I love homemade cranberry sauce and frequently make the simple Cranberry Sauce with Port Wine listed in the Thanksgiving menu, but when I want to maximize the cranberry quotient, I make this Cranberry Chutney with Dried Cherries and Apricots. It is chock full of fresh orange juice, orange zest, Port wine, dried bing cherries, and Turkish apricots. It is chunky in texture and the dried fruit adds natural sweetness to the tart fresh cranberries. It is spiced up with warm Autumn spices like nutmeg, cinnamon and cloves and gets its balanced tang from a generous tablespoon of balsamic vinegar. I use apricots and dried cherries but it would be good with plump prunes and dried pears. This chutney is great for Thanksgiving but equally good with cheese—even on top of cream cheese served with Triscuits for a quick app.

Juice and zest of a large orange, about ½ cup 

1         tablespoon balsamic vinegar

½-1     cup of port (start with ½ cup and add more if you like)

1          cup of sugar

2          bags of cranberries

1          cup whole dried Turkish apricots, cut into slivers

1          cup dried cherries

            Pinch salt

¼         teaspoon nutmeg

¼         teaspoon clove

1          teaspoon cinnamon

In a large, heavy bottomed pot, add the juice and zest of an orange, balsamic vinegar, port, sugar, and cranberries.  Bring to a simmer and add the dried fruit, a pinch of salt, nutmeg, clove and cinnamon.  Cook covered until the cranberries start to pop, stirring occasionally.  Taste and adjust seasonings if necessary.  

While still hot, place in clean mason jars.  Store in the refrigerator for up to a month.  Serve cold or room temperature.

Makes 6 cups or 3 pint mason jars 

ALL RECIPES ©ELIZABETH KARMEL 2019