fig chutney

While I was in Hawaii, I had some time to look through different cookbooks.

I also had some time to borrow a couple of books from the library.

One called "Paradise Preserves" by Yvonne Neely Armitage had all sorts of interesting recipes.

A particular recipe that stood out was her recipe for "Fig Chutney".

This past week, the weather was crazy humid and hot, but I still managed to make a batch of this chutney.

I had to ad-lib here and there, I've put what I did in parentheses:

Fig Chutney adapted from "Paradise Preserves"

2.5 cups diced ripe figs (8 ripe figs, chopped (about 3.5 cups))
1/2 cup raisins (used dried cherries)
1/4 cup chopped crystallized ginger
1 cup brown sugar (used 1/2 cup brown sugar + 1/2 cup raw turbinado sugar)
1 cup cider vinegar (about a tablespoon of rice vinegar and the rest to make a cup using cider vinegar)
1/2 lemon, peeled, seeded, chopped fine (1 lemon, zested and juiced)
1 clove garlic, minced
pinch cayenne
spice bundle in cheesecloth: 1 cinnamon stick, pinch nutmeg, 6 allspice berries, 6 cloves (in tea bag: 1/8 teaspoon nutmeg, 1/8 teaspoon allspice, 6 cloves, 1 cinnamon stick)
1 tablespoon chili powder (7/8 teaspoon chili powder)

Bring sugar & vinegar to a boil
Add all ingredients
Return to a boil
Reduce heat and stir often
Continue cooking until mixture becomes very thick (about 1.25 to 2 hours)
Discard spice bundle
Pour into sterilized jars
Let cool
Refrigerate and let mellow several days before serving

NOTES: I wasn't too sure what to do with the lemon, so instead I zested it and juiced it.

I shouldn't have added the 1/2 cup raw turbinado sugar because my cider vinegar actually had some honey added to it.

The chutney came out a little sweeter than I expected, but it was still quite delicious with a steak.

I would make this again.