Cranberry Chutney

I remember when cranberry jelly was something on the Christmas dinner table that came out of a can. In some houses, it came straight out of the can and sat in a bowl, its tube-shape still intact. My mom would never have allowed that, but it was years before she ventured out to flavour the condiment.

Nowadays, cranberries are used beyond Christmas and plenty of variety exists for flavours. I offer a couple of choices here for your reference. Happy holidays, or happy Tuesday. Here’s to enjoying, in true gourmand fashion.

3 cups cranberries (equals 1 bag, 340 g)

3/4 cup water

3/4 cup brown sugar

1 apple and 1 pear

1 onion

1 jalapeno pepper or hot banana pepper

1 tsp dried sage

1 tsp dried thyme

1/2 tsp ground coriander

juice & zest of 1 orange

Peel and core apple and pear, then chop them up.

In a large pot, combine cranberries, brown sugar, water, chopped apple and pear, orange zest and juice and herbs. Put on at medium heat and bring slowly to a boil (cranberries will start to pop). Reduce heat to medium-low and stir well.

Chop onion into pieces the same size as cranberries. Chop hot pepper into small pieces. Throw away pepper seeds unless you like a hot chutney.

Sauté onions with a bit of grapeseed oil and salt & pepper at medium heat till translucent and fragrant. Add cooked onions and chopped pepper to cranberry mixture and stir again.

Season to taste (you may want a bit more salt and pepper). Store chutney in the fridge, but serve on the holiday table at room temperature. If you want to give some as gifts, you can preserve it in Mason jars using a hot water bath for 10 minutes.

BRITISH VARIATION: Use granulated sugar instead of brown sugar, and take away the onion and hot pepper. Spice chutney with 1/4 tsp ground cloves and 1/2 tsp EACH cinnamon and nutmeg.

SOUTHWEST VARIATION: Use 2 limes instead of an orange. Use 1/3 cup honey and 1/3 cup maple syrup instead of brown sugar. Spice with 1/2 tsp ground dried chipotle pepper, 3/4 tsp EACH oregano and cumin.