Recipe: Spicy Tart Cherry Chutney (using fresh or frozen cherries)

SPICY TART CHERRY CHUTNEY

1 navel orange
3 cups fresh or frozen pitted tart cherries (about 2 pints picked-over fresh cherries)
1 cup chopped onions
1/2 cup chopped green bell pepper
1/2 cup chopped red bell pepper
1/3 cup packed brown sugar
1/4 cup balsamic vinegar
2 teaspoons minced peeled ginger
1/4 teaspoon hot red pepper flakes
1/2 teaspoon ground cardamom
1/2 teaspoon dried mint, crumbled
1/4 teaspoon ground allspice
1/2 teaspoon salt

With vegetable peeler, remove 2 (2-inch) strips orange zest and cut into fine julienne strips. Reserve orange for another use.

In heavy saucepan, stir together orange zest, cherries, onions, bell peppers, brown sugar, vinegar, ginger, red pepper flakes, cardamom, mint, allspice and salt. Bring to boil. Simmer, stirring occasionally (stir more frequently toward end of cooking), until thickened and syrupy, about 50 minutes. Cool chutney.

Covered and refrigerated, chutney will keep 3 weeks.

Makes about 1 1/2 cups
Adapted from source: Gourmet magazine, from the Winston-Salem Journal, July 5, 2000