You guys can’t even begin to know the sacrifices I make for you. Here it is, morning – I haven’t even gotten out of my pajamas yet, and I’m trying to take photos of this Blueberry Baked Brie topper I made – for you – and what am I to do but taste test?
It’s a blueberry chutney really, but I put it on brie and baked it. I need to get photos of the cheese oozing. I need to shoot the berries glistening. And taste again.
And again because I want to judge the black pepper flavor, and maybe the photos would look better with some cheese scooped out. Yum.
And before long I was needing a nap!
You guys. This was the most gluttonous I’d felt in a long, long time. I wasn’t even sorry. I did what I had to do to get the best photos of the ooey, gooey, melty cheese. It was so amazing and the only problem I have now is that I have more jars in my pantry calling to me. They say “hey, we’re in here all alone! Why don’t you bring some brie home to keep us company!” They’re so obnoxious about it too. But I try to ignore them as best I can because those jars are meant to give as gifts come the holiday season (yes, yes, it IS coming even if it’s only September right now!)
This is the perfect thing to make in preparation for winter festivities. The little mason jars are pretty and the flavor is perfect for a touch of summertime in winter. The only regret I felt over this whole thing is that this blueberry and black pepper chutney would have been lovely with a nice glass of red wine. You know how you often like to have a glass of red wine only, you don’t because you aren’t having red meat or chocolate or something else that goes with red? Well, this is your answer. This bright and tangy and peppery chutney is the perfect companion to red wine. Ok, I might have 1 less jar to give away. They’re being so loud right now.
- 4 cups blueberries
- 1 red onion, sliced finely
- 1.5 cups red wine vinegar
- ½ cup honey
- 1 tsp yellow mustard seeds
- ½ tsp cinnamon
- ½ tsp fresh ground, course black pepper
- pinch of salt
- Place onion, blueberries, vinegar, honey and spices in a sauce pan and simmer gently until the berries and onion has softened and the liquid has reduced by about half. I did mine for about 30 min.
- While the chutney is cooking, bring your clean, empty jars up to temp in the oven. I baked mine at 350 degrees for about 20 min. On the stove bring a small pot of water to the boil and place your lids in it. Bring another larger pot of water to the boil and place a rack in the bottom. When the chutney is done and the jars are hot, fill each with chutney leaving about a ½ inch of headroom. Fit with a lid and screw on a ring (gently!)
- Place each jar in the big pot of water to process for 15 min. Remove and set on the counter to cool and seal.
- Place in pantry and try your best not to open them for a few weeks to allow the flavors to meld.
And here’s my biggest tip for canning. You don’t need a bunch of special equipment to start! I used:
- Tongs
- Regular large stock pot
- Small pot
- Tin foil
- Jars with (new) lids and rings
- Oven mitts
That’s IT! You need to buy jars. Yes. But other than that, you can do this recipe or any other simple acidic recipe with no special equipment. Here’s what I used in the bottom of my pot because I didn’t have a rack – it’s just some extra rings tied together with foil. The idea is just to keep the bottoms of the jars from sitting directly on the bottom of the pot (which could be too hot.) EASY!
Still intimidated by canning and preserving? I’ve teamed up with 4 other bloggers to show you that it’s easier than you think. No matter how much experience you’ve had, there’s a sweet or savoury recipe for you!
Check them out!
Honey & Rosemary Blackberry Jam by Shauna from Satori Design for Living
Homemade Sweet Crunchy Pickles by Angie from Echoes of Laughter
Refrigerator Pickles by Lucy from Craftberry Bush
Blueberry Baked Brie Topping by Heather from Home to Heather
Spicy Pickled Carrots + Canning 101 Tips and Tricks by Crystal from Sew Creative
Oh my, this looks delish! Perfect for fall entertaining and, I agree, a nice glass of wine would pair well. Then a nap, like you said!
Baked brie is one of my favorite snacks. I love putting one out for girl’s night. A glass of wine, crackers, nibbles of baked brie. This looks like perfection. Thank you so much for sharing!
OMGEEE. GET IT ALL IN ME!