As an avid forager and person who hates to see food go to waste, I often pick WAY more plums than I can eat. Luckily I have a second fridge that has kept these beauties in tip top shape until I could get to them and my canner has been working overtime as jar after jar of jam, mostarda and chutney has gotten a dip.

I also had some apricots picked from a friend’s tree that needed using so I came up with yet another chutney recipe that would be a delicious addition to a cheese platter, condiment for a curry or spread for a sandwich.

The recipe uses 3 1/2 lbs of fruit in total. I used a mix of 1 lb of apricots and 2 lbs of plums pitted and chopped and 1/2 lb fresh pineapple cubed.

A combination of star anise, cinnamon sticks and fresh and crystallized ginger add hot, sweet and earthy flavors to the chutney.

Perhaps the best thing of all about this recipe is it cooks in a crock pot. Just have your sterilized hot jars ready after the mixture has cooked on high for 3 hours, fill the jars and process for 10 minutes and

VOILA!

Chutney to fill your shelves!

ALOHA CHUTNEY

1 lb apricots, pitted and chopped

1/2 lb fresh pineapple, peeled, cored and cut in small dice

2 lbs plums, pitted and chopped

1 1/2 cups brown sugar

1 cup cider vinegar

1 teaspoon salt

1 1/2 teaspoons chopped, peeled fresh ginger

2 star anise pods

1/2 stick cinnamon

2 ounces crystalized ginger, chopped

1 teaspoon dried hot red pepper

Combine all ingredients in a slow cooker and cook on high for 3 hours, stirring once each hour. Fill sterilized jars, leaving 1/2″ headspace, then cap with lids. Process for 10 minutes in a hot water canner or store in refrigerator. Yield: about 7-8 oz. jars.