Francesco Clemente's Amazing Hot Sauce (Chipotle & Date Chutney)

The four years I spent in the apartment I shared just prior to getting married and moving in with Kevin have the distinction of being the longest time I have lived in one place since leaving my childhood home. In the final year before I moved out, a strange phenomenon began to occur by which my roommate and I would find the refrigerator oddly devoid of the makings of any type of discernible meal, despite appearing to be absolutely stuffed to the gills. Pondering this situation, we would alternately accuse each other (in good fun, of course) of taking up more than our fair share of space in the over-filled appliance. It was not until we took the time to actually consider the contents of the refrigerator that the truth became clear - I have a particular affinity for condiments, and the myriad bottles and jars of the well-keeping stuff were taking over! I will admit that it is a bit of a problem, but the fact that just a little bit of the right condiment can add so much flavor, often without the addition of many "undesirable" nutritional side effects (fat, calories, etc.), is just unresistably alluring to me. So imagine my excitement when I heard an interview with Top Chef's Padma Lakshmi and found out that she, too, is a fan of condiments - so much so, in fact, that she devoted an entire chapter of her 2007 book Tangy, Tart, Hot & Sweet to Pickles and Chutneys! Haunted by her description of the Chipotle & Date Chutney included within, I had to buy the book. Let me just say that the chutney is everything I had dreamed of - smoky, sweet, and fiery hot (the rest of the book is great too, incidentally). It is amazing and very, very easy to make, so if you like hot and sweet, you would be remiss not to whip up a batch. I promise, it won't last long enough to take over your 'fridge!

Francesco Clemente's Amazing Hot Sauce (Chipotle & Date Chutney)
-from Tangy, Tart, Hot & Sweet by Padma Lakshmi
(Recipe also available from Good Food)