Citrus of the Month Club

You probably thought that the citrus madness ended with my last lemon post. Hah!

While it was the last post on lemons, other citrus fruits have found their way to my door, with heartfelt pleas to "take all you want!" and "please take more!"

Last weekend, our friend Ruth stopped by between errands with armloads of sweet, juicy grapefruit, and two bags of kumquats - I can't even begin to tell you how many of those little golden fruits were there. It would be like guessing how many jelly beans are in a jar at the county fair.

We accepted half a dozen grapefruit for Mark, who has a special fondness for them. After tasting the two very different varieties of kumquats, I greedily snatched one bag and starting scheming.

I chose the sweeter of the two types, as I like to eat them whole, but also felt they would be great for a chutney I have been making these past years.

And that is today's recipe. Kumquat-ginger chutney. If you want to make just one jar, divide this recipe into sixths - it works well on a small scale. (Check out the video below the recipe for my method for slicing the kumquats and leaving the seeds!)

If you have leftover fruits, sweet kumquat slices make a beautiful cake garnish, and add a pleasant zing to salads. A couple of years ago, I candied them with rosemary. Of course, we simply eat them out-of-hand too, skin and all. Tell me: how do you use kumquats?

~ David


Kumquat-Ginger Chutney

3 cups sugar
1 1/2 cups apple cider vinegar
1 1/2 cups chopped crystallized ginger - about 7 ounces
1 tablespoon curry powder
2 1/2 pounds kumquats, thinly sliced and seeded kumquats
2 teaspoons cracked black pepper
1 1/2 cup chopped fresh cilantro

Bring sugar, vinegar, ginger, curry, cracked black pepper and kumquats to a boil in a large heavy-bottomed kettle over medium-high heat. Cook until thickened and darkened, about 10-12 minutes. Add cilantro, and boil for another minute.

Divide chutney among sterilized canning jars. Cover and seal in a hot water bath for 10 minutes.

Serve on a charcuterie board of crackers, breads, cheeses, and cured meats, or with simple grilled chicken or pork.

Makes 6 1/2-pint jars.


Here is how to slice a kumquat! If you cannot see the video clip here, please click HERE



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