Cooking Classics
The Technique
Cranberry Relish
Preparing classic cranberry relish from scratch is one of the easiest & most beautiful holiday staples you can offer guests as the color enriches a plate of traditional dishes flawlessly. One taste simply puts the alternative options to shame. Simple ingredients allow the fresh cranberries to shine & uses items that may be stocked in your kitchen already. Beyond holiday recipes, the relish is the ideal accompaniment to biscuits, scones, sandwiches & roasted chicken. For a fast entertaining appetizer, spoon the Cranberry-Lemon Relish over goat cheese & sprinkle with chopped, toasted walnuts & fresh rosemary then accompany with crackers. Follow my instruction for making this versatile classic.
Cranberry-Lemon Relish
makes about 2 1/2 cups
Expect a medium consistency for the cranberry relish once it cools. A thinner sauce can be obtained by cooking 2 to 3 minutes less.
1 {12-oz} package fresh cranberries
1 cup sugar
1 cup all-natural lemonade
The zest & juice of 1 lemon
Bring all of the ingredients to a boil in a 3 1/2-quart saucepan over Medium-High heat. Reduce the heat to Medium-Low & cook, stirring occasionally, 8 to 10 minutes or until the mixture begins to thicken. The cranberries will pop as they cook. Remove the saucepan from the heat; left stand 10 minutes. Pour into a glass bowl. Refrigerate 8 hours or overnight. The relish will thicken as it cools.
FROM THE KITCHEN OF BUTTERMILK LIPSTICK
{testing notes}
How To Make Homemade Cranberry Relish
Cranberry relish is easy to make from scratch & it can be flavored a variety of different ways. Once you are familiar with the technique, the variations are simply endless. Using this basic formula, the recipe can be prepared with orange juice, apple juice or even pineapple juice & a splash of moonshine or bourbon makes it a bit more exciting. Top the relish with chopped, toasted pecans to add crunch for a more complex accompaniment on a plate of holiday mainstays.
The Technique
Cranberry relish is a stovetop recipe that is made with a handful of ingredients but delivers something stellar with such a minimal time investment. The short cooking time has the relish ready for a rest in the refrigerator quickly so it can thicken & it can then be used for a variety of applications. Here’s what you should know.
No. 1
The Ingredients
A package of cranberries, quality lemonade, sugar & a lemon are all that is needed to prepare this bold relish. If you are more inclined to ultra simplified flavors, the most basic route is to substitute water in place of the lemonade. Try an orange or a lime in place of the lemon if you so choose.
No. 2
The Cooking
Begin by adding all of the ingredients to the pot & in no particular order as the recipe is very forgiving. Bring the mixture to a boil & stir it occasionally. I prefer to use a wooden spoon for tasks of this nature.
The cranberries will pop as the mixture cooks. This is normal. There will be a foamy look to the cranberry mixture as they begin to boil. It will subside when it’s ready to be removed from the heat. Use the time indicated as your guide. For a saucier consistency, use the low end of the cook time for a thicker consistency, the higher end.
No. 3
The Chilling
Once the cranberries have cooked according to the time provided in the recipe, it will need to be chilled so that it will firm to the proper consistency as it is relatively thin when pulled off of the stovetop. Transfer the mixture to a glass bowl & place in the refrigerator. You can stir the mixture occasionally with a spoon to release additional steam if you would like to but it isn’t necessary.
No. 4
The Thickened Relish
The relish will be firm & ready to use for recipe applications or as a simple accompaniment to a variety of foods. If you find the consistency to be too thin for your taste, it can be placed back over the stovetop & cooked a bit longer, if desired. It would need to chill once again to firm the relish.
The Tune
“Easy Living” Billie Holiday
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