UPTOWN CRANBERRY RELISH

November is the time for all those inventive sides to come out of hiding.  Ubiquitous or not, for many of us a good cranberry dish is a must for a holiday dinner.  But it doesn’t have to be ‘same old, same old’ —-this relish packs a tiny punch, in addition to its crisp, sharp taste.  The whole project takes about a half hour—then chill and store to let the flavors develop.

• One bag of fresh cranberries, rinsed
• One large navel orange
• ½ cup water
• ¼ cup dark brown sugar
• ¼ tsp allspice
• 2-4 tblsp orange liqueur, like Cointreau
• Salt

Remove stem end of orange and grind or finely mince the whole orange.  Mix water, sugar, salt, and allspice and boil gently until sugar melts.  Add the ground orange and simmer gently for 4-5 minutes.  Add the cranberries and simmer until berries burst and the mixture starts to thicken—at least 7-8 minutes.  Add a tblsp or more water if needed.  Add liqueur and simmer for another minute or two.  Cool, then refrigerate in closed container until ready to use.

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