Strawberry-rhubarb chutney: a recipe

Strawberry-rhubarb chutney, not compote

I've been calling this recipe a compote all week but then had a second thought.

It could be a chutney.

(I honestly didn't know what makes them different.)

Hello, Google.

Here it is: chutney is made of cooked fruit and vegetables (not just fruit) and contains vinegar. A compote, on the other hand, is simply fruit cooked in sugar syrup.

So this strawberry-rhubarb bad boy is in fact a chutney.

I stand corrected. And so does the title of my post now.

This strawberry-rhubarb CHUTNEY is very easy to prepare and so perfectly seasonal right now. I served it with some roasted chicken breasts (it cooks while they do): absolutely the perfect accompaniment. I'm sure it would also be fabulous with pork tenderloin.

And if I freeze enough strawberries and rhubarb right now, it may make a lively and unexpected appearance on the Thanksgiving table to go with our deep-fried turkey.

(Sorry for the post brevity but I'm actually just back from vacation ... IN PARIS!)

Strawberry-Rhubarb Chutney
(Adapted from a recipe torn from a page in a magazine -- I wish I could give more credit, but there's nothing on the page that indicates what magazine it was!)

Ingredients:
2 cups strawberries, trimmed and halved
1 cup chopped rhubarb
1/2 cup golden raisins
1/2 cup water
4 tablespoons light brown sugar
2 tablespoons white wine or sherry vinegar

Directions:
Combine all ingredients in a saucepan. Bring to a simmer over medium heat. Reduce heat to low, cover and simmer for another 10 minutes or until the rhubarb is tender and the fruit is all broken down and chunky.