Recipe Orange Cranberry Chia Relish
Brighten your Thanksgiving or winter holiday table with this zingy spread. Or try it for #ToastTuesday all year long!
October 09, 2019
Don’t settle for serving cliched canned cranberry sauce when you can wow your guests with a made-from-scratch Orange Cranberry Chia Relish that will tantalize their tastebuds and bring out the best in your seasonal spread. This stunning condiment is a one-pot wonder that’s so quick and simple to make, you’ll won’t look at a can of the pre-made stuff the same way again. And it’s so good, we promise not to tell if you want to call it your own secret recipe (or if you can’t stop yourself from sneaking a few spoons of it straight from the pot!)
What will you serve this with?
Ingredients
- 1 bag (340g) whole cranberries (fresh or frozen)
- 2 large navel oranges , zested and juiced
- 1 Tbsp maple syrup
- 1 tsp chia seeds
- ¼ cup water
- 1 cinnamon stick
Instructions
- Finely grate the zest from one of the oranges into an medium saucepan (unheated). From the second orange, use a citrus zester to create long strands of zest; if you don’t have a zester, use a vegetable peeler to remove the zest in strips, and julienne as finely as possible using a sharp chef’s knife. Add long zest to saucepan.
- Juice both oranges into the saucepan. Add ¼ cup of water, 1 tablespoon of maple syrup, cranberries, and cinnamon stick.
- Set the saucepan over medium heat, and simmer for 8 – 10 minutes, or until cranberries start to soften, stirring occasionally (reduce heat to medium-low as necessary to avoid boiling over).
- When cranberries have softened, and some have started to burst, use the back of a spoon, press unburst berries against the side of the saucepan to gently break them up. Do not mash—you want a chunky, relish-like texture.
- Reduce the heat to a gentle simmer (low to medium-low) and add the chia seeds. Simmer, stirring gently and often enough to keep sauce from sticking, until the sauce thickens to a loose, jam-like consistency. Remove from heat. The chia will continue to thicken the relish a little further as it cools. If serving within an hour, transfer the relish to an attractive condiment dish. If making further ahead, transfer to a clean mason jar or storage container with a lid. Store in the fridge and use in 7 – 10 days*.
Try these handy tips!
- *While we love this recipe fresh, it can be frozen (freezer jam-style) and defrosted before using.
- Feeling crafty? This Cranberry Orange Chia Relish is such a stunner, it would make lovely hostess gifts if properly processed and sealed in sterilized mason jars in a hot water canning bath.
