Rhubarb Chutney

Sunday morning's compote was a zesty way to kick off my week of cooking with rhubarb. I didn't need to look at a recipe, I just tossed everything together and it was done when it was done. The down side for me was not learning anything new. Although I had never combined rhubarb with orange, I wanted to broaden my experience even further. I needed to put on my detective cap and sniff out some new ideas.

After dinner on Sunday I plopped down with my trusted laptop and began combing the internet for further rhubarb recipe inspiration. I was looking for ideas that fit two criteria - no baking and no strawberries. Those that have cooked with rhubarb before may appreciate that my criteria significantly reduced the number of possible recipes. Fortunately there were some good ideas to be found. If you follow the Our Lady of Second Helpings Pinterest Boards you may have noticed a selection of the recipes I discovered. The search also started my brain chewing on ideas for things I didn't find, but those are still brewing so you'll have to keep reading (see how I did that, there?).

I was most intrigued by a selection of recipes on marthastewart.com, where I found a collection of 43 ways to use this tart and tangy fruit (it's really a vegetable but the government has classified it as a fruit). Most of them were quickly tossed out based on my criteria. I did linger over two recipes, both for chutney. Together they triggered the "a-ha" moment I was searching for.

The next afternoon, I chose the chutney recipe that most matched what I already had in my kitchen, and with a few minor adjustments it all came together fairly simply. While the site suggests serving this chutney with ham, we were just as happy to spoon it over juicy slices of roast chicken.

The finished product was sweeter than most of the chutneys I have had before. It maintained its balance courtesy of the tartness of the rhubarb and the tang of vinegar. The increased sweetness may have been due to my modifications of the ingredients. These included using cider vinegar in place of dry sherry and the addition of orange zest (we have a lot of oranges in the house at the moment).

The best part about this recipe was the amount left over. It really did make a large volume if you consider that it is actually a condiment. As the week continues I am looking forward to enjoying a few more meals with a side of rhubarb chutney.

Rhubarb Chutney

Ingredients

• 1 tablespoon of olive oil
• 1 ½ - 2 cups of diced white onion
• 1 lb or 4-5 cups of rhubarb chopped into ½ inch pieces
• ½ cup of raisins
• ¼ cup Splenda Brown Sugar Blend
• 1 tablespoon finely minced fresh ginger (peeled)
• 1 cinnamon stick
• 1 tablespoon cider vinegar
• 1 teaspoon orange zest

1. Heat the oil in a large sauce pan (3 quart pot worked well) over medium high heat. Add onions and allow them to soften and become translucent.
2. When the onions are softened add the rhubarb, raisins, sugar, ginger, and cinnamon stick.
3. Allow to cook about five minutes stirring frequently so the sugar doesn't burn. When the rhubarb begins to soften add the vinegar and orange zest. Continue to stir frequently until the rhubarb begins to breakdown and everything begins to mix together.

Serve warm with roasted meat or as a condiment on a sandwich or wrap.

Nutrition Information precise values are dependent upon the number of servings and exact volume of ingredients used. 8 Servings: 85 calories, 2 g. fat, 16 g. carbs, 2 g. fiber, 1 g. protein, PP= 2