Many-Fruited Mustard
Submitted by okfine32000
Many-fruited mustard combines sharp prepared mustard with diced dried apricots, peaches, figs, cherries, and raisins in a white wine vinegar and sugar syrup. Sweet-spicy condiment for cheese boards and ham.
YIELD
1 batchPREP
20 minCOOK
15 minREADY
45 minA proper English-style fruit mustard, the kind sold in tiny expensive jars at gourmet shops for ten bucks a pop. This one starts with prepared mustard bloomed in cold water (a trick that tames the burn and lets the flavor open up), then gets loaded with chopped dried apricots, peaches, figs, cherries, and golden raisins.
The syrup that binds everything together is a quick boil of white wine vinegar, sugar, and blanched orange zest. That acid-sugar balance is what keeps the fruit from turning into one-note sweetness.
Lemon juice goes in last after the mustard cools. Adding it to the hot mixture would cook out the brightness, and that bright lift is exactly what makes this mustard sing alongside rich foods.
Spoon it onto charcuterie boards, serve alongside baked ham or roast pork, or pile it on a sharp cheddar sandwich. It keeps for weeks in the fridge and the flavors deepen every day.
Chef Tips
- Let the mustard and water stand the full 3 to 4 hours. Rushing this step leaves you with raw, harsh mustard burn instead of round, developed flavor.
- Blanch the orange zest for the full 5 minutes. Raw zest stays bitter and clashes with the sweet fruit.
- Refresh dried fruit that’s hard or leathery with a brief boiling water soak. Tough fruit won’t soften enough during the short cooking time.
- Store in sterilized jars for longer shelf life. Run jars through a dishwasher cycle right before filling.
Variations
- Swap white wine vinegar for champagne vinegar for a more delicate acidity.
- Add a tablespoon of whole yellow mustard seeds for textural pops.
- Stir in a pinch of ground cloves and allspice for a warm-spiced holiday version.
Ingredients
Directions
Stir the mustard and cold water together in a bowl mixing until all lumps are gone.
Let the mixture stand for 3 to 4 hours. Simmer the orange zest in about a cup of water for 5 minutes.
Drain the chop them very fine. reserve.
If the dried fruit is not tender, cover the pieces with boiling water and let stand for 5 minutes then drain well.
Combine the drained orange zest, the vinegar, and the sugar in a medium-sized saucepan and boil the mixture, uncovered over medium heat for 5 minutes or until the syrup has thickened somewhat.
Stir in the salt, add the fruit and the mustard mixture.
Stir the mixture over med-high heat until it comes to a boil and thickens smoothly.
Remove from heat.
When the mustard has cooled, taste it and add lemon juice to taste.
Scrape into a clean jar or jars, cover and place in refrigerator to marry the flavors.
If it should thicken too much upon standing, thin it with more lemon juice or with water.
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