Ann's Cranberry Relish

The relish is a beautiful red color & really brightens the table to be served in a cut glass bowl. It is the perfect cranberry sauce for Fresno as it has raisins in it!I think it is a wonderful recipe & wanted to share it with the group. :) You can also serve this will ham & other pork dishes. I offen make a fresh batch from frozen berries for Easter.

Ingredients

12 oz fresh or thawed cranberries

1/2 C water

1/2 C orange juice

1 C sugar

1 med. apple, peeled, cored & diced*

1/2 C raisins #

1/2 C pecans or walnuts, chopped

1/8 to 1/4 tsp Cinnamon

1/8 to 1/4 tsp Nutmeg

*Original recipe called for a Granny Smith apple. I prefer to use a Fuji. I would use whatever your favorite cooking apple.

#I prefer to use Thompson seedless raisins as you do not want another flavor combatting the berries & other flavors but please adjust to suit your tastes.

Just some side notes - you can freeze cranberries when they are in season in November. Just be sure to pick them over before you freeze them to take out any bad ones. Sometimes they are mushed after freezing & then you can't tell which ones are bad & which didn't like being frozen.

Feel free to substitute a differenent sweetner than white sugar if you'd like. I have also made it diabetic friendly by  using sweet'n'low. If the sweetner can not be heated, I have just added it when I added the apples, etc. The diabetic version does not last as long in the frig & molds faster.

Instructions

Rinse and pick over cranberries, tossing any that are soft or deformed. If using frozen berries, you need to do this prior to freezing. Bring water, oj & sugar to a boil in a medium saucepan. Add cranberries, return to boil, then reduce heat & simmer for 10 min. Be sure to keep an eye on the pot as it is very easy & messy to boil over! The cranberries will pop like popcorn kernels & many bubbles will form on top. Turn off the heat & add the apple, raisins, nutmeats & spices. Let the mixture cool to room temperature. Spoon into a 1 qt ( 4 C) container with a tight fitting lid. This can be stored in the refrigerator for up to 2-3 months. Do check it periodically as it can form mold.

This can also be canned for longer storage, however, the relish color deepens to a more burgundy color & is not so bright red. If you'd like to can it, keep the mixture hot when you add the apples, etc. Place the hot relish into sterile canning jars & process in a water or steam bath for 10 min. (just to get a seal.) Canning makes it easier to transport as it does not have to be refrigerated & it is harder to spill.