Fig chutney

From our neighbours Albert and Marilou we got loads of figs! So we have decided to make a fig chutney.
The recipe is from an American foodblogger, David Lebovitz, and I've changed it a bit.

This quantity is for 500 grams; I used 1 kilo, which yields 3 jars of chutney.

Shopping list:

1 tablespoon sunflower oil

1 large red onion, peeled and finely chopped

2 centimeters fresh ginger, peeled and finely chopped

120 grams soft brown sugar

125 ml (apple cider) vinegar

Juice and zest of 1 lemon

1 apple (optional)

100 grams raisins or other dried fruit (if using high-quality raisins, there is no need to soak them)

1.5 teaspoons mustard seeds

1 small cinnamon stick

Pinch of salt

Pinch of ground cloves (I didn't have any, but star anise worked fine)

Pinch of finely ground red chili pepper or hot paprika powder

500 grams fresh figs (remove stems and cut into pieces)

How to make it:

Heat the oil in a large pan over medium-high heat. Sauté the onions, stirring constantly, until they are translucent. This takes about ten minutes.

Add the remaining ingredients, except for the figs. Let the mixture simmer for about twenty minutes, then add the figs and cover the pan with a lid. Cook the figs for another five to ten minutes until they are soft and tender. Be sure to taste it along the way!

Remove the lid and cook for another five to ten minutes over low heat, stirring continuously. The chutney should now have thickened to a jam-like consistency.

Transfer the chutney into sterilized jars, turn them upside down, and let them cool.

Bon appétit!

Home made tomato tappenade

 A delicious dip, and tastier when you make it yourself.

Shopping list:

1 Jar of sun-dried tomatoes

A piece of Parmesan cheese, about 40 grams

A little basil (a few leaves)

Pine nuts (2 tablespoons roasted in a dry frying pan)

Garlic, about 2 cloves

A little pepper (I omitted salt because the cheese is salty enough)

Optionally, extra olive oil

How to prepare it:

First, roast the pine nuts; stay close by because they burn quickly... and in a dry frying pan.

Put the tomatoes in a blender/immersion blender or whatever you have; scoop them out of the jar and save the oil, as that will be added later.

Then add the rest.

Mix everything together with the oil until you have a kind of spread; taste it first before serving.

You can eat it with breadsticks, but if you run out crisps or nacho's will do the job too !

Delicious with breadsticks (but also with chips 😉) Success guaranteed!

Tagine with drumsticks