autumn in the cheese world means Apple Chutney
Autumn apple chutney loves aged cheese as much you do.
It’s Halloween week. Which means for cheese and candy freaks out there, it’s time to pair peanut butter cups with a wedge of cheese (check out this video for the down low). But for others, the last week of October means a little something different. Crisp heirloom apples are at their tastiest and pears are just slipping into the market, meaning, it is time to introduce fall fruits to cheese!
An extremely social animal, cheese loves hanging out with others, especially at seasonal parties. And if you’re anything like me and have an abundance of apples on your counter that you couldn’t resist because they were stacked so prettily at the farmer’s market, you’ll probably need to do something with them, quick. Especially if your power has been out for days and you can’t refrigerate them (thanks, PG&E).
Most times when people think cheese pairing, they think sweet things- honey, jams, and dried fruit. But cheese adores savory things like onions, mustard seed, and a little bit of acid, too. They cut through a cheese’s butterfat, and can stand up to stronger flavors in aged wedges.
Meet fall apple chutney, one of cheese's closest acquaintances.
This chutney recipe is classic- sweet, tart, savory, and according to a friend’s English father, darn good (yes, I went there. I made an Englishman taste the chutney). Cutting through butterfat like a knife, and offering just a little bit of sugar that makes the cheese taste even more meaty, chutney also loves aged cheeses. Serve with an aged, full-bodied cheese like Manchego, a farmhouse cheddar, or pecorino, give away little jars away to visiting friends!
Fall Apple Chutney
3/4 pounds granny smith or other tart variety apple, peeled, and finely diced
1/2 pound yellow onions, finely diced
1/2 cup raisins
1/2 cup apple cider vinegar
1 tablespoons mustard seed, black and yellow
1 allspice seed
2 cloves
3 cardamom pods
2 pieces star anise
Combine the apples, onions, raisins, vinegar, and mustard in a heavy bottomed pot. Bring to a boil. Lower heat to simmer. Tie the dried spices in a cheesecloth and add to the pot. Let simmer for two hours until everything is soft and most the liquid has evaporated. Let come to room temperature, and remove the cheesecloth before serving