Opulent Cottage: Cranberry Salsa

This spicy, sweet salsa is a family favorite at Thanksgiving. Despite a fair amount of sugar, this dish is wholesome and healthy, due to the fresh, raw ingredients.

Cranberry Salsa

2 cups fresh cranberries

1 orange

½ red onion

1 fresh jalapeno

Small piece of fresh ginger

Cane sugar, to taste

Honey, to taste

Rinse cranberries and drain. Place in food processor. Finely chop red onion and jalapeno (seeds removed), add to cranberries. Grate ginger (peeled if you like) and add to mixture. Start with a small amount, maybe a teaspoon. It gets spicy! I like a lot of ginger, others, not so much. Pulse slowly, until cranberries are finely chopped and everything is well mixed.

Mine looked like this

Grate a couple of tablespoons of orange peel to make a zest, being careful to not grate deep into the white pith, which will make the salsa a little bitter. Chop the orange flesh to a size that you like and add this and the zest to the cranberry mixture.

The amount of sweetener to use will depend on your personal preference, the bitterness of the cranberries and the heat of the jalapenos you are using. I like to start with a small amount, maybe a few tablespoons of sugar and a drizzle of honey, and go from there. You can always add more later! I might even add a bit of stevia, and natural, healthful sweetener made from an herb that originates in Africa. You can buy it in packets or in a dropper bottle. I buy mine at Whole Foods, but you can also order it on the internet from herb growers like Long Creek Herbs.

Marinate the salsa for at least a few hours, even overnight. The flavors will continue to develop over time. Taste before serving and adjust as necessary.

Think about how you might like to make this recipe your own. You could add cilantro, pecans, or green chiles. Or all three!