A salsa that’s good with grilled shrimp, meats, or chicken. It’s also excellent as an accompaniment to sweet potato fries, and an interesting twist on a post-Thanksgiving turkey sandwich.
½ cup dried cranberries
½ cup boiling water
½ cup fresh or frozen cranberries
2 tablespoons cold water
2 serrano chiles, minced, or ½ teaspoon minced habanero chile
¼ cup finely chopped red onion
2 tablespoons minced fresh cilantro
1 tablespoon freshly squeezed lime juice
Place the dried cranberries in a small bowl. Pour the water over the cranberries. Let sit for 10 minutes. Drain, reserving the water. In a food processor, combine the soaked cranberries, the fresh or frozen cranberries, the 2 tablespoons water, and the chiles. Pulse until finely chopped and well mixed. Place in a small bowl and stir in the red onion, cilantro, and lime juice. Cover and store in the refrigerator for up to 4 days.
Makes 1 cup
A crowd pleaser every time, this recipe from my mother-in-law takes minutes to make and will keep for weeks. The flavors improve with age.
3 cups fresh or frozen cranberries
1 unpeeled orange, scrubbed, quartered, and seeded
1 apple, quartered and cored
1 cup sugar
Combine all the ingredients in food processor. Pulse to a purée. Transfer to a bowl. Serve now, or cover and refrigerate for up to 1 month.
Makes 3 cups
Combining tart, sweet, and hot flavors, this relish is a bright garnish for grilled meats, fish, or quesadillas. It will keep in the refrigerator for 4 days, but the heat of the pepper will be lost after the first day, due to the acidity of the cranberry and pineapple.
¼ cup finely chopped red onion
1 cup finely chopped fresh or frozen cranberries
1 ½ cups finely diced fresh pineapple
2 teaspoons minced jalapeño chiles 2 teaspoons honey
1 tablespoon minced fresh mint
½ teaspoon chile powder
1 tablespoon freshly squeezed lime juice
¼ teaspoon salt
Combine all the ingredients in a medium bowl. Let sit at room temperature for 30 minutes before serving. Cover and store in the refrigerator for up to 4 days.
Makes 2 cups
This is a great condiment on almost all meats: ham, pork, chicken, and beef. It’s even good with seafood.
1 tablespoon unsalted butter
¼ cup finely chopped onion
¼ teaspoon kosher salt
1 cup chopped fresh or frozen cranberries
¼ cup sugar
½ cup water
¼ cup prepared horseradish
1 teaspoon Dijon mustard
In a small saucepan, melt the butter over medium heat. Add the onions and sauté for 5 minutes, or until golden. Sprinkle with the salt and stir. Add the cranberries, sugar, and water. Stir to combine. Cook for 15 minutes, or until thickened. Remove from the heat. Stir in the horseradish and mustard until blended. Serve at room temperature or chilled. Store in the refrigerator, covered, for up to 1 week.
Makes 1 cup
During Thanksgiving week, Americans eat 80 million pounds of cranberries, partly due to tradition but also because they taste great with turkey. This sauce is easy to make and keeps well. The cranberry butter that follows is a great spread for hot corn bread or other baked goods.
½ cup water
1 ½ cups sugar
¼ cup dry red wine
4 cups fresh or frozen cranberries
In a large saucepan, bring the water and sugar to a boil. Reduce the heat and simmer for 5 minutes. Add the red wine and cranberries. Continue cooking, stirring occasionally, for 10 minutes, or until thickened. Remove from the heat and let cool. Serve now, or cover and refrigerate for up to 2 weeks.
Makes 3 cups
Cranberry Butter: In a medium bowl, combine ½ cup of the above sauce with ½ cup (1 stick) unsalted butter at room temperature. Blend with a rubber spatula until well combined.
Serve this sauce with Thanksgiving turkey or a roast pork loin.
½ cup sugar
¼ cup water
½ teaspoon ground cinnamon
½ teaspoon ground cardamom
¼ teaspoon freshly grated nutmeg
½ cup apricot preserves
1 cup fresh or frozen cranberries
¼ cup dried apricots, chopped
In a small saucepan, combine the sugar, water, cinnamon, cardamom, and nutmeg. Bring to a boil. Add the preserves, cranberries, and dried apricots. Reduce the heat to medium and cook for 10 minutes, stirring occasionally. Serve now, or let cool, cover, and refrigerate for up to 2 weeks.
Makes 1 ¼ cup
This tastes like applesauce, with a bit of cranberry flavor and a beautiful color.
2 cups fresh or frozen cranberries
3 Granny Smith apples, peeled, cored, and cut into ½-inch dice
3 Golden Delicious apples, peeled, cored, and cut into ½-inch dice
¼ cup water
¼ cup cranberry juice
⅔ cup sugar
1 tablespoon honey
In a heavy saucepan, combine all the ingredients. Cook over medium heat, uncovered and stirring frequently, until the apples and cranberries are soft, about 15 minutes. Remove from the heat and let cool. Force through a medium-mesh sieve or food mill. Serve now, or cover and refrigerate for up to 1 week.
Makes 4 cups
This jam is a hearty blend of two native American fruits. For holidays or birthdays, make a big batch to give away as gifts, adding a note that the Indians served cranberries as a gesture of peace and friendship.
2 cups fresh or frozen cranberries
2 cups fresh or frozen blueberries
3 cups sugar
¾ cup water
In a large saucepan, combine all the ingredients and bring to a boil over high heat. Reduce the heat to medium-low and simmer, stirring occasionally, for 25 minutes, or until thickened. Pour into sterilized jars, seal, let cool, and refrigerate for up to 1 month.
Makes 4 cups
This fabulous chunky spread is good on hearty breads, scones, or biscuits, or served as a relish with grilled chicken or meat.
1 cup pitted, fresh sweet cherries
2 cups fresh or frozen cranberries
2 cups sugar
¼ cup freshly squeezed orange juice =
¼ cup dried currants ½ cup chopped walnuts
In a large saucepan, combine the cherries, cranberries, sugar, and juice. Bring to a boil. Reduce the heat to medium and simmer, stirring frequently, for 15 to 20 minutes, or until thickened. Stir in the currants and walnuts. Serve now, or pour into sterilized jars, seal, and refrigerate for up to 2 weeks.
Makes 3 cups
Use this as an alternative to maple syrup for pancakes or French toast. It also makes a nice filling for dessert crêpes.
2 cups fresh or frozen cranberries
1 navel orange, peeled, seeded, and coarsely chopped
2 cups sugar
½ cup freshly squeezed orange juice
In a medium saucepan, combine all the ingredients and bring to a boil over high heat. Cover and reduce the heat to medium-low. Simmer for 15 minutes. Strain through a medium-mesh sieve, pressing on the solids with the back of a large spoon, or until thickened. Let cool and use now. or cover and refrigerate for up to 1 month.
Makes 2 cups