This simple peach chutney recipe takes an ordinary cheese-and-cracker hors d’oeuvre and makes it memorable.
For the chutney:
Place all of the ingredients in a saucepan and bring to a boil.
Simmer for an hour, or until thick and jammy.
Taste and check the seasonings. If the fruit is too tart, add more sugar.
For the cheese:
Using a thin fillet knife, cut off the bloomy rind on top of the cheese, but leave the rind on the sides and bottom. Place the cheese on the grilling plank.
Spoon enough of the chutney on top of the cheese to cover by a œ inch.
Place the fresh peach quarters on the plank around the cheese.
Place the plank on a medium-hot grill and close the lid.
Cook until the cheese has softened and absorbed the smoke, about 10 minutes.
Serve warm on the plank with crackers.
2 cups peeled and chopped fresh peaches
½ cup sugar
1/4 cup apple cider vinegar
1 garlic clove, minced
1 Tbsp. minced fresh ginger root
½ tsp. salt
1 hot chile pepper, minced (optional)
For the cheese:
1 small wheel of Camembert
1 cedar grilling plank, soaked in water for 30 minutes
1 to 2 fresh peaches, peeled and quartered
This article appears in Aug 1-31, 2008.