This thanksgiving I wanted to go beyond the simple cranberry sauce I had been making for the last two years and thus was born the cranberry chutney. Sure enough, many people make it and have their own version. I thought of sharing my take on it with you. The best part about it is that you can make it all year round (just use frozen cranberries) and it stays good in the refrigerator for a long time. Goes well with roasted turkey (obviously) and turkey or chicken sandwiches. Oh and in case you don't eat meat, the chutney is the perfect condiment for a cheese sandwich or multigrain crackers. And because I have to say this.....Trader Joe's multigrain crackers + American cheese + cranberry chutney = divine snack....and hey it's healthy too.
Cranberry Chutney
1 tablespoon canola oil
¼ cup red onion, finely chopped
1 tablespoon ginger, finely chopped or grated
1 small clove of garlic, finely chopped
½ Gala apple, chopped into small pieces
½ teaspoon ground cinnamon
¼ teaspoon ground ginger + ground cloves + ground
allspice
12 oz. fresh or frozen cranberries (1 bag)
¼ teaspoon ground black pepper
¾ cup white granulated sugar
2 tablespoons red wine vinegar
1 cup water
salt, just a really tiny bit
¼ cup dried sweetened cranberries (plain or orange
flavored)
Heat the oil in a medium sized saucepan, add the onion and cook until it softens. Then add the ginger and garlic and saute for about 2 minutes. Add the apples and spices. Mix well so the spices don't clump together. Add the cranberries, sugar, pepper powder and water and vinegar. Cook for 10 to 15 minutes until the berries pop and the chutney thickens. Take it off the heat. Add salt and dried cranberries. Let the chutney cool and then transfer it to a glass container. Chill and serve.
Notes :
1. Remember to wash the fresh cranberries in cold running water before using them. The frozen ones can go from the freezer to the saucepan.
2. If you've never cooked with cranberries before, they do burst open while being cooked. Hence the popping sound...
3. You really only need a teeny, tiny bit of salt to balance the flavors out. When in doubt, start with a small amount, taste the chutney and then add more if needed. You can also add more or less sugar to customize it to your taste.
4. I've said this before as regards spices....adjust the quantity according to your taste. In this case you can change the combination too. Just make sure you keep the black pepper and cinnamon.
