My father lived in India with his parents from the age of five to twelve, so my grandmother incorporated some Indian flavors into her cooking now and then. Mango chutney is one of the first condiments I ever played around with as a kid. I can remember mixing it with mustard to serve on plain chicken when I was barely six years old. That was an early aha moment for me: recognizing that I could do something to enhance a meal.
I serve this confiture with Seared Marinated Flat Iron Steak and Long-Cooked Green Beans in the summer, but because it uses canned tomatoes, you can make it year-round. Spread it on a sandwich or serve it as a savory accompaniment to a cheese course. It’s also a great alternative for ketchup and one of my favorite ingredients to have on hand or give as a gift.
Ingredients
- 0.76 cup extra-virgin olive oil
- ½ cup finely minced yellow onion
- 0.125 cup minced shallot
- 6 cloves garlic, thinly sliced
- ½ teaspoon toasted and ground cumin seeds
- ½ teaspoon toasted and ground coriander seeds
- 0.125 teaspoon red chile flakes
- 0.125 teaspoon orange zest
- 0.125 teaspoon fennel pollen or toasted and ground fennel seeds
- 2 teaspoons salt
- ½ teaspoon freshly ground black pepper
- 2 teaspoons brown mustard seeds
- 2 teaspoons yellow mustard seeds
- 3 tablespoons tomato paste (preferably Italian)
- 0.125 cup packed light or dark brown sugar
- 0.125 cup sherry vinegar
- 3 cups canned diced tomatoes (see Note), drained
- In a 4-quart nonreactive saucepan, heat the oil over medium heat. Add the onion, shallot, and garlic and sweat until translucent, 2 to 3 minutes. Add the cumin, coriander, chile flakes, orange zest, fennel pollen, salt, pepper, and the brown and yellow mustard seeds and cook, stirring frequently to ensure the garlic does not burn, until the mustard seeds begin to pop, about 1 more minute. Add the tomato paste and cook, stirring, until the oil starts to separate, about 30 seconds. Add the sugar and cook until completely melted and bubbling, about 1 minute. Add the vinegar, stir to combine, and allow the mixture to bubble for about 30 seconds, until it looks uniform.
- Add the tomatoes, turn down the heat to low, and continue to cook, stirring frequently to avoid scorching, until the confiture has deepened in color and flavor, 25 to 30 minutes. Taste throughout the cooking and turn off the heat before the sugars burn (add 1 tablespoon water if the mixture starts to stick to the pan). Taste and adjust for vinegar or spice level if needed.
- The confiture will keep in an airtight container in the refrigerator for up to 10 days. Bring to room temperature or warm gently before serving.
