Cranberry sauce often gets short shrift during Thanksgiving meal-planning, but it shouldn’t. Relish serves an important purpose, namely giving your palate a break during a rich and multi-dish meal, elevating your appreciation of the whole.
A bit of heat is a welcome surprise on the holiday table, at least in Minnesota. My mom has been surprising guests for years with the bite of horseradish in her well-loved cranberry mold. I riffed on that idea by poking around for a fresh cranberry salsa recipe and found a beauty. Jalapenos? Yes. Raw cranberries? Yes, yes. With cilantro and a hint of sweet, the salsa is at once utterly familiar and completely new and refreshing.
It’s also a snap to put together, better if made ahead, beautiful on the plate, and after serving with Herb-Roasted Turkey and Brussels Sprouts Salad, the leftovers are delicious with tortilla chips. Pretty perfect in my book.
Happy Thanksgiving!
Photo by Stephanie Meyer
Photo by Stephanie Meyer
Fresh Cranberry Salsa
Adapted from All Recipes
1 (12 ounce) bag fresh cranberries
1/2 bunch cilantro, chopped
6 whole green onions, cut into 3-inch lengths
1 jalapeno pepper, seeded and minced
1 lime, juiced
1/3 c. brown sugar
1/2 tsp. salt
Combine cranberries, cilantro, green onions, jalapeno pepper, lime juice, sugar, and salt in the bowl of a food processor fitted with a medium blade. Chop to medium consistency. Refrigerate overnight. Serve at room temperature.
