3 ways to make feijoa chutney
A feijoa glut doesn’t have to mean a predictable chutney. Add some warm spices, keep it classic, or try a skins-on variety.
1. Chunky Monkey Feijoa Chutney
Most of the hard work is done during the soaking phase. The flavours seep in overnight to create the beautiful flavour, wickedly satisfying texture and aroma. Recipe by Kristina Jensen
Makes: 4-5 x 400g jars (approximately)
Time: 3-3.5 hours hours (plus resting overnight)
INGREDIENTS
1kg feijoa (approx. 30-40 fruit, depending on size)
2 onions, chopped
1 small lemon, zest and juice
2 fresh red chillies
1½ cups brown sugar
2 tsp garlic salt
½ cup red wine vinegar
1 tbsp sesame oil
1 tsp cardamom powdered
1 tsp cumin seeds
METHOD
The night before you make the chutney, top and tail the feijoas, cut them in half, then into quarters, then into 7-8 slices.
Place in a large casserole that has a lid (or use a roasting dish, covered with tinfoil) to keep the moisture in. Add the onion, lemon zest and juice. Chop the chillies finely (de-seed them if you wish) and add them, followed by the rest of the ingredients. Stir, cover, then let it sit overnight.
The next morning, place the casserole or dish in a pre-heated oven (180°C) and cook for 2-3 hours. Stir every half an hour. It will thicken and turn a dark-brown caramel colour.
Pour into sterilised jars and seal with sterilised lids. Keep it hidden in a cool, dark place for a couple of weeks to let the flavours really meld into each other.
2. Classic Feijoa Chutney
This feijoa chutney recipe is incredibly good with pork. Recipe by Kristina Jensen.
Makes 2.5 litres
INGREDIENTS
1kg Granny Smith apples, peeled, cored and chopped
500g rhubarb, chopped into chunks
700g whole feijoas (peel them if you don’t like the skins)
1kg soft brown sugar
1 cup raisins
½ cup prunes, chopped
600ml white wine vinegar
½ tsp ground mace
½ tsp cayenne pepper or chilli powder
½ tsp ground cloves
1 tsp ground ginger
1 tsp salt
1 tsp cracked pepper
1 tsp mustard seeds
METHOD
Combine all ingredients in a large heavy-bottomed saucepan and stir over a medium heat until sugar dissolves. Simmer for 1½ hours, stirring occasionally until the chutney gets really thick. Ladle into hot sterilised jars, then seal with sterilised lids. Store in a cool dark place for a month before opening. Keeps for up to 12 months. Refrigerate after opening.
3. Spiced Roast Feijoa and Cardamom Chutney
The roasting process and the mix of spices makes this an unusual chutney, with a nice smoky flavour thanks to the cardamom. The spices are well worth hunting out, at specialist food stores or online. Recipe by Jenny Garing.
Makes: 10-12 x 300ml jars
Time: 4 hours (not including waiting time)
INGREDIENTS
2kg feijoas, bud cut off, halved
500g red onions, halved
3 large lemons
4 large green chillies
600g white sugar
3 tsp salt
150ml apple cider vinegar
1 piece of cassia bark or quill
4 green cardamom pods
4 black cardamom pods
1 tsp chilli flakes
METHOD
The night before you make the chutney, put your feijoas (skins and all) in a food processor and whizz them up until you have a lumpy mix, not a puree. You’ll need to do it in batches for this amount of feijoas.
Do the same with the red onions and the lemons – cut the lemons in half and flick out the pips before you whizz them.
Remove the stems and seeds from the green chillies and slice finely. Mix the sludge of feijoas, lemons, onions, and the chillies in a large bowl. Add the salt and vinegar and mix slightly, then add the sugar. Cover the bowl and leave it on the bench overnight.
The next day, preheat the oven to 180°C. Give the mixture in the bowl a good stir, then add the cassia, cardamom, and chilli flakes. Pour this into a large roasting dish and cook for 2-3 hours. Stir it every half hour or so. It is cooked when the mixture is reddish-brown and most of the moisture has evaporated.
Take out the cassia quill and cardamom pods. Pour the chutney into clean jars, seal, and leave for at least a week for the flavours to settle and meld. It should keep for at least a year in a cool place.
OTHER FEIJOA COOKING IDEAS
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This article first appeared in NZ Lifestyle Block Magazine.
