A couple years ago I came across a recipe for Wild Blueberry-Cranberry Chutney. It’s become a favorite of mine when cranberries are available. It was Martha Stewart’s recipe.
Wild Blueberry-Cranberry Chutney
2 cups fresh or frozen cranberries (8 ounces)
2 cups frozen wild Maine blueberries
⅓ cup sugar
½ tsp. kosher salt
1 tbsp. minced fresh ginger (from a 1” piece)
2 tsps. finely grated orange zest
¼ cup fresh orange juice
1 tsp. finely chopped fresh sage leaves
Combine all ingredients in a saucepan. Bring to a boil over high heat, then reduce heat to medium and boil until cranberries just begin to burst and mixture thickens slightly, 12 to 15 mins. Remove from heat; let cool completely. Refrigerate in an airtight container until ready to serve, at least 1 hour and up to 5 days.
One thing I like about making this is I can go out to the herb gardens in December and find perfectly fine sage leaves still. The ones I picked on Monday had frost on them but they were fine once it melted.
There’s something satisfying about grating the rind off an orange and then squeezing the juice.
The first time I made this recipe I grated the preserved ginger root. That wasn’t as good a method as mincing it with a knife. So now I mince it. The root, some I had grown, was preserved in alcohol and it remains in excellent condition for cooking.
The cooking is easy and just takes a short time. The pectin in the berries thickens it quickly.
I made a double batch this time and put a lot in the freezer.
This chutney is good on all kinds of things and goes well with poultry. I think it might also go well with pork. And it makes a tasty snack!