You probably
thought that the citrus madness ended with my last lemon post. Hah!
While it was the last post on lemons, other citrus fruits have found their way to my
door, with heartfelt pleas to “take all you want!” and “please take
more!”
Last weekend,
our friend Ruth stopped by between errands with armloads of sweet, juicy
grapefruit, and two bags of kumquats – I can’t even begin to tell you how many
of those little golden fruits were there. It would be like guessing how many
jelly beans are in a jar at the county fair.
We accepted
half a dozen grapefruit for Mark, who has a special fondness for them. After
tasting the two very different varieties of kumquats, I greedily snatched one
bag and starting scheming.
I chose the
sweeter of the two types, as I like to eat them whole, but also felt they would
be great for a chutney I have been making these past years.
And that is
today’s recipe. Kumquat-ginger chutney. If you want to make just one jar,
divide this recipe into sixths – it works well on a small scale. (Check out the video below the recipe for my method for slicing the kumquats and leaving the seeds!)
If you have
leftover fruits, sweet kumquat slices make a beautiful cake garnish, and add a
pleasant zing to salads. A couple of years ago, I candied them with rosemary.
Of course, we simply eat them out-of-hand too, skin and all. Tell me: how do
you use kumquats?
Kumquat-Ginger Chutney
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Design by Themeshift.
Gerlinde de Broekert
April 30, 2016 at 2:54 pmI love kumquats and will make your chutney. It looks great. Somewhere in my recipe file I have a chocolate cake with kumquat sauce .
Cocoa & Lavender
May 1, 2016 at 1:55 pmGerlinde – I love the idea of a kumquat sauce for a cake! I hope you finds and post on it! 🙂
Caroline @ Pinch Me, I'm Eating!
April 30, 2016 at 4:27 pmYum! I don't actually know if I've ever had a kumquat! I know, I know, it's sacrilege, considering I lived in Tucson with kumquat trees right on campus. They're so cute!
Cocoa & Lavender
May 1, 2016 at 1:56 pmThey grow so well here, Caroline! We have a tiny tree in a pot that gives us just enough for one small jar of this chutney. Its a good thing we have friends with BIG trees!
Andrea_TheKitchenLioness
April 30, 2016 at 5:26 pmDear David, how lucky you are. For some reason – might be a weather thing – I neither have citrus trees in my graden nor do I have friends that decide to share an abundance of fruits with me. And at this time of year, kumquats are not to be found anywhere around here. You are a lucky one indeed!
Euch beiden ein schönes und sonniges Wochenende – it feels light fall around here, it is so cold and windy and it even snowed.
Andrea & Co.
Cocoa & Lavender
May 1, 2016 at 1:57 pmAndrea – how odd that you are getting such cold weather! I hope some good May sunshine finds you soon! Yes, we are very lucky that we have friends who share their citrus – and lucky we live in a place where it is nice and warm for growing it.
Sippity Sup
April 30, 2016 at 7:22 pmI have a tiny kumquat tree and it's yet to produce enough fruit for anything more than snacking (just once). But someday I hope it presents me with enough for this chutney. GREG
Cocoa & Lavender
May 1, 2016 at 1:58 pmAs I just mentioned to Caroline, we have a tiny tree that gives us about a cup of kumquats at a time. Just enough to make a small batch. Yours will get there, Greg!
Bizzy Lizzy's Good Things
April 30, 2016 at 9:31 pmOh, how divine! Kumquats are such a rare thing here.
Cocoa & Lavender
May 1, 2016 at 1:59 pmLiz – I would have thought they would be abundant, as you are much closer to the original source than we are!
John - heneedsfood
May 1, 2016 at 3:56 amI've got to be honest, I've never cooked with kumquats. We don't actually see them much. Something tells me the next time I see them at the grocers or market, I'll be turning them into this chutney.
Seeing that you're Mr Citrus and all, have you ever tried pomelo? I adore it, especially the pink variety. We were first introduced many many years ago in Vietnam, bought from a kid on the roadside. When they're in season here in Oz, we almost always have one in the fridge.
Cocoa & Lavender
May 1, 2016 at 2:00 pmJohn – yes, we see pomelos here in our farmers markets, and in the grocery stores. But their relation to grapefruit makes it impossible for me to eat them – I have one of those blasted statins that I am taking!
Marcelle
May 1, 2016 at 6:05 amDavid, this chutney looks really delicious and again you're showing me that I need to keep expanding my horizons. Never had a kumquat although I really love saying that word…:)
Cocoa & Lavender
May 1, 2016 at 2:01 pmThanks, Marcelle – I imagine they are pretty easily found in Texas? They are definitely worth trying!
Roseycello1066
May 1, 2016 at 1:50 pmI have never know what to do with them or how to eat them. I have seen them in the store, but nobody seems to buy them either. How about some more ideas for neophytes like me?
Cocoa & Lavender
May 1, 2016 at 2:03 pmCathy – in the article today, I mention a couple of good ways to use them – sliced in salads, or sliced as cake decorations. They are also just good to eat as is – skin and all. And I see there is a new comment below that mentions a pistachio and kumquat appetizer. Hmmmm… I think I want that!
