Rhubarb and Red Onion Chutney

Confession: I will never be a vegan because it would mean I'd have to give up cheese.

I love cheese. All kinds of cheese. Hard cheeses, stinky cheeses, soft and spreadable mild cheeses. If it's cheese, I'll eat it. But you can't just go around eating cheese all day and nothing else, can you? So I've found creative excuses to eat more cheese, like making a chutney and buying a loaf of crusty bread. Cheese, fruit, bread - now THAT's a balanced meal. I'm only kind-of kidding.

My CSA farmer, Mark, had some absolutely gorgeous rhubarb this week,



so I decided to try a new recipe for a sweet, tart and surprisingly bold Rhubarb and Red Onion Chutney that I found here.

As far as recipes go, this could not be more simple. Chop up your rhubarb and onions, throw them in a pot with the other ingredients and simmer until it looks right. And the smell! Wow! The onion and ginger take over your entire kitchen - but press on, my friend - the end result is definitely worth the temporary olfactory overload.

I doubled the recipe to have enough to eat, share and freeze.

Rhubarb & Red Onion Chutney

1 lb rhubarb, cut into 1-inch pieces
1 red onion, roughly chopped
1/2 cup prunes (or raisins), roughly chopped
1-inch piece of ginger, grated
1/2 cup sugar
1/4 cup red wine vinegar

Toss all the ingredients in a large pot over medium heat.



Simmer for about 1 hour, until all the ingredients have mushed together to form a mostly smooth texture (a few lumps and chunks are ok).

Remove from heat and let cool. Spoon into a few jars and store in refrigerator for up to a week* or the freezer for up to 6 months.

Hmmm, what to do with this delectable tangy concoction? I think a panini is in order! I took a piece of rustic ciabatta, a slice of havarti**, a schmear of chutney and some freshly cracked pepper and threw it on the panini press. Hello, heaven!

*This will probably keep much longer than a week in the fridge.
**Havarti? Sure. But you can pick your poison - goat cheese, a sharp white cheddar, a bit of bleu if you're feeling adventurous, or maybe a combination?

Mark told me he harvests his rhubarb in such a way that it keeps coming back all season. Do you have a favorite rhubarb recipe you'd like to share? If so, leave it in the comments, won't you?