A sweet and sour cranberry relish mates well with any poultry entree.
Like many sour foods, cranberries cleanse the palate and stimulate the appetite. Some like them tart but, for most tastes, cranberries need to be sweetened.
The amount of sugar recommended (¼ cup) should not make the relish too sweet. You can also try date sugar.
Serves 8
½ lb. fresh or frozen cranberries, plus extra for adjusting taste
4 oz. sweetened dried cherries
¼ cup brown sugar
2 tbsp. balsamic vinegar
1 orange, peeled, sectioned, seeds discarded
¼ cup apple cider
¼ cup apple liqueur
2 tbsp. orange zest, plus extra for garnish
2 tbsp. grated ginger
2 cinnamon sticks
1 clove garlic, peeled
⅛ teaspoon cayenne
additional orange zest - thin julienne - for garnish
Combine all ingredients, except for the zest reserved for garnishing, in a saucepot stir and bring to a gentle boil over medium heat.
Turn the heat to low and simmer until the cranberries and cherries are soft and just starting to lose their shape and the liquid is reduced by half. This can take anywhere from 20 to 35 minutes.
After 10 minutes, taste for sweetness/tartness. If too tart, add more sugar. If too sweet, add more cranberries. Discard cinnamon sticks and garlic clove before serving.
(From Signs & Seasons: An Astrology Cookbook. Copyright © 2017 by Monte Farber and Amy Zerner, with Chef John Okas. Reprinted with permission by HarperElixir, a line of HarperOne, a division of HarperCollinsPublishers.)
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