Kirsten Honeyman
May 1, 2016 at 1:59 pmVery cleaver video which must work well for the chutney. I have a recipe created by friend, now deceased, who would probably love to know that her kumquat-pistachio appetizer was being shared with other foodies. I promise to track it down and send it to you!
Cocoa & Lavender
May 1, 2016 at 2:05 pmOh, Kirsten – I would love that recipe from your friend! It sounds wonderful! I decided to make the video because, when I started slicing all those millions of kumquats, I realized quickly that I needed to find a quick and easy method. If I were making marmalade, I would take all the centers/seeds and put them in cheesecloth to soak with the fruit. Maybe marmalade next year…
Frank
May 1, 2016 at 3:18 pmSounds really nice. Kumquats have a tartness not everyone enjoys, but I do—I even like eating them raw. But for those who don't I can see how a relish with plenty of sugar would be an ideal way to balance out their assertive flavor.
Cocoa & Lavender
May 1, 2016 at 3:31 pmFrank – since moving to the desert, we have discovered many varieties of kumquats – from the truly tart, to those that are very sweet. Like you, we like them all!
Unknown
May 1, 2016 at 3:58 pmAre you making me jealous intentionally?? I would do anything for citrus! Last year when the new Whole Foods opened by my house, they had a boat load of citrus and in particular all these kumquats, and limequats, lemonquats, mandarinquats…I can't tell you how many varieties of mini citrus. I asked the produce guy what they all tasted like and he told me hadn't tried them yet but we could do it together. We tasted every single one. That was pretty cool. They were all so different but still had that distinct citrus taste with various sweetness and tartness. They were wonderful. This year didn't see the huge variety. I must've been the only one who bought them!
Love this chutney! I can see it going really well with some curried chicken puffs…delicious!
Cocoa & Lavender
May 1, 2016 at 4:30 pmOh, I am so glad you have had a mandarinquat, Nazneen! I absolutely LOVE them! How fun that you got to taste them all! And, no, I am not trying to make you jealous – just trying to use everything everybody gives me! 🙂 You will love this chutney!
Ahu Shahrabani
May 1, 2016 at 8:35 pmI looooove kumquats and I love chutney. Never thought to make it. I bet this is just divine with a charcuterie / cheese board like you suggested. I will have to find some kumquats and an excuse to entertain now. 🙂
Cocoa & Lavender
May 2, 2016 at 1:18 pmWe just had yet another friend offer us a tree's worth of kumquats. Wish you liked here, Ahu – we would share them with you! You will love this chutney – we actually had it on a fruit, meat and cheese board on Saturday night!
Anonymous
May 2, 2016 at 1:43 amFunny, just a couple days ago I found kumquats in a local chain supermarket. I showed them to my husband and then he reminded me of a line from a W.C. Fields movie we had seen on TCM a while back in which he plays a grocer. One customer kept bothering him and finally said, "Now will you get me my kumquats?" We thought that was hilarious and often say it to each other. We like being goofy.
Cocoa & Lavender
May 2, 2016 at 1:19 pmWhat a fun comment, Caterina – and being goofy is perfect! (So are we!) I am going to have to try and find that movie – I have never seen a WC Fields film!
Valentina
May 2, 2016 at 6:18 amI would much rather count kumquats than jelly bellies! 😉 Seriously, this looks so divine — I'd put it on everything! Among other things, I want it on a grilled chicken burger. Yum!
Cocoa & Lavender
May 2, 2016 at 1:20 pmHmmmm… now I want a chicken burger, Valentina! And it is only 6:00am!
Inger @ Art of Natural Living
May 2, 2016 at 5:05 pmTough life… Yes, I was actually tempted to call you mean (in the most loving way) for parading more citrus in front of us cold climate people
Cocoa & Lavender
May 3, 2016 at 1:41 pmInger – I might want to warn you that there is at least one more citrus post coming your way… 🙂
Ruth McC
May 2, 2016 at 7:16 pmDavid, What could I substitute for the cilantro?? I am still drowning in kumquats. I made a huge batch of marmalade, but still have more fruit!
Cocoa & Lavender
May 3, 2016 at 1:44 pmI think I would go for rosemary, Ruth. In fact, I think my next batch will be made with rosemary.
Thanks so much for all the beautiful kumquats and grapefruits! LOVE them!
Cheri Savory Spoon
May 3, 2016 at 8:35 pmHi David, I don't really have much experience with kumquats, so I can't really tell you how I use them. Love what you did though sounds amazing. Was in Tucson Sunday and Monday, ate at the Cup Monday morning, cool place. Take care!
Cocoa & Lavender
May 8, 2016 at 11:43 pmI love the Cup, Cheri – one of these visits, you and I have to meet! I am surprised that you don't use kumquats, as they are even more prevalent in Phoenix than here!
Paula | Vintage Kitchen
May 9, 2016 at 2:15 amI absolutely adore kumquats, especially in syrup! I have friends with kumquat trees and after a while they just give away huge bags since there are so many of them. Of course I'm always there with my arms extended, jaja! This chutney sounds perfect. Really great recipe David!
Cocoa & Lavender
May 9, 2016 at 1:42 pmAren't they the best, Paula? I even grew up with the candied ones as a special treat at Christmas time. xx