Grilling with Sweet Cherry Chutney

Grilling with Sweet Cherry Chutney
Author: 
Recipe type: Main Dish
 
Cherries are in season at the Oakmont Farmers Market, and eating them fresh from the market is always a treat. But don't ignore all the many possibilities of enjoying this seasonal fruit. This recipe for a cooked chutney goes perfectly with grilled chicken, lamb, pork and even beef and bison (available from Lindenhof Farm, Hill Acres Pride and Backyard Bison). Sweet chutneys are a classic and rather Medieval sauce for meats; the sauces that follow this – the basil, herb, and arugula pesto – would be perfect with grilled meats as well as fish.
Ingredients
  • 25-30 sweet cherries (about a pint) -- washed, dried and pitted
  • ½ cup red wine vinegar
  • ⅓ cup of water
  • ½ teaspoon finely minced ginger
  • ⅓ teaspoon crushed garlic, (or paste)
  • 3-5 tablespoons of sugar
  • ¼ teaspoon of salt
  • 1 dried red chili, sliced
Instructions
  1. Boil the vinegar and water in a pan and add the ginger, garlic and red chili.
  2. If you prefer less heat, use less chili.
  3. Once the mixture starts to boil, add the cherries and immediately reduce the heat to a simmer.
  4. Add the salt and sugar to taste, but do not over-sweeten. (The cherries are sweet already -- it's the vinegar you are balancing.)
  5. Let it cook on low to medium heat until the cherries soak up all the liquid and are soft. Remove from the heat, transfer to a dish and let cool to room temperature.
  6. For the meat, grill as you like, but it always helps to baste lightly with olive oil as it cooks.
  7. Grill over a low to medium heat with the cover down but vented.
  8. Serve the grilled meat with a generous dollop of the chutney for a wonderful summer meal!