Mandarin Fig Chutney - Chutney de Figues et Mandarines (with dried figs!)

This fabulous Mandarin Fig Chutney is prepared with dried figs (in less than an hour!) so you can make it all year long! It's wonderful on charcuteries and cheese boards, as a glaze for grilled chicken or pork, as a sandwich spread and SO much more!

The inspiration for this Mandarin Fig Chutney came from an amazing gourmet market in the heart of Paris called La Grande Épicerie. Scott and I took a dinner class while we were visiting Paris this past summer and part of the experience was purchasing the supplies at this amazing market. After we had secured our groceries, the class instructor gave us some time to peruse the market before returning to the cooking school.

A vast selection!

My nephew (an amazing chef with a fabulous food blog) visited La Grande Épicerie a year ago and summed it up with this text, "It Makes Whole Foods feel like a Quickie Mart! You have to go!"

He was right! Every area of this HUGE (2,900 square meters, offering over 30,000 items!) was a bit mind-blowing but I stopped dead in my tracks in the jam/ jelly section. Yes, it was a whole section, not just a few shelves. There were jam, jellies, preserves, marmalades and chutneys of every variety and combination imaginable.

Being a bonafide jam/jelly maker, I was super intrigued with all the beautiful jewel-toned jars and spent most of our time allotment browsing through the vast selection. I didn't have much time to check out the rest of the store but it was worth it!

I came away from La Grande Épicerie with all kinds of ideas for unique new recipes. One inspiration was a pretty little jar of fig chutney. I checked out the ingredient list and quickly translated it (with the help of my friendly iPhone) to English. When we returned back to the States a few weeks later, I tinkered around with ingredients, creating my own version... in the end, I'm quite happy with the results. In honor of the Parisian inspiration, I'm calling it Chutney de Figues et Mandarines (aka Mandarin Fig Chutney). Hope you enjoy it as much as we do!

An ever-evolving collection

While we love fig jam and already have three delicious recipes in The Café archives, this chutney is a step up with warm, complex flavor and a delightful combination of ingredients.

Dried figs to the rescue!

Similar to the three jams linked above, this Mandarin Fig Chutney starts with dried figs. Yep, dried figs! I love using dried figs vs fresh because the fig season is so short: mid-July to early September here in North Carolina. And there are many places in the U.S (as well as around the world) where the winters are just too cold to grow figs, requiring them to be imported. That makes the season even shorter as figs are so perishable.

Making these jams and this chutney with dried figs ensures that they're easy to  prepare year-round. The chutney does call for mandarin oranges but regular oranges, tangerines or clementines can be subbed.

What type of dried figs should I use for making this chutney?

The most common varieties of dried figs are Black Mission, Calimyrna, and Smyrna (also called Turkish figs). The good news is that they'll all work for this Fig Chutney. I've used the Smyrna figs from Costco which come in a large bag and are reasonably priced. They work really well for this recipe, but I've also used Mission and Calimyrna with excellent success, so it's up to you!

What to do with this Mandarin Fig Chutney

There are so many delicious ways to use this chutney. I know once you get used to having a stash of this in the refrigerator, freezer or pantry, you'll come up with lots of your own ideas. Here are a few to get you going:

• Serve as pictured above on a cheeseboard. We love it with a smoky cheddar or Gouda, creamy goat cheese, Manchego, Roquefort, Blue or Gorgonzola. Grapes, apples, pears and a handful of nuts like these Easy Candied Pecans or these Sweet and Spicy Roasted Almonds all pair nicely with this jam.
• Use it as a sandwich spread on its own or combined with mayo
• Use it as a topping for baked brie.
• Serve it on a burger, especially a cheese or veggie burger
• Serve as a condiment with any type of curry.
• Layer this chutney in a grilled sandwich with cheese and turkey, ham, thinly sliced pork or smoked chicken.
• Use it as a base for pizza or flatbread.
• Use it as a delicious glaze for pork or chicken..
• Make a simple appetizer by spreading goat cheese on little bread toasts and topping each with a slice of prosciutto and a dollop of this Mandarin Fig Chutney.
• This chutney is delicious dolloped on roasted sweet potatoes and all varieties of squash.
• GIVE IT AS A GIFT!

