GRANDMA NELLIE’S WICKED-GOOD CRANBERRY RELISH
With Thanksgiving approaching, I am currently knee-deep in menu planning. Our extended family Thanksgiving, that often includes friends as well, is always celebrated at our home in Lake Arrowhead where we recognize many traditions year-after-year. One tradition we never fail to carry out is the annual indulgence in Grandma Nellie’s Cranberry Relish.
It is delicious and slightly spicy, just like Grandma Nellie!
Her dip is served on water crackers that have first been generously slathered with cream cheese. It is wicked-good!
We designed our house for entertaining so, instead of a formal living room, we have a bar.
Not surprisingly, most all of our parties begin with cocktails and appetizers in the bar. Every Thanksgiving the appetizer is Grandma Nellie’s Cranberry Relish. It makes everybody happy.
Daddy Brad is the bartender and is very possessive of his territory. He mixes up a damn good cocktail! Although he thinks it’s a sports bar, so we often have to ask him real nicely to turn off the TV. Unless there’s a Duke basketball or Alabama football game on, then we make an exception.
Some years we have been known to serve champagne with fresh cranberries to go with Grandma Nellie’s Cranberry Relish.
Here’s my dear ole’ Dad, Grandpa Luis, in his cranberry colored shirt drinking his cranberry cocktail by the fire.
My son Nathan likes a gin & tonic with his Cranberry Relish. His wife LouLou was pregnant, so she’s stickin’ to sparkling apple cider with her Cranberry Relish.
My youngest son Austin makes a toast to Grandma Nellie’s Cranberry Relish with his sparkling apple cider as well.
Son Taylor on the right, with nephew Casey on the left, prefers plain old champagne with his Cranberry Relish. I’m not sure what kind of poison Casey’s drinkin’ but one thing is abundantly clear, he is not leavin’ any leftovers of Grandma Nellie’s Cranberry Relish!
And that is because it is really, really good! So, because you’re my guest and you were nice enough to come visit, I’m going to tell you how to make Grandma Nellie’s Cranberry Relish for your Thanksgiving Feast.
First you take a small bunch of cilantro and give it a rough chop. You’ll need 1/3 Cup.
Next, you take 1 Cup of fresh cranberries and throw them in your food processor. Process them until they are finely chopped. Then throw in your 1/3 Cup cilantro along with 4 diced up green onions. I forgot to take a photo of the green onions but I think you know how to do that, right?
Now comes the spicey part. Get yourself 2 small jalapeño chilies.
Wack off the top, cut them in half and scoop out all of the seeds.
Then slice them real thin.
And dice them up. Toss the diced jalapeño chilies into the food processor along with the cranberries, cilantro & green onions.
Next get yourself some fresh ginger and peel off the skin.
Using the fine blade on your grater, grate up about 2 tablespoons of ginger and add it in with the other ingredients in the food processor..
Squeeze a fresh lemon to produce 2 tablespoons of juice and throw it into the food processor.
Finally, add 1/2 cup of granulated sugar and process the relish until……
……it looks something like this. You want the texture to be somewhat course so don’t go getting carried away and turn it into a paste! Now, chill the relish in the refrigerator until ready to serve.
Serve it in a pretty bowl, either over cream cheese or with the cream cheese on the side. I recommend adding a cute little turkey spreader just for good measure. And remember, even though you will be tempted to do so, don’t eat it all ’cause there’s other folks who want some too. Plus, you need to save room for turkey:)
NOTE: If your family is anything like mine you might want to make a double or triple batch of this stuff. It keeps for several days in the frig and is great to have on hand when friends stop by. And, we like it so much we make it for Christmas Dinner too!
Hey You! Does your Grandma cook up something special for your Thanksgiving dinner? Do tell.
- ⅓ Cup Cilantro, Diced
- 1 Cup Fresh Cranberries, Diced
- 4 Green Onions, White and Green Parts, Diced
- 2 Small Jalapeño Chilies, Diced
- 2 Tablespoons Grated Fresh Ginger
- 2 Tablespoons Fresh Lemon Juice
- ½ Cup Granulated Sugar
- Add all of the above ingredients to a food processor and process until coarsely ground. Do not over process.
- Chill.
- Serve over cream cheese with water crackers.
- Enjoy!
All opinions expressed in this post are my own. All photos are the original property of Celia Becker @ www.AfterOrangeCounty.com and may not be reproduced without specific permission.
