Berry Good

CELEBRATIONS | by JEAN GALTON

GROWING UP, I THOUGHT CRANBERRIES CAME IN ONE FORM ONLY: that sweet burgundy jelly that slid slowly out of a can. Imagine my surprise the first time I encountered a fresh berry. It was a bouncy petite oval of a thing, wrapped in a taut red skin. And the taste? Shockingly tart, bearing no resemblance whatsoever to the jellied version.

© ANGIE NORWOOD BROWNE

Nowadays, this North American native shows up bagged in the vegetable aisle, especially in the fall, just after it’s been harvested. Fresh cranberries cook in no time flat and are very simple to cook with, provided you add a bit of sweetening.

Here I’ve made the berries into a thick chutney, using both fresh and dried cranberries. Mixed with some ginger and shallots, this relish will do your turkey (or some chicken or pork chops) proud.

Cranberry Ginger Conserve

You can make this conserve up to a week ahead of time and it will keep beautifully refrigerated.

Makes 3 cups

2 tablespoons unsalted butter
1/2 cup finely chopped shallots
1 bag (12 ounces) fresh cranberries
1 large apple, peeled, cored and coarsely chopped
1/2 cup dried cranberries
2/3 cup packed dark brown sugar
2 tablespoons finely chopped crystallized ginger
2 tablespoons cider vinegar
1/2 cup cranberry or apple juice
Pinch nutmeg
Kosher salt and freshly ground black pepper

In a large frying pan, melt the butter over medium-high heat. Add the shallots and cook, stirring frequently, until softened, 2 minutes. Add the fresh cranberries, apple, dried cranberries, brown sugar, crystallized ginger, vinegar, juice and nutmeg and bring to a boil over high heat. Reduce the heat to a simmer and cook until the cranberries and apples are soft, about 6 to 8 minutes. Season with salt and pepper, transfer to a bowl and let cool completely. Cover and refrigerate. Let warm up 20 minutes at room temperature before serving.