Spiced cranberry chutney with apricots and pecans

Get a jump on your Thanksgiving meal planning by making this cranberry chutney in advance.

 Prepare chutney ahead of time so flavors can develop. Remember this is not a treacly sauce. It relies only on dried fruit and juices for sweetness. Leftovers make a great condiment for lamb, chicken thighs, or goat cheese or as a yogurt topping.

A couple of notes about the sauce: If you can’t find ground fennel, finely crush fennel seeds with a heavy-bottomed saucepan (or mince with a sharp chef’s knife). You can also substitute an equal amount of ground star anise for the fennel. And if you’re looking for a shortcut, Lior gives permission to substitute 1-1/2 teaspoons Pumpkin Pie Spice or Apple Pie Spice blend (or even curry powder or garam masala for the more adventurous) for all of the spices.

Lior Lev Sercarz’s Spiced Cranberry Chutney With Apricots and Pecans
Serves 6 to 8

1/2 teaspoon ground cinnamon
1/4 teaspoon each: ground fennel and ground cardamom
1/8 teaspoon each: ground cloves and ground ginger
Pinch cayenne pepper
1/2 cup apple cider
1/4 cup pomegranate juice
1 bag (12 ounces) fresh or frozen cranberries
1/2 cup dried cranberries
1/4 cup dried apricots, cut into small dice
1/4 cup toasted pecans, chopped coarse
2 teaspoons finely grated orange zest

Mix spices; bring cider, pomegranate juice, and spice blend to a boil in a large saucepan. Add cranberries and return to a boil, cooking until some of the cranberries just start to pop, 3 to 5 minutes. Remove from heat.

Meanwhile, mix dried cranberries, apricots, pecans, and orange zest in a medium bowl. Add cooked cranberries to the dried fruits; toss gently to coat. Cool and refrigerate until ready to use (Can be covered and refrigerated up to 5 days.)

Make sure to squirrel away some of the cranberry sauce to dollop on goat cheese-topped toasted baguette or crackers.

Related post: Sharon’s Favorite Sausage and Bread Stuffing with Golden Raisins