Peach Chutney

As Mike mentioned below, a fruity chutney is a perfect accompaniment to a roast chicken.  When I was visiting Mike a couple of weeks ago, I made a fantastic peach chutney to top the masterpiece that he pulled off of the grill.  I packed my suitcase with some dehydrated Colorado peaches (because seriously, who doesn't pack there suitcase with pantry items) and I knew that I could whip up a quick sauce to go with Mike's chicken.  

A chutney is a sweet and spicy sauce, and here, the peaches contribute the sweet, while a little balsamic contributes some tangy spice.  I kept this recipe pretty simple, so, feel free to make any variations that come to mind (addition of more spice, such as ginger).

Peach Chutney

4 large peaches, skinned and roughly chopped

(I used a handful of dehydrated peaches which rehydrated in the liquid of the sauce)

1 medium shallot, diced

olive oil

1/4 cup balsamic vinegar (this is also flexible - if you don't have balsamic, try red wine vinegar )

1) Heat about a tablespoon of oil over medium high heat and saute the diced shallot (in a medium sized sauce pan) until fragrant and soft.

2) Toss in the peaches and mix well with the shallot.  After about 2-3 minutes, add in the vinegar and reduce the heat to medium low.  

3) Let the vinegar reduce by about half.  Once the vinegar has reduced, add about 1/2 cup of water.  Remove the pan from the heat and pulse the sauce with an immersion blender until you reach your desired consistency.  

Variation:  Try grilling the peaches first.  Just cut the peaches in half and lay them flat side down onto the grill rack.  Grill for about 5 minutes, or until you get some nice grill marks on your peaches.  Grilling them first gives them a tasty carmelized crust.