Cherry and Baked Lemon Chutney
20 servings
60 minutes
Cherry and roasted lemon chutney is a fragrant and spicy addition to Indian dishes, filled with bright notes of sweetness, tartness, and spice. This recipe is rooted in traditional Indian cuisine where chutneys serve not just as sauces but as a way to enhance the depth of flavors in the main dish. Roasted lemons add a unique caramel bitterness, cherries provide juiciness and a sweet-tart balance, while caramelized onions create a soft and velvety texture. Slightly smoky and rich, this chutney pairs wonderfully with meat and vegetable dishes and complements a cheese platter or crispy bread perfectly. Made with honey and olive oil, it gains a delicate texture and rich flavor, making any dish more refined.
1
Prepare all the ingredients.
2
Line two baking trays with parchment. Cut off the tops and tails of the lemons, then slice each lemon into five or six thick slices, removing the seeds.
3
Place lemon slices on a baking sheet, drizzle with olive oil, and season with salt and pepper.
- Olive oil: 30 ml
- Salt: to taste
- Ground black pepper: to taste
4
Place in a preheated oven at 200 degrees for 15-18 minutes to soften the lemons.
5
Spread the cherries on a baking sheet and bake for another 20 minutes. The lemons should dry out a bit, and the berries should caramelize.
- Pitted cherries: 1.2 kg
6
Cut the onion into thin rings.
- Red onion: 2 heads
7
Sauté the onion in olive oil with a pinch of salt until it caramelizes (do not let it burn!). This will take about 10 minutes.
- Olive oil: 30 ml
- Salt: to taste
8
Let the lemons and cherries cool a bit, mix with onion, and blend in a blender until pureed with chunks.
- Lemon: 4 pieces
- Pitted cherries: 1.2 kg
- Red onion: 2 heads
9
Add honey, a bit of olive oil, and a pinch of salt and pepper.
- Honey: 100 g
- Olive oil: 30 ml
- Salt: to taste
- Ground black pepper: to taste
10
Transfer to sterilized jars, cover with lids, and store in the refrigerator.