Figchutney

Christmas is coming closer and closer. Holly time 
I really do like this time - if only it wouldn't be such stressfull at work. All the "end-of-year"-stuff that had to be done before Christmas. 
This year I did not even had the time to make a stop at the christmasmarket of even going to the city.

Luckely I don't wait till the last time to go for presents, I kept my eyes open trought the whole last 5 month, made it much quiter and easier around

Once when being at a congress in "Murten" (city in the middle centre of Switzerland) and using the free afternoon to walk around in the little, cute center of the city,  I entered a little store with all kind of special spices, gravys, snacks, mustard from Texas -wow! I was immediatly caught about the variousity and I knew that I would find some presents - and not even planing it before.    - That's the way I mostly get a present. The unexpected ones are the best.....

This year I had the idea to make a homemade present for every couple sitting at the decorated table, placed in front of theire plate.

The idea was pretty easy found, a chutney. 

I bought all the needed ingredients and filled the kitchen with a great spicy-sweet-taste in the air.

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Figchutney

Cooking time: 40 Min. incl. cooling down

Ingredients:

2 Persons

For two Glasses (400ml)
8 fresh Figs or dried ones
1 knob piece of ginger
1 garlicknob
300 g Onions, chopped
80 g tried apricots
2 Cardamons
1 Tbsp. oil
1 staranis
70 g sugar
2 Tbsp. whitwine vinegar
250 ml red wine (or if you prefer balsamico)
Salt
fresh grounded black pepper

Direction:

1 Rinse figs, pat dry, peel and dice. Peel and chop ginger and garlic. Peel the onions. Dice along with the apricot. Crush cardamom pods.

2 Heat oil in a pot. Fry ginger, garlic, star anise and cardamom. Add onions and apricots and cook about 3 minutes. Pour vinegar and wine. Let simmer all together while stirring for about 15 minutes.

3 Add Figs and cook for a further 3 minutes, mix or puree everything trough (not if you desire chunchy bites). Allow Chutney to cool a little bit  and season with salt and pepper. Immediately fill in jars and seal. 

The chutney with fresh figs will be good for about 2 weeks, stored in the fridge. The chutney stay's longer good if you use dried figs. 

It is especially good with vegan meat and cheese.