culinary developments_ menus and recipes from 24 June, 2003       'Do not stir the thing that must not be stirred.' - Debra Solomon THIS MORNING'S RECIPE: rhubarb chutney

In searching for a foil to Chef DuFresne's duck liver terrine with anchovies (see previous blog entry) this morning I developed a great rhubarb chutney. I believe it would be suit the soft aromatic sweetness of the pate and defend it against the anchovies able as well on top of a cheesecake, possibly with oven-dried cherry tomatoes. This morning it was breakfast. Rhubarb Chutney      (for 2 cups)       - 4 meaty sticks of rhubarb (washed and cut into 1,5 cm chunks)       - 1/4 c raw cane sugar       - 2 cm piece of fresh healthy ginger (peeled and julienned)       - 2 cm of crumbled fine cinnamon (pulverised between the fingers into spicy splinters)       - 1 tbs peanut oil       - dashes of : sesame oil, chili oil       - 4 'glugs' of thai sweet chili sauce In a large-ish slightly smoking frying pan on a medium flame heat the peanut and sesame oils. When the oils are about to smoke throw in the ginger and sizzle it 'brown' a bit. Throw in the rhubarb. Whilst frying do not stir too much. A good shove to the pan is sufficient, you are not going for homogeneity. After the rhubarb has a few brown sides, sloppily dump the sugar over it and add as well the pulverised cinnamon. Or if you haven't pulverised it yet - do so over the frying pan. Add the glugs of sweet chili sauce and fold over a few times, maybe boosting the flame if that seems right. Dump this into a bowl to use for later, or eat immediately for breakfast as I did this morning.