Juniper Berries Relish
Submitted by Joro
Spiced cranberry relish caramelizes sugar, then cooks fresh cranberries with diced orange, lime, raisins, ginger, cinnamon, and vanilla bean for a complex holiday relish that improves with time.
YIELD
32 servingsPREP
15 minCOOK
20 minREADY
35 minThis cranberry relish takes the standard Thanksgiving condiment somewhere far more interesting. Two pounds of fresh cranberries get folded into a shimmering caramelized sugar base, joined by tiny dice of orange and lime (skins and all), raisins, and a perfumed cheesecloth bundle of fresh ginger, cinnamon sticks, dried chili, and split vanilla bean.
Caramelizing the sugar before any fruit hits the pan is what gives this relish its dark amber depth and slight bitter-edge complexity. Plain sugar relishes taste candy-sweet; caramelized ones have layers, almost like the difference between a fresh fruit pie and a tarte Tatin.
The wait is the secret. The recipe instructs storing for one full month before opening, and that’s not bureaucratic caution. The flavors marry slowly, with citrus oils, vanilla, and chili spreading evenly through the relish so no bite is just sweet, just citrus, or just spicy.
Pro Tips
- Watch the sugar caramelization closely once it starts coloring. The window from amber to burnt is about 30 seconds, and burnt sugar tastes acrid and ruins the whole relish.
- Dice the orange and lime small (¼ inch / 6mm). Larger chunks of citrus skin stay too bitter and stand out from the relish texture; small dice melts in.
- Stop cooking when about half the cranberries pop. All-popped cranberries turn the relish jammy; barely-popped leave too many raw, mealy berries.
- Sterilize the jars by boiling for 10 minutes. The relish is high acid and shelf-stable when stored properly, but skipping sterilization risks spoilage.
Variations
- Add 1 teaspoon of dried juniper berries to the spice bundle for the gin-like character the recipe name suggests.
- Substitute dried cherries or cranberries for the raisins for a tarter profile.
- Stir in 2 tablespoons of bourbon or orange liqueur after cooking for an adult version.
Serve with roast turkey, pork tenderloin, or alongside a cheese board with sharp cheddar and goat cheese.
Ingredients
Directions
Cut the orange and lime, with their skins, into a ¼ inch dice.
Set aside.
Tie the ginger, cinnamon sticks, chili and vanilla bean in cheesecloth and set aside.
Place the sugar in a heavy large skillet, preferably one with straight sides.
Stir constantly over high heat until sugar turns light amber.
The sugar must be cooked carefully to prevent burning; break up lumps as you go.
(If there are still lumps of sugar after it begins to color, work over low heat, or off heat, until mixture is smooth.)
Stir in the orange, the lime and the bag of spices, and cook over high heat, stirring constantly for 5 minutes.
Fold in the raisins and cranberries, stirring gently to coat with caramelized sugar.
Cook over medium heat, stirring gently, until about half of the cranberries pop open, about 10 minutes.
Remove the pan from the heat and cool.
Remove the bag of spices and spoon the relish into sterilized jars.
Cover tightly and refrigerate for 1 month.
This relish keeps about 3 months.
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