Recipe Flash: Tomato & Sweet Onion Chutney

TOP TEN WAYS TO USE UP SUMMER TOMATOES: Baked Tomatoes with Thyme; Sweet Tomato Jam; Pomodoro Fresco Pasta Salad; Arugula Caprese; Rice Salad with Cherry Tomatoes, Almonds, and Herbs; Salmorejo Cordobes; Quinoa Tabouli; Cooked Salsa; Panzanella Salad with Lemon-Basil Vinaigrette; Roasted Tomato Soup with Crispy Pancetta; Greens with Dried Tomatoes and Roasted Chickpeas

I can’t seem to stop buying tomatoes when I see a beautiful specimen before me. And since my parents’ friends bring over goodies from their garden every time they come to dinner, we have been up to our ears in tomatoes. Sometimes I feel guilty eating these any other way than in huge raw slices with a drizzle of olive oil. But lately I’ve been trying to work my way through the yield on the stove, with condiments like this chutney.

I made a similar Tomato-Ginger Chutney in the fall for Jordana’s birthday-but this version was more like a gingery tomato sauce (we paired it with Asian meatballs) and used canned tomatoes. The cooking process of this tomato chutney is closer to the way I’ve been making the Red Onion Jam I’ve become so fond of. It’s an excellent condiment to have around to dress Seared Salmon or Scallops.

From my kitchen, albeit small, to yours,

Phoebe, THE QUARTER-LIFE COOK

**Recipe**

Ginger-Tomato and Sweet Onion Chutney
Makes 1-2 cups

1 small sweet onion, halved and thinly sliced
1 tablespoon minced fresh ginger
1 tablespoon sugar
1/2 teaspoon salt
2 tablespoons unsalted butter
1 large garlic clove, minced
3 plum tomatoes, seeded and roughly chopped
1/4 cup white wine
1/2 lime, juiced
2 tablespoons chopped fresh basil

In a medium sauce pan with a lid, combine the onion, ginger, sugar, salt, and butter over low heat. Cook covered for 20 minutes, until the onions are soft and have released their liquid. Add the garlic, tomatoes, and wine. Cook uncovered until some of the juices have cooked off and the sauce has thickened, about 15 minutes.

Add the lime and basil off the heat. Taste for seasoning, and spoon over grilled or seared fish.