Cranberry Chutney Sauce

 

When I was growing up, our cranberry sauce consisted of a can put in a sauce pan and warmed up.  I never cared for it. It was so tart and the texture was a bit mushy.

 

As the years have gone by and I’ve gotten more interested in cooking and mixing flavors, I’ve discovered the value of having some acid tartness in a meal. But I still wasn’t interested in the can warmed on the stove top.

 

 

Once year at Thanksgiving, the host served a cranberry chutney that included other ingredients like orange and pear. I was intrigued, and it got me thinking maybe I can find a way to dress up cranberry sauce and make it something people are happy to see on the table at Thanksgiving.

 

 

I’m pretty sure my favorite cooking blog, Mel’s Kitchen Café, heard me because all of a sudden there was a post of exactly what I was looking for. It tastes amazing and is enjoyed by everyone at Thanksgiving. It’s the perfect compliment to turkey… and chicken …and duck … and probably venison but I’ve not tried that yet. I also love that I make it ahead and then simply warm it up when it’s time to serve.

 

 

I often use the leftovers to make cranberry muffins, or cranberry coffee cake. If you know you’re going to do that and want to make sure it stays more sweet than savory, you can omit the onions. The celery will still help balance the tart and sweet and is worth keeping. Enjoy!

 

Cranberry Chutney Sauce

 

 

4 cups fresh/frozen cranberries

1 cup dried cranberries (craisins)

½ cup white sugar

¾ cup packed brown sugar

2 tsp ground cinnamon

1 tsp minced fresh garlic root

¼ tsp ground cloves

1 cup water

½ cup onion, finely minced

½ cup Pink Lady apple, peeled, cored, chopped

½ cup celery, finely chopped

 

 

 

Mix the cranberries, craisins, white sugar, brown sugar, cinnamon, ginger, cloves and water in a sauce pan and bring to a boil at medium-hi heat. Once it reaches a boil, reduce the heat and let the mix simmer until the berries start to pop, maybe 7-10 minutes.

 

Once the berries start popping, add the onion, apple, and celery and stir to mix them in. Let the sauce continue to simmer for about 5-10 minutes to allow the sauce to thicken a bit. Take the sauce off the heat and allow it to cool for a few minutes, then transfer it to a container and cover it. Place it in the refrigerator to let the flavors settle. It’s best to do this at least 24 hours in advance, and simply warm it up when it’s time to serve.