A Generational Thing: Cranberry Chutney

My aunt gave me this recipe.  Many years ago, she cut it out of the New York Times Magazine and glued it to a recipe card, in strips, sort of (well, totally) hanging off the bottom.  I treasure recipes like this. Tried and true, they’ve been around the family, and saved over the years so we won’t forget to use them again and again.  I just made this chutney for the first time and it is holy-cow-delicious.  Trust me. Fresh cranberries are not just for Thanksgiving.  Serve this chutney as a seasonal addition to any meal, use it to top baked brie or sweet potatoes, or spread it on sandwiches. I’ll let my aunt know you loved it.

CRANBERRY CHUTNEY

Yield: 6 cups

Ingredients:

• 1/2 cup cider vinegar
• 2 1/4 cups firmly packed light brown sugar
• 3/4 teaspoon curry powder
• 1/2 teaspoon ground ginger
• 1/4 teaspoon ground cloves
• 1/4 teaspoon ground allspice
• 1/2 teaspoon cinnamon
• 1 1/2 cups water
• 2 lemons, rind grated finely, pith discarded and fruit cut into sections
• 2 navel oranges, rind grated finely, pith discarded and fruit cut into sections
• 1 tart apple, peeled and coarsely chopped
• 6 cups fresh cranberries
• 1/2 cup golden raisins
• 1/2 cup dried apricots
• 1/2 cup chopped pecans

Directions:

1. In a large saucepan combine the vinegar, sugar, curry, ginger, cloves, allspice, cinnamon and water. Bring the liquid to a boil, stirring until the sugar is dissolved, about 3 minutes. Add the lemon rind and lemon sections, the orange rind and orange sections and the apple, reduce the heat and simmer for 10 minutes.
2. Add 3 cups of the cranberries, the raisins and the apricots and simmer, stirring occasionally, until thickened, about 35 minutes. Add another 2 cups of the cranberries and simmer for 10 more minutes. Add the remaining cup of cranberries and the pecans and simmer the mixture for 15 minutes longer.
3. Remove the saucepan from the heat, pour the chutney into a bowl and let cool. Chill overnight or up to 2 weeks.