Cranberry Citrus Spiced Relish (Print version)

Bright, fresh cranberries combined with citrus and warm spices for a flavorful condiment.

# Ingredient List:

→ Fruit

01 - 2 cups fresh cranberries
02 - 1 medium orange, unpeeled, seeds removed, cut into chunks
03 - 1 small apple, cored and chopped

→ Sweetener

04 - 1/2 cup granulated sugar (adjust to taste)

→ Spice & Extras

05 - 1/4 teaspoon ground cinnamon
06 - 1/8 teaspoon ground ginger (optional)
07 - Pinch of salt

# How To Make It:

01 - Place cranberries, orange chunks, and apple pieces into a food processor.
02 - Pulse until ingredients are finely chopped but not pureed, scraping down the sides as necessary.
03 - Move the chopped mixture into a bowl.
04 - Stir in sugar, cinnamon, ginger if using, and salt until fully combined.
05 - Cover and chill for at least 2 hours to develop flavors.
06 - Taste and modify sweetness before serving, if needed.

# Expert Advice:

01 -
  • Ready in just 15 minutes, with almost no cooking involved—perfect when you need something impressive without the stress.
  • The tart-sweet balance feels both sophisticated and comforting, making it work equally well on a holiday table or alongside Tuesday night roasted chicken.
  • It keeps for a week, so you can make it ahead and actually enjoy your gathering instead of cooking until the last second.
02 -
  • Don't skip the chill time—I learned this the hard way by tasting it fresh, deciding it needed more sugar, and then finding it too sweet after two hours in the fridge.
  • If your relish tastes bitter, you either left some seeds in the orange or over-processed it into mush; bitter is hard to fix, so start fresh if needed.
03 -
  • Make this relish the day before your gathering—it actually tastes better after sitting overnight, and you'll have one fewer thing to do while cooking.
  • If you don't have a food processor, a box grater or even careful knife work will get you there; the texture won't be quite as fine, but the flavor will be just as bright.

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