Feijoa Chutney

[Lellyj]

A kindly neighbour gave me a big bag of feijoas--far too many to eat before they go off so I decided to be a domestic goddess and try and make preserves!  Oh my goodness--new territory for me.  This made two large jars and the TMX was about half full so I thnk you could double the amount in the bowl without overflowing it.


Feijoa Chutney
4 cloves, dropped onto the whirring blades at speed 8

Then add
125g onions, quarted and chop in TMX at speed 5, scrape down

Add
125g pitted dates and chop a little longer at speed 5

Then
75g raisins, and chop a few seconds more

Then add
250g of feijoas, washed, ends trimmed and sliced*
125g brown sugar
1T ground ginger
1T curry powder (I used my own made with the recipe from the vegetarian book)
1/2 tsp chilli powder (this gave a bit of a kick--add more or less to taste)
1tsp salt
250g vinegar(original recipe stated malt or white wine, but I used cider vinegar)

Cook at 100C for 60 minutes at speed 1 with the measuring cup angled in the lid.  Pour into sterilised jars.

* I actually sliced the feijoas in about 3cm rounds and then chopped them in half.  The fruit I was given was quite small.  The feijoas did not break down in the cooking process so you might prefer to chop them in the TMX a little first or puree a little after cooking to make the chutney less chunky. 

I was delighted with this chutney!  It is really spicy and interesting.  I think you could serve it as an accompaniment to a pasty or sausage roll, with cold meat (which we never eat, except at Christmas) or even with a curry, although it's not traditionally Indian.

If I can get my hands on some more jars I might make a bigger batch, or even try another recipe I found for feijoa and ginger jam.  The only problem with my first attempt is that it only used about 15 feijoas!  I always put our empty jars in the recycling--another thing i will have to change!

The original recipe came from here:  http://laughinggastronome.blogspot.com/2007/05/feijoa-chutney.html

[judydawn]

Did you see the feijoa recipes here Lellyj, the jelly recipes uses 1.5kgs and looks so simple to make.  I didn't even know what a feijoa was so had to google it - here's a picture if anyone else is interested.

[maddy]

Thanks so much Judy for the link, and Lellyj for the chutney recipe 

I have 4 trees of them, and they are absolutely loaded with young fruit!
I love eating them just as they are, but will check back for the recipes when they are ripe.
I spotted a feijoa jam & paste on RC  http://www.recipecommunity.com.au/recipes/11309/feijoa-jam.html
I will be intrigued to see how it tastes.

It is so hard to explain how they taste.....it's not for everyone, but I lOVE them!

[Lellyj]

Thanks for the links Judydawn and Maddy.  Lots of uses for feijoas there!  I have feijoa and ginger jam going at the mo (very similar to the RC community, but with ground ginger added) and if I can scrounge some more jars I will try the jelly recipe, Judy, which will be much easier as you don't have to peel the feijoas.  We will be eating feijoas products all year.  Like you, Maddy, I will be interested to find how these jams/jellies tastes as the fruit has such an unusual flavour.  Thanks for the link, Judydawn for anyone else who is wondering what a feijoa is.  Come to think of it, I have only become aware of them in the last ten years since moving to Phillip Island as a few neighbours seem to have trees.  I still have stacks of the fruit, so a feijoa cake might be the go, too, on the weekend when my family returns--they will probably feel like some cake after a week of hike pasta and dehydrated packaged food!  Thanks again!