Give it for a delicious gift!

This Mandarin Fig Chutney makes a wonderful gift. Include a wedge of good cheese and a package of nice crackers. A bottle of wine might be nice too! Include this list to give the recipient some other ideas about what to do with this chutney besides enjoying it with the cheese and crackers.

To make your gifts look pretty and professional, we're offering a PDF for the free printable labels that you see pictured in this post. To receive the PDF that can be used to print your own labels, simply let us know that you'd like them in the comment section at the bottom of this post. We will email the labels along with instructions on how to use them and links for the jars pictured in the post.

Got an hour?

Cafe Tips for making this Mandarin Fig Chutney

• This jam has to simmer for 20-25 minutes. When jam simmers there's the tendency for little bits of it to splash out of the pan, so I like to use a large, tall pot to prevent a mess.
• Figs can be sticky so I like to spray my knife with a bit of cooking spray or rub it with a little oil when chopping up my figs.
• This recipe is easily doubled. It may take a few extra minutes of cooking to achieve the desired thickness.
• Jars of this Balsamic Fig Jam make lovely gifts for friends, neighbors, teachers, hairdressers, postmen, etc. Pair it with a nice box of crackers, a wedge of cheese and a bottle of wine for the best-ever hostess gift!
• If you don't want to go through the canning process, this jam should be stored in the refrigerator or freezer. It will keep well for several weeks in the refrigerator and 3-6 months in the freezer.
• If you decide to use the water bath method it will be shelf-stable for up to a year.
• Both the refrigerator/freezer recipe and the hot water bath recipe are given in the recipe card below.
• This chutney makes a wonderful addition to a cheeseboard. Check out this post for tips and tricks on how to make a beautiful cheeseboard.
• The easiest way to blend this chutney is with an immersion blender (aka "stick blender") as you can blend it right in the pot. I love my immersion blender as it's a super versatile workhorse in my kitchen and can be used for soups, sauces and so much more.
• This recipe calls for dry currants which are similar to raisins but much smaller. I like using them in this Mandarin Fig Chutney because they look really pretty. I shop at a variety of different stores in Asheville, N.C. and only a few carry dried currants so if you can't find them you can sub golden raisins or regular raisins. Dried currants are available online.
• Make sure to wait to add the dried currants (or raisins) until after the jam is blended. You don't want them to get pureed.

Thought for the day:

Your Word, Lord, is eternal;
    it stands firm in the heavens.
 Your faithfulness continues through all generations;
    You established the earth, and it endures.
Psalm 119:89-90

What we're listening to for inspiration:

More Precious than Silver

If you enjoy this recipe, please come back and leave a star rating and review! It’s so helpful to other readers to hear your results, adaptations and ideas for variations.

5 from 6 votes

Print

French Mandarin Fig Chutney (Chutney de Figues et Mandarines)

This fabulous Mandarin Fig Chutney is prepared with dried figs so you can make it all year long! It's wonderful on charcuteries and cheese boards, as a glaze for grilled chicken or pork, as a sandwich spread and SO much more!

Author: Chris Scheuer

Course: Appetizer, Chutney, Condiment, Jams & Jellies

Cuisine: French-Inspired, Indian-inspired

Keyword: Mandarin Fig Chutney

Prep Time: 20 mins

Cook Time: 25 mins

Total Time: 45 mins

Servings: 56

Calories: 15 kcal

Ingredients

• 12 ounces dried figs
• 1 pound mandarin oranges peeled, sectioned and each section chopped in half
• 1 cup brown sugar
• 1 large red onion finely chopped
• 2 cups apple cider apple juice will also work
• ½ cup apple cider vinegar
• 2 tablespoons finely grated fresh ginger
• 1 tablespoon grainy mustard
• 1 ½ teaspoons smoked paprika
• 1 teaspoons kosher salt
• ½ teaspoon ground black pepper
• ½ teaspoon cinnamon
• ½ teaspoon ancho or chipotle chili powder
• 1 cup dried currants or golden raisins

US Customary - Metric

Instructions

For making this jam to be stored in the refrigerator or freezer:

For the prep:

1. Wash enough jars (to hold 24 ounces of jam) in hot soapy water and rinse well. Set aside.

2. Cut off the stem and chop each fig into 4-6 pieces.

For the chutney:

1. Combine all ingredients except for the currants in a large pot. Bring to a boil then reduce to a steady simmer and cook for 15 minutes, stirring occasionally.

