Title: K. C. 's Dried Fruit Chutney
Categories: Salsa Chutney Blank
Yield: 1 Servings

8		Ripe peaches, plums, or nectarines
		Vegetable oil for oiling fruit (about 3 T)
		Salt and freshly cracked black pepper, to
		Aste
		Taste
		Vegetable oil for sauteing onions (abt 2T)
2	lg	Onions, diced small
1	md	Red bell pepper, diced small
6	tb	Brown sugar
1/4	c	White sugar
1	tb	Molasses
1/4	c	Raisins
1/2	c	Orange juice
1	ts	Salt
1/2	ts	Freshly cracked black pepper
1/2	ts	Coriander seeds (lightly toasted), cracked
1/2	c	White vinegar
2	tb	Lemon juice (about 1/2 lemon)
1	ts	Freshly chopped mint

Split the fruits in half, rub them lightly with vegetable oil, and sprinkle with salt and pepper. Place them in a single layer on a cooling rack set on top of a sheet pan, and slow bake in a 200 degree overnight, or for about 8 hours. The finished products should be about half the size of the originals, wrinkled and slightly firm to the touch, but with no dramatic change of color.

In a heavy saute pan or saucepan, saute the onions in w tablespoons of vegetable oil until transparent, about 5 to 7 minutes. Add the dried fruits and stir and cook for 2 to 3 more minutes.

Add all the remaining ingredients except the vinegar, lemon juice, and mint. Fring to a simmer, and simmer over low heat for about 1 hour, stirring occasionally. You may need to add a small amount of water or orange juice if the mixture begins to stick to the bottom of the pan.

Remove from the heat, allow to cool, and add the vinegar, lemon juice, and mint. Mix well and serve.

Makes about 4 cups.

This chutney will keep, covered and refrigerated about 3 weeks.

NOTES : The sweet, rather intense flavors of dried fruits are a natural for chutneys. K. C. O'Hara, the tall and talented chef at the East Coast Grill, developed this particular version in which you dry your own fruits in the oven. This is much easier than you might think, and it gives you a more tender chutney. Besides, leaving fruit in a low oven overnight5 creates a delicate, sweet aroma that is almost as nice to wake up to as the smell of coffee. Almost. Recipe by: Chris Schlesinger & John Willoughby By jeepster4@sprintmail.com on Apr 17, 1997

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