Too many apples... and a little spice

I loooove apples.... or so i thought!! Every time I go to a grocery store I become animated at the sight of the lucious red apples and I make promises to myself (and my husband) that "this time" I will definitely eat them all and not let them rot. But, alas, it was always the same story .. everytime.. The lovely apples over-ripen and end up in the trash!

So a few days back, when we were buying fruits for a hike, I launched on my usual "OH! look at those apples!!! they are soo red and yummy looking!! We have got to buy some!!!!" . It so happened that I managed to get my way and bought a whole bag of Macintosh apples :))) - all of a dozen apples!! Oh! the thrill.. Now i can have any leftover (from the hike) apples everyday!! such healthy thoughts!

As it came to pass, we had exactly 2 apples during the hike and I had none in the days that followed.. hehe... so the 10 apples sat forlorn on my dining table for almost a week, ripening nicely and willing me to eat them or be thrown in the trash...again! But, things, I decided, would be different this time.

So I scoured the net and my cook books for apple recipes that were not the usual strudel, pie and other sweet cravings.. I wanted some spice!..Ta-da.. I had an inspiration!! Spiced Apple Chutney!!!! Made with guess wat ?!Apples! and as many of them as you want!! and it has a longer shelf life than the fruit at its freshest...I put my spin (recipe below) on the recipe I found here

The chutney was the perfect way to use atleast half my stock in one go and the best part is that this sweet, tangy and spicy sauce is beautifully versatile in its use! It's perfect on a piece of toast for breakfast or when spread on a slice of toasted baguette with some goat cheese crumbled on it makes a rich appetizer. Or even in an entree as a lovely accompaniment for roast chicken or pork!

And no meal is complete without dessert! atleast not for me :))..What better way than to end with some slices of spiced apple and nuts topped by a scoop of icecream of your choice with a dash of nutmeg... YUMMM!!! Spiced apple slices are the simplest thing to make too..

Who would have thought you can have a 3-course meal of apples!!! Anyway, that's the happy ending of my story!...My husband for one is relieved that he doesn't have to bunk them out.. He soo hates that :)

Spiced Apple Chutney

3-4 sweet, ripe apples (any kind you like) - peeled and chopped, makes about 2 cups
1 medium onion chopped fine
1 tp minced ginger
3/4 cup white sugar; If you prefer brown sugar use 1 cup
1 tp salt
1.5 tp all spice
3 red chillies; I use 2 spicy ones and 1 milder one with more color
1 T Jaggery
1.5 T Rum
1 cup cider vinegar or rice wine vinegar
1 cup water

Mix all ingredients except the rum in a heavy bottomed pan and bring to a boil. Then keep heating on medium till the sauce thickens, stirring occasionally to prevent sticking. As the apples cook, you can mash some of them and leave some in chunks to get a salsa like texture. Once the sauce gets thickened, add the rum. Heat on low for 5 more minutes and the chutney is ready.

The rum and jaggery are my twists to the recipe. I find that the rum not only tempers the spice and vinegary taste but adds its own giddy flavor to the chutney. And the jaggery is a great balance for the vinegar and gives a lovely rich color to the chutney. You can ofcourse leave out the liqour if you prefer.

Spoon the hot chutney into containers, seal and let cool. Store in a cool place but once you open the jar, store in the refrigerator...