And Now, a Word About Chutney ...

I've got to be honest, I'm 100% spent from this week. I was at an out of town wake on Monday night, Carnegie Hall on Tuesday night, had a late meeting Wednesday night and, yesterday, my right knee was injected with synthetic cartilage. (I'm fine.) Does the fun ever start? I don't know what's for dinner tonight and I'm not even sure that I care. Instead, we're going to talk about chutney today.

Specifically that spicy tomato chutney that adorned my baked eggs yesterday. Now, I'm fairly certain that exactly none of you are playing along at home. I'm more than reasonably sure you did not spend your day making that recipe and therefore do not have a bowl of chutney left over that's just begging for use. But I do. And, more than that, I like to pretend. Hell, my best friend once described me as a woman who walks around pretending she's wearing a tiara most days ... they don't call me Diva for nothin'.

So, in my happy little make-believe queendom, you're now in possession of a zesty bowl of chutney that's looking for a partner. Here are some suggestions:

If you like to kick it old-school, you could pretend you're in my in-law's living room, circa 1979, and pour that yummy chutney over a bar of cream cheese, serve it with some crackers and Bob's your uncle - you've just made an appetizer. A tasty one at that.

Or, if you're working an 80's vibe, you can slice open a lovely wheel of brie, slather the middle of it with the chutney, replace the top, wrap the whole thing in some puff pastry, nestle it in a glass pie dish and bake it in the middle of a pre-heated 425 degree F oven for 20 minutes. Remove from oven, let it cool for 15 to 20 minutes, pair it with some crackers or a crusty loaf and, voila, another fabulous appetizer!

Perhaps you're a minimalist and a terribly au currant one at that. If so, you would do well to pair the chutney with a nice sharp cheese, like a Piave or an aged Gouda, or maybe some creamy, goaty Robiola. Pair any of these suggestions, or those of your own, with a firm, whole-grain crisp bread, top the cheese with a delicate dollop of chutney and enjoy. The salty-savory-sweet combination will blow your mind.

Or maybe, sadly, you're dairy free. If so, I'm sorry. Truly. Buck up though, you can still work that chutney into another meal. You could absolutely substitute it for the tomato and marinara mixture in my ever popular Vera Cruz recipe. Slather some chicken or fish fillets with the chutney and bake as directed in that recipe. Add a side of basmati rice and you'll be well on your way to an Indian themed feast.

My point? You should make the chutney. We'll all feel better if you do.

So, what would you do with a left-over bowl of such spicy goodness? Curious Diva wants to know.

Bon appetit!