By Alison Rose Munn
As the days shorten and the temperature drops, the cranberry is definitely an ingredient of the season!
Last week my mom and I took some time off and went on a road trip. We have family in the Pacific Northwest so we stopped to see them and in between visited points off the beaten track. One of those was the cranberry harvest on Washington’s coast. Despite the incoming storm we had a delightful time touring the crop in its harvest preparation - the farm was flooding the field so they could perform a "wet harvest" - and discovering all the dishes and spreads the locals like to make with their crop. I was reminded of a recipe I enjoyed a decade ago but had forgotten about as travel and dietary restrictions took over my days.
A delightful and versatile chutney, I was thrilled to rediscover this fruity topping with a kick. Fantastic as a chip dip, it also works as a sauce on pork, chicken, turkey, as a spread on toast, over cream cheese and crackers, baked ie, or your own inspiration.
One of my favorite things about this recipe is how simple it is to make and how fresh it is. All the ingredients are easy to find at most groceries and farmer's markets, the prep requires only a bit of chopping, and there is no cook time! And my favorite thing about the recipe... It is naturally gluten free. Which means no substitutes. (Pairing choices may have glutens but with a little bit of forethought can be avoided.)
CHUTNEY INGREDIENTS:
- 2 cups fresh or defrosted frozen cranberries
- 1/4 cup diced red onion
- 1 large jalapeño pepper, seeded and finely chopped
- 2 tablespoons fresh lime juice
- 2 blood oranges or naval oranges, juiced
- 2 teaspoons freshly grated ginger
- 1/2 cup sugar
- 2 celery stalks, peeled to remove strings and diced
- 1/4 cup fresh mint leaves, coarsely chopped
- 1/4 cup pecans bits, toasted if possible
PREPARATION:
1. Pulse cranberries in a food processor, five to seven pulses.
2. Add the rest of the ingredients (but for the mint and pecans) and mix gently. Refrigerate for at least one hour to allow flavors to mix.
3. Just before serving, add mint and pecans.
