Recipe: Cranberry Orange Relish
When we think of winter produce and holiday flavors, the lowly cranberry doesn’t get nearly as much attention as other seasonal produce items. Often consumed at holiday meals in the form of cranberry sauce, fresh cranberries rarely make an appearance in other recipes or during different times of year. But cranberries are fabulously hearty and versatile, so they deserve a moment in the spotlight!
The dark red flesh of cranberries indicates a high antioxidant content, especially anthocyanins and flavanols – two types of plant compounds that provide our cells with anti-inflammatory protection. Antioxidants have been shown to reduce the risk of certain health conditions due to their inflammation-lowering properties. It’s one of the reasons eating a variety of colorful fruits and vegetables is so important! More specifically, cranberries may benefit digestive health by preventing the growth of bacteria that can cause stomach ulcers, and cranberry products have been shown to prevent urinary tract infections (UTIs) by preventing bacteria from sticking to the walls of the urinary tract.
If you’re interested in including more cranberries in your diet for their health benefits, be mindful of products high in added sugar. Dried cranberries and cranberry juice are often highly sweetened unless you select a no-sugar-added product (and check these for alternative sweeteners, just in case). This relish has a balanced pairing of natural sweetness from the oranges with some regular sugar to balance the tartness of the cranberries. You could use a liquid sweetener, but the relish would become very watery and may not hold up as well when stored.
Cranberry orange relish is so much more than a side dish for a holiday meal! Try it on yogurt, pancakes, oatmeal, blended into a smoothie, spread onto a turkey sandwich, or tossed into a salad as part of the fruity dressing. It’s a great pairing with goat cheese for a bruschetta-style appetizer and will elevate countless desserts (such as on top of cheesecake or over ice cream). Once you try this recipe, you’ll wonder why you ever took the time to cook those cranberries into a sauce on the stove, as this comes together in less than 10 minutes!
Cranberry Orange Relish
Yield: 3.5 – 4 cups
Ingredients
- 12 oz package fresh cranberries
- Zest of 1 orange (see tip at the bottom of the recipe)
- 2 medium oranges
- 1/3-1/2 C sugar (depending on desired sweetness)
Directions
- Rinse cranberries and add to a food processor or food chopper bowl. Pulse until cranberries are broken into small pieces.
- Add zest of one orange to cranberries. Remove remaining peel from this orange and discard. Peel other orange and discard peel. Separate oranges into segments and add to food processor/chopper.
- Measure 1/3 cup sugar and all to cranberries and oranges. Secure lid onto processor/chopper and pulse to thoroughly combine. If needed, use spatula to stir and pulse again.
- Taste the mixture to asses if the desired sweet-to-tart ratio is achieved. If so, you’re done! If not, add another 2-3 tablespoons of sugar and pulse again.
- Transfer relish to a serving bowl and chill until ready to enjoy, or store in a sealed container in the fridge for up to 5 days. The mixture will release more juice the longer it’s stored because the sugar will pull water from the fruit (osmosis – it’s science!). Strain away the juice if you prefer a chunky relish, or stir well before serving for a juicier combo.
Tip: Don’t have a zester? You can use a fine box grater or serrated knife and scrape down the peel from the fruit to remove the outermost bright orange flesh. Avoid heavy pressure when grating/scraping to minimize removing the white portion underneath, which has a bitter flavor.