If you don’t like cranberries, Thanksgiving is probably your worst nightmare. It’s basically the only time of the year that they make an appearance, and if you don’t eat cranberry sauce, well, why even bother? After all, the undisputed best part of Thanksgiving is assembling the perfect bite of turkey, stuffing, and cranberry sauce.
If you don’t like cranberries, Thanksgiving is probably your worst nightmare. It’s basically the only time of the year that they make an appearance, and if you don’t eat cranberry sauce, well, why even bother? After all, the undisputed best part of Thanksgiving is assembling the perfect bite of turkey, stuffing, and cranberry sauce.
Not being into cranberry sauce doesn’t mean that you can’t or shouldn’t appreciate what is great about it. Cranberry sauce works because it’s the lightly sweet, ultra-tart foil to the other rich foods on our plate. Think about it. Your plate has turkey smothered in gravy (rich), stuffing (so rich), mashed potatoes (the king of rich), plus whatever other butter-covered, cream-filled, buttermilk-soaked foods your family makes every year.
But that bite of cranberry sauce helps to cleanse your palate of that somewhat grimy feeling that can come in between bites of biscuit and corn pudding. For the same reason, it’s the perfect spread for your post-Thanksgiving sandwich (the undisputed second-best part of Thanksgiving).
But despite totally cornering the market on Thanksgiving fruits, cranberries are not the be-all and end-all when it comes to saucing your holiday table. These three chutney recipes from The Culinary Institute of America are fresh alternatives to sliced “can-berry” that hit the same spot from a different angle.
Chutneys are typically a sweet, sour, and savory combination of fruits, vegetables, and spices that are cooked to a stewed consistency. CIA Chef John Kowalski explains, “Chutney contains fruit and sugar to give it a sweet taste, and almost all chutney contains vinegar and perhaps onions to give it a corresponding sour flavor. Like jams and jellies, chutney can be chunky or smooth. In India, spicy chutney is usually served with curry and often with cold meats and vegetables.”
The Fall Vegetable Chutney, which is similar to an Italian caponata, uses the last of the season’s farmstand ingredients, like tomatoes, bell peppers, and eggplant. Because chutneys are cooked until they’re soft, it’s a great opportunity to use some of the produce you may have stored away in the freezer.
All of these recipes are great as written, but they’re also a good jumping-off point for your own experimentation. The Mustard Fruits recipe uses dried dates, apricots, and apples, but you can use any of your favorite dried fruits, like raisins, pears, or figs. And the Cranberry-Pineapple Chutney would be just as delicious with mangoes and the addition of savory ground cumin.
Whether you make one of these relishes or all three, keep in mind that they are the perfect make-ahead items. Prepare the chutneys a week ahead of time, and you’ll find that they only get better once the flavors have time to mingle.
And they aren’t only good on the dinner table. Use the Cranberry-Pineapple Chutney as a pairing with dried sausages or pâtés, the Mustard Fruits for a savory baked brie, and the Fall Vegetable Chutney for a crostini topper with a sprinkle of goat cheese. With all of these uses, you might even find room on the table for the cranberry sauce.
Fall Vegetable Chutney
This recipe makes about 3 cups and takes about 40 minutes to prepare
1 red bell pepper, seeded and chopped
1 green bell pepper, seeded and chopped
1 medium eggplant (about 1 pound), chopped
2 plum tomatoes, chopped
1/2 yellow onion, chopped
3 cloves garlic, thinly sliced
1 cup white wine vinegar
1 tablespoon brown sugar
1/4 teaspoon kosher salt
1/4 teaspoon crushed red pepper flakes
1/4 teaspoon ground cloves
In a large saucepan, combine the bell peppers, eggplant, tomatoes, onion, garlic, vinegar, brown sugar, salt, pepper flakes, and cloves. Bring to a boil over medium heat, then reduce to a simmer. Cover and cook until the vegetables begin to soften, about 10 minutes. Uncover and cook, stirring occasionally, until the vegetables are softened and the sauce has reduced to a syrup consistency, about 25 minutes. Serve warm or at room temperature.
Mustard Fruits
This recipe makes about 2 1/2 cups and takes about 55 minutes to prepare
1/4 cup maple syrup
1 cup white wine vinegar
1 cup water
1 tablespoon whole grain mustard
2 cloves garlic, chopped
1/4 teaspoon kosher salt
1 cup apricots
1/2 cup pitted dates
1/2 cup dried apples
In a medium saucepan, combine the maple syrup, vinegar, water, mustard, garlic, and salt. Stir to combine, then add the apricots, dates, and apples. Bring to a boil over medium heat, then reduce to a simmer. Cook, stirring occasionally, until the fruits are soft and the liquid has reduced to a syrupy consistency, about 50 minutes. Serve warm or at room temperature.
Cranberry-Pineapple Chutney
This recipe makes about 3 1/2 cups and takes about 20 minutes to prepare
1/2 pineapple, chopped (about 4 cups)
1 1/2 cups cranberries, fresh or frozen
1 serrano or jalapeño pepper, seeded and minced
1/4 cup golden raisins
1/2 cup apple cider vinegar
1/2 cup water
1/4 cup brown sugar
1 teaspoon ground ginger
1/4 teaspoon kosher salt
In a medium saucepan, combine the pineapple, cranberries, peppers, raisins, vinegar, water, brown sugar, ginger, and salt. Bring to a boil over medium heat, then reduce to a simmer. Cook, stirring occasionally, until the pineapple is soft, the cranberries have burst, and the sauce is syrupy, about 15 minutes (the mixture will thicken more as it cools). Serve warm or at room temperature.
This article was provided to The Associated Press by The Culinary Institute of America in Hyde Park, New York.