Getting creative with Geeta's Premium Mango Chutney

Did you know that Geeta's, the iconic Indian brand, is celebrating its twentieth anniversary? This month bloggers have been invited to join the Chutney Challenge.

Geeta's is probably best known for their first ever product - the Premium Mango Chutney. The chutney itself is delicious and full of flavours and textures. I love the big fat chunks of juicy mango. It is also very colourful and aromatic, a versatile product that is so moreish, you cannot have enough.

As my regular readers know, I love cooking challenges, and when I heard of the Chutney Challenge, I just had to take part.

This is what I found out about the challenge:
"Still going strong today, we are celebrating by inviting some of our favourite bloggers to join in this fun competition.

Geeta's Premium Mango Chutney is such a versatile ingredient and we want to challenge you to share your most inventive and original recipe using the chutney, be that sweet, savoury, mild or spicy. The rules are simple, if you want to take part I will send you a jar of the chutney and then it is over to you to get creative in the kitchen! Each blogger is invited to upload up to three recipes using the chutney each.

The winning recipe will be selected by namesake and founder, Geeta Samtani along with two runners up. The winner will receive a luxury Geeta's hamper and the runners up will also receive a smaller selection of Geeta's products."

I am offering you 3 recipes for your delectation, all very easy and quick, perfect for a lunch or midweek dinner.

Recipe no.1

Camembert baked in shortcrust pastry with Geeta's mango chutney

Ingredients

1 camembert

1 roll of short-crust pastry (like Jus-Rol)

2 tbsp Geeta's Mango Chutney

a bit of milk

This must be one of the easiest and nicest ways of enjoying a baked cheese. I have used this recipe with different toppings and variations of ingredients for many years, and it is always a big hit with the family and guests. It makes a lovely starter too. 

Cut out two circles from the shortcrust pastry. Place a camembert on top of the big circle. Spread two tbsp of the mango chutney on the top of the cheese. Carefully lift the pastry up and using fingers flatten it and smooth the edges. Place a smaller circle on top and press the edges down, again smoothing all edges and closing the gaps. Make sure all the pastry is tightly packed around the cheese, you don't want any cheese to escape through the gaps during the baking.

That's what the cheese in pastry looks like before it is baked. Brush the pastry with a bit of milk.

Place it in the oven preheated to 180C on a foil-covered tray. To prevent the possible leaking disasters, you might want to scrunch the foil around the cheese like a barrier.

Bake for about 20 mins, until the pastry is golden. Take the baked cheese out of the oven and let it cool a bit.
You want it warm, but not piping hot. If you start cutting the cheese immediately, the molten lava of hot camembert will simply escape the pastry casing and you will have a lake of cheese around the pastry island (been there, done that, so talking from experience).
Geeta's mango chutney works beautifully with the creamy cheese and crumbly pastry.


Recipe no.2
Mango chutney cream cheese spread

The original recipe comes from my lovely American friend Trudy. I first tried this spread many years ago and loved it. I have adapted Trudy's recipe, as I am not very keen on pecans, plus she used the American brands for the chutney and cream, but in essence it is very close to her idea. Trudy is 85, and she learnt how to make this lovely spread when she was much younger. Its original name is Curry Chutney Mold.

Ingredients (for about 20 servings to go with crackers)
1 package of cream cheese (e.g. Philadelphia light)
2 tbsp thick cream (I used Weight Watchers West Country thick cream)
1/2 tbsp curry powder
150g Geeta's Mango Chutney
8 walnuts, finely chopped

Chop the walnuts (or pecans if you prefer). Mix all the ingredients together in a medium-sized bowl. And that's it. Very tasty with crackers or the Italian style flatbreads. I served this spread on Crosta & Mollica rosemary linguette. A truly delicious combination. Try it, I think you are going to love it too.

Recipe no.3
Spatchcocked poussin
Ingredients 
1 poussin (2 servings)
1 garlic clove
2 tbsp Geeta's mango chutney
sea salt and freshly ground pepper
a pinch of paprika (optional)
2 tsp olive oil

Preheat the oven to 180C. using a pair of kitchen scissors, cut the poussin to open it and flatten it. Season well with the salt, pepper, paprika and crushed garlic. Drizzle with the olive oil and place on a roasting tray. Add the mango chutney 20 minutes before the end of cooking (spread with a spoon all over the poussin).
Roast for 40 minutes until cooked through and golden.
Serve with the roast potatoes, olives and a lemon wedge (optional).
Mango chutney adds a fab zingy exotic boost of flavours.

I could have been playing more with the recipe ideas, but my jar is empty now, and I could only submit 3 recipes to the Chutney Challenge.
Looking forward to seeing everyone's entries and suggestions.


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