The five best ways to serve pumpkin chutney

For those of you who ordered the Sunset at Home hamper to get you through the coronavirus isolation, we hope you are enjoying it!

We've pulled together a few ideas of different ways to serve it so you get to enjoy it to it's full potential!! It is far more versatile than just a dollop on a cheese platter, although of course that is our favourite!

#1. The Classic - Served on your Cheese Platter
It would be remiss not to include this one. We recommend the pumpkin chutney with a classic aged cheddar or a creamy brie on a jatz or a wafer cracker.


#2. The Lunch - Delicious Ploughman's Lunch
A British classic:

• a chunk of crumbly aged cheddar,
• a hunk of ham (no thin slices on a ploughman's, please!),
• some pickled onions,
• a granny smith apple cut into pieces (no need to peel)
• Some delicious crusty bread and lashings of butter (maybe that's just me!),
• all served with homemade Pumpkin Chutney! Yum!

I love to make my own bread when doing a ploughman's lunch and see below for a recipe for a super-easy, no-knead wholemeal bread. (It doesn't keep for long so either freeze any you don't eat on the day and use it for toast)


#3. The Beer Snack 
Are you looking for some nibbles to serve with your beer?

Try some mini poppadoms with condiments such as lime pickle, a cucumber raita (see recipe below) and of course some pumpkin chutney

The poppadoms are super easy to make in the microwave. I do three at a time on the highest setting for 40 seconds. Perfecto!

---

The next couple of ideas have come from one of our favourite restaurants on Magnetic Island: Saltwater Magnetic Island. [Put it on your list of places to eat when you visit the island!]

---

#4. Scrummy Curry
Along a similar theme as the beer snack...but by jazzing up the pumpkin chutney it is the perfect condiment to a spicy curry. 

Fold the pumpkin chutney through some natural yogurt, add sliced dates or nuts like almonds, a pinch of cinnamon and season. To intensify the flavour add some hot chilli or dried chilli.


#5. Morning Tea - Treat yourself to a Savoury Scone
Serve a savoury scone with some butter, pumpkin chutney and a dollop of sour cream (or creme fraiche, my favourite!). See below for a delicious savoury scone recipe.


A big thank you to Jen & Dan from Saltwater for their suggestions.
​

We hope you've enjoyed these suggestions and please share any ideas you have in a comment below!!

​Recipe suggestions to complement the ideas:

Doris Grant Wholemeal "No-Need-to-Knead-Loaf"

• 500g wholemeal flour
• 1 tsp salt
• 1 x 7g sachet fast-action dried yeast
• 1 tbsp clear honey
• 300ml/11fl oz warm water
• vegetable oil or oil spray, for oiling
• a little milk, for brushing

 

1. Dust a medium baking tray well with flour.
2. Sift the flour and salt into a large bowl. Reserve a tablespoon of the grain – the brown bits that are too big to fit through the sieve. Stir the rest through the flour mixture. Stir in the yeast, then make a big hole in the centre and pour in the honey and most of the water. Mix well to form a smooth dough, working it gently with your hands if necessary. If the dough feels a bit stiff, add more of the water. 
3. Shape the mixture into a ball and place on the prepared baking tray. Make sure the top is smooth and wrinkle-free. Cover the dough loosely with oiled clingfilm, making sure it is airtight, and leave to rise in a warm place for a good hour, or until it has almost doubled in size.
4. Preheat the oven to 200C/400F/Gas 6. Remove the clingfilm from the dough and make a few slashes in the top with a sharp knife – I use a sharp, serrated knife and saw gently. Brush the loaf with milk, sprinkle with the reserved grain and then place in the oven.
5. Put some ice cubes (around 10) into the bottom of the oven – they will produce steam, which keeps the crust from hardening too quickly. (A quickly hardened crust prevents the bread from rising well.) Bake the bread for 30–40 minutes, or until it has risen, sounds hollow when tapped underneath and comes easily off the baking tray. Remove from the oven and leave to cool on the tray. 
6. Serve fresh from the oven with loads of butter.

Cucumber Raita
Chop lebanese cucumber into small cubes, mix with a plain yoghurt, a pinch of salt and a squeeze of lemon, some chopped mint and you can add a drop or too of honey if you like!).

​
Savoury Scones

225g Self-raising flour
1/2 tsp of salt
25g butter
100g cheddar cheese, grated
1/2 tsp paprika or cayenne pepper
1 egg
150 ml milk, with a bit more for brushing on the scones before they go in the oven.
1 tsp baking powder

1. Preheat oven to 220C and put some greaseproof onto baking trays.
2. Put flour, chilli powder, salt into a mixing bowl.
3. Rub in the butter until you have the consistency of breadcrumbs.
4. Stir through 100g grated cheddar.
5. Break the egg into a measuring jug and  then top this up to make 150ml with milk.
6. Stir this through the dry mix (I like to use a knife) until a stiff dough is formed.
7. Roll this dough out on a lightly floured surface until 1-2 inches thick.
8. Once transferred onto the baking trays, brush with milk to get a nice golden crust.
9. Bake in the oven for 15 minutes until a nice golden brown.