CSA Week 12: Madame’s Tomato Chutney

So I’ve totally fallen off the posting wagon, thanks in part to a lovely vacation plus two weddings, day trips with friends, beer brewing as you already know, oh and also work. I certainly can’t complain (and the two CSA boxes I missed went to good homes). But I have a backlog of partially documented projects, so time to get back on track!

the haul: I can’t remember the specifics for the last couple of weeks, but we’ve been seeing
apples
tomatoes
melons
kale
eggplant
peppers
peaches

One of my favorite people in the world is my high school adviser, who was the French teacher so everyone knew her just as “Madame” and I can never call her anything else. She is vivacious, opinionated, and is the sort of person who will back you up 100% in whatever you do while she worries about you behind your back, for your own sake. Within five minutes of meeting Lester, she told me to marry him. So I did, and she officiated.

She sent me this recipe “from a real farm wife” when I told her I had started canning. Disclaimer: it is an older recipe, so I cannot say that this is a USDA-approved canning project. I have been trying and trying to find a similar one that is updated but no luck, so please let me know if you have seen something similar in a newer reference. I don’t have any reason to have specific concerns about it and I had to try it anyway, and if you are worried about the shelf stability you could always keep it in the fridge.
[Update: see the discussion about this at Harvest Forum. It looks like this is most likely a safe recipe, woohoo!]

Madame’s Tomato Chutney
scaled down as shown (made about two half-pints) but otherwise unchanged

6 lbs tomatoes –> 18 oz
3 lbs tart apples –> 9 oz
2 lbs yellow onions –> 6 oz
2 lbs sugar –> 6 oz
1 qt cider vinegar –> 3/4 cup or 6 fluid oz
1/2 c salt –> 1.5 tbsp
1 Tablespoon black pepper –> pinch
1 tsp cinnamon (or adjust to your taste) –> pinch

1. Core but do not peel the tomatoes and apples. Coarsely chop the tomatoes, apples, and onions. The original says “grind everything using the coarse blade on the grinder.” I used my mandoline on the large julienne setting with an extra chop at the end.
2. Mix all ingredients and cook until soft, blended, and thick. The original recipe says to cook for ninety minutes. To speed up the process, I started out cooking them in my pressure cooker on the high setting for fifteen minutes, then simmering uncovered for another thirty minutes, but this is definitely optional.
3. Hot water bath process for fifteen minutes. (The original recipe didn’t say how to process the jars, but this seemed ballpark for other chutneys and jams.)

This was killer on a cheese plate with gouda, or on toast with cream cheese (one of my favorite ways to highlight jams) as shown below. Also pictured: Cambozola, a creamy blue, with sage jelly (like this but with leaves instead of blossoms). Highly recommended.

Anyone seen this recipe before? Try it and tell me what you think!