SpiceLines

If your family is like mine, you cannot have Thanksgiving without the cranberry sauce. But I’m always tempted to be subversive and tinker with tradition. This year, alongside the usual sauce, we’ll be serving Laxmi Hiremath’s hot and sweet cranberry-tangerine chutney from her cookbook, The Dance of Spices. Spiked with fiery cayenne and ginger, fragrant with cardamom and cinnamon, it will be an unexpected and sparky accompaniment to our brined turkey with rich oyster stuffing and buttery mashed potatoes.

One thing: Do not refrigerate the chutney. Make it a day ahead, as Hiremath recommends, and let it sit overnight, covered, on the kitchen counter so that flavors can meld. The next day, serve it at room temperature. If you chill it, the spicy flavors will vanish and you’ll be left with….your grandmother’s cranberry sauce. Well, almost.

Hot and Sweet Cranberry-Tangerine Chutney
(from Laxmi Hiremath, The Dance of Spices)

Makes 3 cups

Ingredients:

2 small tangerines
1 bag (12 ounces) fresh cranberries, stemmed and washed
1/4 cup chopped yellow onion
1 tablespoon grated fresh ginger
3/4 cup sugar
4 green cardamom pods, seeds removed and ground
1/2 teaspoon cayenne
1/3 teaspoon salt
1/4 teaspoon ground cinnamon
1/4 cup chopped walnuts, toasted (see note)

Method:

1. Halve the tangerines crosswise without peeling. Remove the seeds and cut into 1/2-inch wedges.
2. In a heavy non-aluminum medium saucepan, combine the tangerines with the cranberries, onion, ginger, sugar, cardamom, cayenne, salt and cinnamon. Bring to a gentle boil, reduce the heat to low, and cook, stirring regularly, until the sugar dissolves and tangerine rind is slightly softened, 12 to 14 minutes. The chutney should be nicely reduced, thick and glossy, and adequately perfumed. Stir in the nuts. For the best flavor, allow the chutney to sit, covered, at room temperature, for a day before serving.

Note: To toast the walnuts, place in a medium skillet over medium heat. Cook, stirring, until the nuts are toasty and start to brown, 2 to 4 minutes.