Season’s Finest Savory Italian Plum Chutney

The Italian plums are filling the markets and road stands. It’s a cue that the season is beginning to change.

And while I love to eat them whole, add them to ice cream, or make a favorite skillet plum cake, I have a years-long tradition that first must be kept.

It’s a Labor Day tradition my mom and I started years and years ago. We started with a Martha Stewart recipe and as happens, over the years, tweaked it until it became what it is today. Perfect for us.

A delicious condiment or sauce for virtually any meat; chicken, pork tenderloin, beef, and fish. I love to use this at Thanksgiving and even Christmas. A savory addition, perfect for the season.

Ingredients

1 cup sugar
1 cup brown sugar
3/4 cup cider vinegar
1 cup seedless golden raisins
1/4 cup slivered candied ginger
2 garlic cloves, slivered
1/2 cup medium red onion, sliced
2 teaspoons salt
1 teaspoon crushed red pepper flakes
1 teaspoon cumin
1 1/2 teaspoon mustard seeds
20 Italian plums, pitted and quartered

Preparation

To a large skillet, add sugar, brown sugar, and cider vinegar and bring to a boil.

Stir in the raisins, ginger, garlic, onion and spices. Add the quartered plums.

Bring to a boil and quick reduce heat to a gentle simmer. Cook 50 minutes, stirring frequently.

Allow to cool and pour into glass sterilized containers. You can seal, store in the refrigerator in an air-tight container for about a month, or put into small freezer bags for later use.