Honey Rhubarb Chutney

"Like any good marriage you need to balance a little tartness with sweetness."

 ~valarie

I think this Honey Rhubarb Chutney does just that.

Here in the north east rhubarb is emerging with valiant green leaves, that our toxic to eat, but do a noble job at protecting crisp red stocks. We have grown accustom to cooking with this fruit, (fruit in the US, vegetable in other countries) adding it to such comfort foods as strawberry pie.

Today I harvested my first stalk. I munched on it right in the garden, with Barley and Frodo by my side. It's not the first thing I've harvest from the garden, chives and mint came first.  However, it's the first to get my cooking gene going . . .

I'm in hopes that our pending freeze alert runs away like scaredy pants, so that we'll have bunches of rhubarb to harvest in the next couple of weeks. In the meantime, I remembered tonight that I had some frozen from last years crop, so I created this chutney recipe. I served it with roasted rosemary chicken breast and brown rice medley, but pork-loin roast or chops would be good. I'm also betting it would make a bowl of vanilla ice cream come alive.

Ingredients
2 to 2-1/2 cups, Rhubarb trimmed, cut into 1/2" pieces
1/4 Onion, chopped
1/4 cup dried Tart Montmorency Cherries (got mine at Costco). Cut in half if you prefer smaller pieces.
1 Tbs Tomatillo Sala (aka verde salsa)
1/8 tsp Cayenne Pepper
1/4 tsp Ginger Root, freshly grated
1 Tbs tablespoon Bragg Organic Raw Apple Cider Vinegar
1 clove Garlic, pressed or finely chopped
1/4 cup water (if frozen rhubarb is used, skip the water)
1/3 cup honey from Heavenly Honey (I used crystallized because that was handy, but liquid is fine too)

Instructions
Mix all ingredients in a saucepan, except the honey. Lightly boil over medium heat about 10 minutes until you see some of the water reducing, and the rhubarb chunks breaking down. Lower heat to a simmer, cook for about 15 to 20 minutes. When it looks like applesauce consistency. Turn off the heat, and stir in the honey.  Leave uncovered while it cools. Serve. Refrigerate leftovers.

Makes about 2-1/4 cups.

Servings
6 (about 1/3 cup ea)

Nutritional Information (keyed everything into an online recipe maker--hope it's correct)
(based on 1 serving)

Calorie . . . 85
Carbs . . . . 24
Fat . . . . . .  0
Protein . . .  1
Fiber . . . .   2

(If you copy or repost this recipe please give credit to me via my website Heavenly Honey Apiary at www.vtbeekeeper.com or this blog link--Thank you!)