Apple and Caramelized Onion Chutney

My mom and stepdad arrive for Thanksgiving. I am at the kitchen table, running four Granny Smith apples through the apple peeler.

“I’m using that thing you bought me that I said I didn’t need but totally did.”

I wanted to make a contribution to Thanksgiving dinner but it needed to be something that could be done ahead. Trying to operate while Other Stuff was going on in the kitchen would be too difficult physically and mentally. I decided on chutney as it isn’t injured by waiting, and apple because we possess the automatic apple peeler above, which cuts prep time to a minimum and was acquired for us by my mom despite my mild objection that How often do I need to peel a bunch of apples? Mom was right: More often if it’s easy.

Chutneys are my kind of kitchen task – I deeply enjoy the multifactorial balancing of sweet, tart, rich, and spicy on which their success relies. They’re little kitchen jewels with their strong flavors, perfect as embellishment.

Chimp and Mom helped me with this. Chimp caramelized the onions for me. Mom kept an eye on it while it simmered.