There is much history involved in the defining of salsas, chutneys and relishes (also often called pickles). I will begin to try and sort it all out for you.
Salsas have been around for centuries, made by 15th century Aztecs even. Both salsas and chutneys can be made from fresh or cooked ingredients, and they both add heat to our foods, kicked with spices. The other wonderful thing about adding these amazing homemade condiments is that it adds a health benefit to our meals, rounding out vitamin needs by their inclusion of fruits, vegetables, herbs and spices. The heat in spices also comes with a nifty health benefit. Spicy foods make us break into a sweat, if you haven't, your food isn't hot enough. The body cools itself by sweating, and hot foods have developed in countries that deal with hotter climates. There are multitude of other benefits from eating hot food, such as weight loss (capsacin has shown to ramp up calorie burning up to 20 minutes post chew) by making your food more flavorful and kicking up your metabolism. Capsacin is also beneficial in the fight against heart disease as it is anti-inflammatory and reduce the damaging effects of LDL. Spicy foods also contain vitamins A and C, reducing blood pressure. Plus they boost feel-good hormones such as serotonin, making you feel better just for indulging! Win-win! So for the sake of definition, salsas are generally spicy. The Free Dictionary defines it as "a spicy sauce of chopped, usually uncooked vegetables or fruit...used as a condiment."
The word chutney comes from Hindi, chatni, also appearing around the 15th century. They are typically sweet and sour, incorporating both flavors in one yummy accompaniment. Chutneys can be raw or cooked, chunky or smooth. Cooking a chutney will caramelize the sugars, allowing the flavors to intensify. Also for the sake of definition, chutneys are typically sweet, sour and not hot spicy, although they often use many spices such as allspice, clove, nutmeg and cinnamon. Foodgeeks calls it "a jam-like preserve consisting of fruits cooked down with vinegar, sugar and spices." Another defintion found at the Free Dictionary defines it as "a pickle of Indian origin, made from fruit, vinegar, spices, and sugar."
So now you know the difference, right? Oh you don't? I didn't make a clear case? Yeah, I'm not convinced of anything either. Really, I'm not. In MY mind, salsas are spicy and tomato/tomatillo based. Chutneys have more fruit and lots of spice, a caramelized sweet and sour taste, and are cooked. And relishes are very close to chutneys, having more of a vegetable component to them. That is the facts, according to Trader Colleen. NOW, when I inquired as to Captain Bill's definition, this is what I received. "Salsas are a blend of garden veggies, usually spicy and raw. If it is cooked, that is a sauce. Chutneys are a blend of fruit and nut, chopped, cooked. They are a sweet, sometimes spicy garnish or glaze. And a relish is vegetable or fruit, combined not unlike a salsa or a chutney, but it is pickled vegetables."
So there you have it folks, you decide! Hopefully I've muddied the waters enough for you to be thoroughly confused! That was my plan all along ;-) But before I leave you, I'm going to give you my favorite chut..er...relish? You decide! It is my favorite on turkey in November, and any other time it is delicious on a cracker with cream cheese, or if you're me, just grab a spoon and go at it, while standing in front of an open fridge. That's how I roll.
Cranberry Orange Relish
1 10-16 oz bag of fresh or frozen whole cranberries
2 peeled cored crisp red apples, cubed into 1" pieces
2" piece of ginger, peeled and finely grated
1/2 tsp STM whole allsipce
2 tsp STM Saigon Cinnamon, ground
1/2 c apple cider vinegar
Zest of an entire orange
1 c granulated sugar
1 c water
Combine ingredients in a large saucepan. Stir and simmer until all cranberries burst, and the ingredients are softened, reduced and thick, about 30 minutes. Cool fully before serving. Serve on meats (turkey) or on a cracker with cream cheese.
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