I’ve been making cranberry-pear chutney for Thanksgiving for more than 20 years. I love my recipe, but it produces a lot. It calls for the whole bag of cranberries (may as well), plus pears, raisins, fresh ginger, walnuts. We eat it all weekend with leftover turkey, but it’s also terrific with cheese. Cheddar, Gouda, aged sheep cheese. If you’re a guest for Thanksgiving, bring this chutney with you and I bet you’ll be asked back.
Cranberry Pear Chutney
From The Cheese Course by Janet Fletcher (Chronicle Books). This little cookbook is now out of print after a long run, but you can find a few copies for sale online. It would make a nice host or hostess gift if you’re invited to someone else’s home for Thanksgiving. You can make the chutney a week ahead but add the toasted walnuts later so they don’t get soggy.
1 cup walnuts
1 bag (12 ounces) cranberries
2 pounds pears, peeled, quartered, cored, and diced
2 cups sugar
3/4 cup apple cider vinegar
One 2-inch piece of fresh ginger, peeled and grated fine
One 4-inch cinnamon stick
1 whole clove
3/4 cup golden or dark raisins
Preheat the oven to 350°F. Toast the walnuts on a baking sheet until fragrant and lightly colored, 10 to 15 minutes. Let cool, then chop coarsely.
In a 4-quart saucepan, combine the cranberries, pears, sugar, vinegar, and ginger. Tie the cinnamon stick and clove in a cheesecloth bag and add to the saucepan. Bring to a simmer over medium heat, stirring, then adjust the heat to maintain a simmer. Cook uncovered until the cranberries have collapsed and the pears are almost tender, 15 to 20 minutes.
Stir in the raisins and cook for 5 minutes. Remove from the heat. When cool, remove the cheesecloth bag. Refrigerate in a covered container. The chutney will firm up as it cools. Stir in the toasted walnuts shortly before serving.
Makes 1 quart