Does anyone know the difference between chutney and relish?
I have tended to use the terms interchangeably, but with a preference for ‘relish’ since I think the double meaning is rather fitting; I certainly take delight in eating it. I have always called this recipe a relish, but before posting it I wanted to check that I was using the right term.
I started by looking in the River Cottage Handbook No.2: Preserves by Pam Corbin. She begins by explaining that we “learnt about chutney-making from our Indian colonies in the nineteenth century, and authentic Indian chutneys are usually fresh preparations served with spicy foods”. So far so good, on this point I can find a general consensus. She continues,
The British interpretation of chutney is rather different: rich, highly spiced, sweet-sharp preserves, based on vegetables and fruit which are chopped small and cooked for a long time to create a spoonable consistency and mellow flavour.
Relishes she defines as sitting somewhere between pickles and chutneys,
these are made from diced or chunkily cut fruit and vegetables but they are cooked for a shorter time than a chutney. They can be spicy, sweet, sour (or all three), may be eaten soon after making and should be kept in the fridge once opened.
At this point my recipe is sitting somewhere between the two; my fruit and vegetables are cut to unspecified and varying sizes, cooked for a long time to create a spoonable (if by that she means thick) consistency, but with a flavour that is far from mellow (yes, all three). It may be eaten soon after making (I dare you to resist) but is better after two months maturing in a cool, dark place. Despite this, it ought to be kept in the fridge once opened. Hmm.
Larousse Gastronomique is less concerned with the size of the fruit or vegetables, “Some chutneys are reduced to a pulp; others retain recognizable pieces of their ingredients” and describes the texture as 'syrupy'. I am relieved when I read that “Chutney is served as a condiment or relish”, surely this attests to the synonymous nature of the words? This relief turns to elation when I read the definition for relish,
A highly flavoured condiment which resembles chutney, usually with a hot or piquant flavour ... A relish may take many forms; for example; it may be a sweet-and-sour puree made from sour fruits and vegetables, with the addition of small pickled onions, guerkins and spices (such as ginger, chilli pepper, cinnamon, white pepper, cloves and nutmeg), simmered with soft brown (coffee) sugar and vinegar. [my emphasis]
Hurrah! Not only does this suggest that the words are interchangeable, but it is bordering on providing a description of this very recipe.
Conclusion: I’m going to stick with relish.
Ingredients
Method
Heat the olive oil over a low heat in a large heavy-bottomed saucepan. Add the onions and garlic, stir and cover. Sweat until soft and translucent (approximately 5 minutes), stirring occasionally.
Turn the heat up to medium, add the tomatoes (tinned and fresh) and simmer for 20 to 30 minutes. Add the sugar and vinegar and leave to simmer on a low heat for at least two hours, stirring occasionally. When it is just starting to thicken, add the ground coriander, coriander root, paprika, cayenne pepper, ginger and a little of the red and green chilli. Stir and check for seasoning then add more chilli if it is not spicy enough; be careful not to let the chilli overpower, it should just provide a little background heat.
Season with salt and freshly ground black pepper, add the dill gherkins and cook until it has reached a thick and spreadable consistency with soft chunks. Add the coriander, stir and remove from the heat.
Spoon into sterilised jars while it is still warm, cover with a little olive oil and screw the lid on tightly.
Makes approximately 1700ml (about 8 small jars).
This recipe is at it's best after a month or two, so if you make it now your relish should be about right at Christmas time. It makes a great gift when you have lots of extended family to buy for and need to be reasonably thrifty, and people are always really appreciative that you have made something yourself.
My preference is to serve the relish with strongly flavoured cheeses, such as a mature cheddar or potent blue, but it also goes well with cold meats or on burgers.