This peach chutney takes mere minutes to make, with a delicious balance of fruitiness and warm spices. Then use it with cheese, meat or whatever you choose!
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Peach and nectarine season is definitely a favorite for me. In fairness, I love pretty much all fruits and definitely have a soft spot for the strawberries and raspberries I grew up with. But stone fruits are just such a great snack, and I love that my kids seem to agree.
Last year I made some strawberry peach jam which we all loved. In fact the kids were asking for it constantly, we finished it pretty quickly. I will probably make some more again soon, now we're back home long enough to use it, but in the meantime I wanted to try something else.
I had mixed feelings about chutney when I was growing up. I loved the Indian-style ones like brinjal pickle, but was less sure about things like Branston pickle (if you have a British connection, you'll know what I'm talking about). It was just a bit too vinegary for my taste. Although a little now and then with cheddar was good.
More recently, I made some rhubarb chutney which we loved. It had such a great balance of flavors, and worked so well with pork. It got me thinking about making other fruit chutneys, like this peach chutney.
What's the difference between chutney and jam?
In short, chutneys are slightly savory, while jams are sweet. Jams are usually primarily fruit and sweetener, often with pectin (natural or added). That's usually it - occasionally some herbs or spices will be added in small amounts. Of course, things like bacon jam confuse things, but it's a bit of an exception.
Meanwhile most chutneys have onion and a range of spices. In general, chutneys also have vinegar (although some may use lemon) to give a bit of a tang and while most have a bit of sugar, it is much less than in jam. Many have added dry fruits like raisins as well.
How to make peach chutney
- Finely dice the onion, peach, garlic and ginger.
- Warm the oil and add the onion, garlic and ginger. Soften the onion slightly.
- Add the spices, sugar and vinegar and stir to dissolve sugar.
- Add the peach, mix, then allow to cook around 5-10 minutes. The sauce will become a little thick but still have chunks of peach.
- Allow to cool and keep refrigerated until needed.
I've kept the spicing relatively simple here with garlic, ginger, cinnamon and cardamon, but they have a lovely balance of aromatic but with a slight bite. If you don't like or don't have any of them, then you can mix up the flavors a little (eg allspice, cumin), but I do recommend this combination.
Uses for this chutney
This chutney is not too heavy on the vinegar, nor overly sweet, and the flavors pair well with a broad range of things. It's delicious with cheeses, whether simple on top of a slice, added to grilled cheese or however else (such as with baked goat cheese). And while we got through it far too fast to try, I'm pretty positive it would be great with pork and chicken.
However you choose to use it, this peach chutney is going to add some delicious flavor. Fruity, gently spiced and all delicious, you'll be making more soon it's so good (and easy too!)
If you're looking for more ideas with your summer produce, make sure you check the summer recipes archives.
Peach chutney
Ingredients
- ¼ onion
- 2 peaches (2 peaches = 1 ¼ cups/220g peeled and small dice)
- 1 teaspoon fresh ginger finely diced
- 1 clove garlic small/med
- ½ tablespoon vegetable oil (approx)
- ¼ teaspoon cinnamon
- ¼ teaspoon ground cardamon
- 1 tablespoon brown sugar
- 2 tablespoon apple cider vinegar
Instructions
- Finely dice the onion, peach, garlic and ginger.
- Warm the oil and add the onion, garlic and ginger. Soften the onion slightly.
- Add the cinnamon, cardamon, sugar and vinegar and stir to dissolve sugar.
- Add the peach, mix, then allow to cook around 5-10 minutes. The sauce will become a little thick but still have chunks of peach.
- Allow to cool and keep refrigerated until needed.
Nutrition
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Naim
Really easy and tasty
Caroline's Cooking
Glad to hear you enjoyed!
Regina Abraham
Can you freeze this? I have so many peaches on my tree and am looking for ways to preserve it
Caroline's Cooking
I haven't tried myself, but I don't see any reason why it shouldn't work.
Diana
Made this for a topping over grilled pork chops. Added cilantro for a bit of freshness. Very delicious!
Caroline's Cooking
Glad you enjoyed, and yes it goes well with pork. I can see the cilantro working well, too.
Tawnie K Kroll
I had some peaches to use up and made this recipe - AMAZING!! Thank you!
Caroline's Cooking
Thank you - it's an easy and tasty way to use some!
Marian
How long would this last for in refrigerator? Could I do the canning process to have it last for a longer time?
Caroline's Cooking
I haven't tested to say for sure, but I would expect it should be fine at least 3 - 5 days in the fridge when in a sealed jar/container, if not longer. Yes, canning would mean it will last longer. It isn't as high in preservatives (sugar/salt/vinegar) as some other condiments, but it will keep quite a bit longer unopened if canned safely.
Claudia Lamascolo
I just love using peaches for topping salmon this chutney may be a new favorite I sure will trying this !
Caroline's Cooking
I haven't tried this with salmon but it sounds like worth a try - it's certainly one tasty chutney!
Karly
This looks amazing!
Caroline's Cooking
Thank you!
Janice vance
I didn’t see how much oil to use did I miss it somewhere
Caroline's Cooking
Oops, seem to have missed at some point - updated now (it's an approximate amount - you just want enough to soften the onion without it burning/getting too brown but also not have an excess of oil)