Rhubarb Chutney

Rhubarb Chutney is a spring time staple here in our restaurant. Because Rhubarb is in season weeks before the strawberries that accompany it in that wonderful pie, I wanted to use it in other ways. Rhubarb Collins is a pretty pink gin drink we make yearly around Mother’s Day and Rhubarb Chutney accompanies the Cheese Board and our Roast Chicken.

Unlike some chutney that needs to cook for hours to meld the vinegar and sugar and fruit flavours, this is a quick recipe. In fact you have to be careful not to over-cook, as rhubarb can too easily reduce to mush. Celery in the recipe is a little culinary sleight of hand: the shape and crunch mimic that of raw rhubarb. Dried cranberries can be replaced with other dried fruits such as dried cherries to help keep the pretty pink colour and add texture and flavour. I love the way mustard seeds swell in chutneys and vinaigrettes yet still pop and crunch in your mouth. Orange works well with rhubarb and we’ve added orange zest and juice to Rhubarb Crisp. Locally here in the Hudson Valley we’ve purchased rhubarb from Wilklow Orchard in Highland and from some of our guests who grow more than they can use.

Rhubarb Chutney

6lbs Rhubarb,

¾ Cup Sugar

1 ½ Cups Widmark Clover Honey

1 ½ Cups Dried Cranberries

1 ½ Cups Red Wine Vinegar

¼ Cup Red Wine

2 Tablespoons Yellow Mustard Seeds

1 Tablespoon Diamond Kosher Salt

¼ Teaspoon Cinnamon

¼ Teaspoon Allspice

¼ Teaspoon Cayenne

1 ½ Cups finely diced Pine Island Red Onion

2 ½ cups Celery (1/2” slices)

2 Tablespoons Grated Orange Zest

2 tablespoons minced Jalapeno

3 tablespoons Lime Juice

Trim the rhubarb, cut into ½” and place in a bowl

Sprinkle with the sugar and macerate for 30 minutes

In a large heavy bottomed pot, cook the honey, cranberries, vinegar, red wine, mustard seeds, salt and spices over medium heat until thick and syrup-like

Add red onion & celery and cook for a few minutes.

Add rhubarb and sugar and cook for ten minutes stirring frequently.

Chutney is done when rhubarb is just breaking down but not mushy.

Add orange zest and jalapeno and stir to heat through.

Chutney is best served at room temperature

Store in refrigerator – keeps for weeks

Makes 3 qts