It’s time. Can you taste it? That tongue-titillating tartness? Cranberries are back. Whether you love them or hate them, cranberries are a practically indispensable part of Thanksgiving. But really, they are so much more.
Cranberries are an autumn pick-me-up, little bombs of shocking flavor that can be added into applesauce, baked in muffins, made into jam and slathered on your sandwich, eaten with granola and yogurt, or even by the spoonful whenever you need that jolt of it’s-okay-that-summer’s-over feeling. Winter’s coming but it doesn’t need to be all butter and braising. Just because we’ve got to make do without raspberries and watermelon doesn’t mean we still can’t have a little fun.
This cranberry relish in particular is fun with a capital “F”. White cranberries (cranberries harvested after they’ve matured, but before they turn red) are joined with candied grapefruit peel and grapefruit juice, cooked until the berries “pop!” and sassied up with mint. To say it’s refreshing is a serious understatement. This cranberry relish is practically electric.
Maybe too electric for the Thanksgiving table. It’s a bit too dominating for turkey but the zing!-factor shines slathered over a pork tenderloin, or even a flank steak. Better yet, serve this (warmed up a tad) over buttery pound cake. You’d never know it wasn’t summer outside.
White Cranberry Relish with Grapefruit and Mint
Makes 3 cups//adapted from Bon Appetit, Nov ’08
- 1 large pink grapefruit*
- 1 cup sugar
- 3 cups white cranberries (or red cranberries)
- 2 tablespoons chopped fresh mint
Using vegetable peeler, remove peel (pink-yellow outer layer only) from 1 grapefruit in strips. Cut peel into 2-inch-long, 1/8-inch-wide strips (about 1/2 cup). Squeeze 1 cup juice from grapefruits.
Stir 1 cup sugar and 1 cup water in medium saucepan over medium heat until sugar dissolves. Add grapefruit peel; bring to boil. Reduce heat; simmer until peel is soft, about 15 minutes. Add 1 cup grapefruit juice and cranberries; bring to boil. Reduce heat and simmer until berries burst, about 10 minutes. Transfer to medium bowl. Stir in mint. Cover; chill until cold. DO AHEAD: Can be made 3 days ahead. Keep chilled.
Bon Appetit uses 2 grapefruits, I only had one on hand. I didn’t feel like I was missing out on any grapefruit flavor (it was very pronounced, actually) but feel free to use 2 instead of 1.
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October 12, 2008 at 1:55 pm
Oooh, fabulous! Must remember to stock up on frozen berries this year. They always seem to disappear right after the holidays, but I think they’re good anytime.
October 12, 2008 at 3:52 pm
October 12, 2008 at 11:54 pm
YUMMM. Relish? Oh man. Those flavor combinations of yours rock!
October 13, 2008 at 9:50 am
October 13, 2008 at 1:36 pm
This on top of a pound cake sounds tasty indeed! I’d also love topping it on my cornbread, which sounds weird but I think that it would awesome.
October 13, 2008 at 2:17 pm
October 13, 2008 at 10:01 pm
Mmm… I love the tartness of cranberries! And my mouth is tingling at the thought of cranberries and grapefruit.
October 14, 2008 at 12:23 am
I look forward to thanksgiving more for the cranberry jelly than the actual turkey, haha!
I’d opt for the buttery pound cake for this relish – it sounds heavenly :)
October 14, 2008 at 1:48 pm
Oh I love cranberries! I love the sound of this zingy concoction – and I love the sound of it on steak – I wouldn’t have thought of that. It sounds like it might just work REALLY well.
October 15, 2008 at 3:06 am
I never know what to do with fresh cranberries. Other than juiced with vodka. Thanks for the ideas!
October 15, 2008 at 11:30 am
My aunt makes something similar to this and I LOVE it!! But this almost sounds better (white cranberries? Yum!). I do love cranberry season…
October 15, 2008 at 2:55 pm
it can’t be autumn yet, can it? oh well, at least it brings some yummy new ingredients!
October 15, 2008 at 4:30 pm
How fun! My first thought was… those cranberries are not ripe! Good to know about the white variety :O)
October 15, 2008 at 8:02 pm
How lovely! We don’t see white cranberries down here in Florida too often, but I will try this recipe with the red ones. Gorgeous!
October 15, 2008 at 10:51 pm
Great post! I too saw this recipe in the Nov 08 issue but I was so obsessed with the pumpkin pie that I all but forgot about it. After reading your post I’m definitely making this relish. :)
October 16, 2008 at 7:20 pm