It’s the Tuesday before Thanksgiving 2021, and I’ve made this Cranberry Chutney using a recipe that Julia Child published in the Parade Magazine on November 13, 1983. I found the recipe and printed it out for my use in the kitchen.
It’s my first time making this recipe, and just out the gate it tastes quite good, preparing it two days ahead of the holiday meal should give it a nice melding and blending of flavors. It’s a bit sour and sweet at the same time, not too sour, and not too sweet. I’m hoping that the cranberry flavor gets pulled out a bit more.
This is a departure from my typical cranberry compote of just pulsing cranberries, sugar, oranges, and a touch of salt and cinnamon in the food processor and letting it set up in the fridge for several days. While the compote is not cooked at all, the chutney has three stages of cooking on the stove top, 1. boiling the onions with water, brown and white sugar for 30 minutes. 2. Then adding tart apples, salt, ginger, mace, curry powder, and orange zest, then simmering another 1/2 hour. 3. Stir in the cranberries, currants, and juice of the oranges, letting that boil gently for another 10 minutes.
I modified the recipe quantities because these days you can’t get a 1 pound bag of cranberries, they are sold in 12oz bags now, which is 4oz short of a pound. So, I bought 2 bags which equals 24oz total, or 1 1/2 pounds. So, I adjusted the rest of the ingredients using basic kitchen math, and increasing the other ingredients in similar proportions. 1:1.5 where 1 = 1.5.
I like the recipe, each stage of the cooking process gives me time to prep for the next stage, so while it takes about 1 hour 15 minutes to make, the majority of the prep is accomplished while the chutney is cooking.
I love trying out new recipes, even those that are 38 years old!
Happy Thanksgiving!
I’m sure my mom would have loved to taste this Cranberry Chutney, she would have been 83 years old today, RIP. I dedicate this one to her, and in loving memory!
4 responses so far ↓
1 Jane Bahr // Nov 26, 2021 at 8:36 am
We tried this recipe for the first time this year. It is amazing. Would it be safe if canned using the water bath method? Would like to give as gifts.
2 Ryan Boudreaux // Dec 1, 2021 at 10:13 am
Great question, and yes, this chutney holds well for up to 1 year when canned correctly.
Fill sterilized jars with hot chutney to 1/2 inch head space, seal with sterilized lids and screw tops, then place the filled jars in canning pot covered with at least 1-inch of water. Bring to a boil, cover the pot, and process 10 minutes. Turn off heat, remove pot cover, keep jars in water 5 more minutes, then lift jars to a towel covered counter to cool completely.
3 Claudia Lamascolo // Dec 1, 2021 at 9:12 am
Congrats on your new book and Happy Thanksgiving lots of luck on your new journey! Happy Cooking
4 Ryan Boudreaux // Dec 1, 2021 at 10:14 am
Thank you so much Claudia!
Happy Thanksgiving to you and yours!
Bon Appetite,
CCR