2. Using a stick (or regular) blender pulse the mixture until all the large pieces of fig have been blended but leave a little texture. (Use the pulse setting if using a regular blender.)

3. Add the currants (or golden raisins) and cook for another 5-10 minutes until the chutney is thickened to the consistency of a slightly loose jam. It will get a bit thicker as it cools so don’t let it get too thick.)

4. Taste the chutney If you would like it a bit tangier, add an extra tablespoon or two of vinegar. If you prefer your chutney to be more spicy, add more chili powder.

5. Transfer to jars with tight-fitting lids. Refrigerate for up to 2 weeks or freeze for 2-3 months.

6. If you end up cooking the jam too long and it's too thick, it's super easy to remedy. Just add water, a few tablespoons at a time, stirring well after each addition, until it's the desired consistency.

To preserve this chutney with a hot water bath:

For the prep:

1. Wash and rinse canning jars and keep them hot until ready to use. Prepare lids according to the manufacturer's directions.

2. Cut off the stem and chop each fig into 4-6 pieces.

For the chutney:

1. Combine all ingredients except for the currants in a large pot. Bring to a boil then reduce to a steady simmer and cook for 15 minutes, stirring occasionally.

2. Using a stick (or regular) blender pulse the mixture until all the large pieces of fig have been blended but leave a little texture. (Use the pulse setting if using a regular blender.)

3. Add the currants (or golden raisins) and cook for another 5-10 minutes until the chutney is thickened to the consistency of a slightly loose jam. It will get a bit thicker as it cools so don’t let it get too thick.

4. Taste the chutney If you would like it a bit tangier, add an extra tablespoon or two of vinegar. If you prefer your chutney to be more spicy, add more chili powder.

5. Fill hot chutney into clean canning jars, leaving ½-inch headspace. Remove air bubbles and adjust the headspace if needed. Wipe rims of jars with a dampened, clean paper towel; adjust two-piece metal canning lids.

6. Process in a boiling water canner for 10 minutes. If you live at a high altitude, use the times recommended by the National Center for Home Preservation in this post. https://nchfp.uga.edu/how/can_06/mango_chutney.html

7. Let the chutney cool, undisturbed, for 12 to 24 hours then check for seals.

Recipe Notes

See Café Tips above in the post for more detailed instructions and tips to ensure success.

If you prefer to use Metric measurements there is a button in each of our recipes, right above the word “Instructions”. Just click that button to toggle to grams, milliliters, etc. If you ever come across one of our recipes that doesn’t have the Metric conversion (some of the older recipes may not), feel free to leave a comment and I will add it.

If you are new to home canning or have questions, please read these tips from the National Center for Home Preservation before beginning:

Principles of Home Canning: https://nchfp.uga.edu/publications/usda/GUIDE01_HomeCan_rev0715.pdf

Using Boiling Water Canners https://nchfp.uga.edu/publications/uga/using_bw_canners.html#gsc.tab=0

This recipe yields around 28 ounces of chutney (depending on how thick you make it) or 4½ 6-ounce jars.

*The nutritional information for this recipe is not correct at this time. My nutrition app is not working. As soon as they get it up and running again, I will correct this. Sorry about this, it's out of my hands.

Nutrition facts per serving (1tablespoon)

Calories 15kcal

Fat 0.1g

Saturated fat 0.01g

Polyunsaturated fat 0.02g

Monounsaturated fat 0.01g

Sodium 1mg

Potassium 41mg

Carbohydrates 4g

Fiber 1g

Sugar 3g

Protein 0.2g

Vitamin A 1%

Vitamin C 0.1%

Calcium 10%

Iron 0.1%