Relish Cranberries!

When a former Fox suggested this week’s topic, “Your Favorite Recipe”, she added, “one for Tonette!” Little did she know how I groaned at seeing it. My favorite recipe? As hard as listing my favorite books and authors, I at least was allowed ten of those!
If anyone reading this does not know, I have been cooking all of my life. I am a former professional cook and baker, I had my own bakery restaurant and I have a food blog:

Tonette Joyce:Food,Friends, Family

Being stuck for a choice, in the last week or so I have asked friends and family what recipes of mine are their favorites. I got answers ranging from lasagna to several kinds of cookies; seafood pasta salad to turkey dressing.

Fresh, sweet and versatile, Cranberry Relish

However, the one reason I started my blog was to teach people who didn’t think that they could cook, those who were afraid to try and those who felt they didn’t have the time or money to entertain. One point I stress is to know one’s audience/guests and with the non-cooks here, I decided to go an easy route and also take one that is seasonal.
So I offer to you my recipe for Cranberry Relish…and don’t scoff till you’ve tried it. It isn’t bitter; in fact, you can make it as sweet as you’d like.

My mother made a cranberry sauce every year that was inedible to everyone but her. The ‘goop’ surrounding the cranberries wasn’t bad, it was made with oranges and spices, but it was horribly sweet, too sweet, which only made things worse when you bit into the cooked but still-sour cranberries.(Think of the strongest cherry pie you have ever had and multiply both the sweet and sour aspects four-fold!)

I developed this recipe as an alternative and it is always a hit. I also use it to grill over chicken, to top #2 Son’s favorite, Brie en Croute, to stuff into dried apricots, to layer into a trifle or to top mini cheese tartlets, cheesecake, etc…but Husband’s favorite way is just as it is, or over plain cereal.
It is so easy…and it’s healthy, vegan and gluten-free:

Cranberry Relish:
1 package fresh cranberries, washed, with any soft ones removed (This was one of my first kitchen jobs; I must have been 3 or 4)
½-2/3 cups walnut pieces (or pecans)
2 large apples, washed and cored,(but not peeled), approx.1 ½ cups
1 large Orange, peeled and membranes removed, approx. 2/3 cup. Reserve a 1X3 inch strip of orange peel
Sugar, Steia or Xylitol

Place the cranberries, apple, orange, peel and nuts in a food processor and chop them coarsely, (can be done by hand.). Add a small amount sweetener, toss. Check for sweetness and add more if needed.( It will depend on your taste and the sweetness of your apples and orange.)

That’s it.

The relish  will stay in your refrigerator for up to two weeks; it can be frozen with some success,(it will be a little softer and have some liquid.)

Any thoughts? Please give it a try.