes. If liquid spreads across the plate, it needs to cook more.
Spoon into sterilized jars, seal with plastic vinegar-proof lids, label and mature for at least one week before using, but it’s best after six weeks when the flavors have had more time to meld. Store in the refrigerator once opened.
This article appears in Finding a way forward.
