Hot and Sweet Grape Mostarda (Italian Mustard)

Hot and Sweet Grape Mostarda

Makes about 1-1/2 cups

Mostarda is a specialty of Italian cooking, handed down from the Romans and perhaps before that from the Greeks. Basically, it's a condiment of fruits boiled with honey or sugar and spiked with a healthy amount of mustard. In my signature mostarda based on grapes, their seeds and those of mustard add texture to the fruit, and black peppercorns add extra zip. Use it alongside any meat or poultry dish, especially naturally bland turkey.

1-3/4 pounds red or purple grapes, preferably
with seeds, stemmed, rinsed, and halved
1 tablespoon cracked black peppercorns
1 tablespoon yellow mustard seeds
1 tablespoon powdered mustard, preferably Colman's
2 tablespoons freshly squeezed lemon juice
1/3 cup sugar
1 tablespoon water

1. Combine all the ingredients in the pressure cooker. Stir to mix and dissolve the sugar a bit. Lock on the lid and bring to pressure over high heat, about 2 minutes. Reduce the heat to low and cook for 5 minutes. Remove from the heat and let sit for 3 minutes to finish cooking.

2. With the steam vent pointed away from your face, gently release any remaining pressure. Carefully remove the lid and simmer, uncovered, over medium-high heat until thick and deep colored, about 4 minutes. This tastes best if cooled and refrigerated, covered, overnight before using. Will keep in the refrigerator, covered, for up to 6 weeks.

Buy the Book!

from:
The Pressure Cooker Gourmet
225 Recipes for Great-Tasting, Long-Simmered Flavors in Just Minutes
by Victoria Wise
The Harvard Common Press
368 pages
Price: $24.95 cloth
ISBN: 1-55832-200-0
Recipe reprinted by permission.