Not even 5 days past Halloween and I am already focusing on things to make for Thanksgiving. Every year I make a variation on the usually “cranberry sauce” and this year is no different. In that I added Ginger and Red onion and made more of a chutney than a plain sauce. There are cloves and cinnamon in there too, and orange juice, so a whole lot of flavors. It’s lovely though: tart and sweet and savory and complex. The best part about it: you can make it up to three weeks in advance, keep refrigerated in jars (like you would “freezer jam) and it’s lovely and fresh on Thanksgiving Day.
Ingredients
6 cups fresh cranberries
1 cup dried cranberries
1/2 cup white sugar
1 cup packed brown sugar
2 teaspoons ground cinnamon
1 tablespoon grated fresh ginger root
1/4 teaspoon ground cloves
1/2 teaspoon salt
1 cup orange juice
1 cup red onion, rough dice
1 cup Granny Smith apple, peeled, cored and roughly chopped
Directions
In a medium saucepan, combine the fresh and dried cranberries, white sugar, brown sugar, cinnamon, ginger, cloves and orange juice. Bring to a boil over medium-high heat, then reduce the heat and simmer over low heat until the berries start to pop, about 8-10 minutes. Add the onion, apple and salt; continue to cook, stirring occasionally until the mixture begins to thicken, 5-10 more minutes.
Transfer to a container or to individual jars, and cool to room temperature. Refrigerate overnight to allow flavors to meld. Can be made up to 3 weeks ahead of time and refrigerated.
