Cranberry, apple, & onion chutney

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Cranberry sauce is the hardest Thanksgiving item to de-sugar-ify. Unsweetened cranberries are so unpleasantly tart that you really need an awful lot of sweetener to balance it out. I previously posted a recipe for sugar-free cranberry-grapefruit sauce, but it has 3/4 cup artificial sweetener, and thus I wanted a different option.

First and foremost, I wanted to reduce the amount of overall sweetener for a relish that is naturally tart with just enough extra sweetness. I thought it made sense to go the savory route and make a spicy chutney with onions. That way, it seems more intentional that it is tart. If it was just a fruity side dish, I think that people would be unpleasantly surprised when biting in. This isn't a traditional dessert-like cranberry sauce, but instead provides a nice foil to roasted turkey or ham. I served it with pork chops that I grilled with Penzeys Singapore seasoning for a quick weeknight supper.

The onion and apple provide a nice base of natural sweetness, but I did end up adding a bit of extra sweetener. It tastes even better the next day.

CRANBERRY, APPLE, AND ONION CHUTNEY
Serves 8 to 10

INGREDIENTS

• 1 onion, diced
• 1 apple (I used Honeycrisp), peeled, cored, and cut into chunky dice
• 12 oz bag fresh raw cranberries
• 1/2 cup water
• 1 Tbs red wine vinegar
• Juice and zest from 1 orange
• 2 Tbs fresh grated ginger or 3/4 tsp ground ginger
• 1 tsp mustard seeds
• 1/2 tsp curry powder
• 1/2 tsp Aleppo pepper or 1/4 tsp crushed red pepper flakes
• 1/8 tsp cinnamon
• 1/8 tsp ground cloves
• Sweetener of choice to equal 1-2 Tbs sugar or to taste (I used the stevia equivalent of 2 Tbs but I think I could have gotten away with less)

DIRECTIONS

1. Saute the onion in a bit of oil until translucent and just starting to brown.
2. Add all the remaining ingredients. Bring to a boil, then reduce to a simmer and cover. Cook for about 10 minutes, stirring occasionally, until the cranberries have all popped and the whole sauce is magenta.
3. Taste and adjust seasoning if desired. You can serve right away at room temperature, but it is better when it sits for a day.

Posted in: condiment,side dish