2009 September 29 | dinner with Julie

Archive for September 29th, 2009

Grilled Pork Tenderloin with Pear Chutney

I’m in full Christmas mode, finishing up a piece for the holiday issue of Parents Canada magazine. I actually pulled up Bing and Bowie in order to jolt my brain into writing something sufficiently holiday-spirited, then baked gingerbread. (Upside-down Pear Gingerbread – remember it? The one that apparently caused a run on molasses in Jakarta? Oh yes, ’tis almost the season!)

But since they frown on eating cake for dinner, I thawed some of that pork. (I may just start throwing the shrinkwrapped tenderloins in W’s bathtub to thaw in the evenings – they’d make fine sea monsters for his pirate ship.) Tenderloin #1 was hastily rubbed with a dry barbecue rub I had on my shelf and grilled. Bam.

And really in the end the pork was just a mode of delivery for the pear chutney, which I’m quite enamoured with. It’s from Well Preserved by Mary Anne Dragan, a newly re-released cookbook I’ve had on my shelf for years (I do love the new makeover though!) and reference quite often when I’m in the mood to put stuff up in jars. If you’re looking to do something with all those pears, here’s just the thing. It may just oust the cranberry sauce from our Thanksgiving table this year.

(Please note: as you may be able to tell from this photo, I forgot it on the stovetop and nearly candied it. I had to add a bit of water just to coax it back into something remotely chutneylike. It was still fabulous.)

Pear Chutney

The author suggests serving this chutney alongside roast chicken, turkey or pork, stirred into curries, or spooned over baked squash or sweet potato. (Sounds just about perfect for Thanksgiving to me.) Reprinted (with permission) from Well Preserved, Small Batch Preserving for the New Cook (Whitecap).

6 cups chopped pears, peeled or not
1 cup chopped apple
1/2 cup finely chopped onion
1/2 cup finely chopped red bell pepper
3/4 cup dark raisins
1/2 cup chopped candied ginger
2 cups brown sugar
3/4 cup cider vinegar
finely grated zest and juice of 1 lemon
1 Tbsp. mustard seeds
2 tsp. dried chili flakes
1 tsp. salt
1/2 tsp. nutmeg
1/2 tsp. cloves

Prepare the preserving jars according to package directions. (For me, this means wash them. I like giving them a run through the dishwasher, so they come out clean and hot – when you ladle in the hot preserves, they seal perfectly as they cool.)

Combine all the ingredients in your preserving pot. Bring to a boil over medium heat, stirring occasionally. Simmer, stirring often, until the pears are tender and the mixture has thickened, about 1 hour.

Remove from the heat. Ladle the chutney into hot, sterilized jars, leaving a 1/2 inch head space. Wipe the rims clean. Seal according to manufacturer’s directions. Process the jars in a boiling water bath for 10 minutes. (Or not.)

Makes about five to six 8 oz. (250 mL) jars.