Sh*t, I forgot an appetizer...
Consider this alternative ending for extra cranberries
Hey crew, and welcome back to Cool Beans! We’re closing out our monthlong ode to holiday sides with a cranberry moment, of course. Since we’re only two days out from showtime, I thought we’d think outside the can and turn those tart little jewels into a flavorful no-cook appetizer because 1) you need something to nosh on while all those sides are cooking and 2) if you’re like me you likely forgot about apps until, oh, today.
A quick li’l canapé
Cranberries are one of my favorite fall fruits, and I get a lot of weird looks when I say that. I love the burst of tart freshness they add to cakes, muffins, and scones. Plus, homemade cranberry sauce is the GOAT of holiday sides. But there are a lot of ways to enjoy them that don’t involve cooking them to smithereens. In today’s recipe, we’re chopping up fresh cranberries and letting them macerate with a bit of sugar, jalapeños, and scallions to make a zesty relish. Cooking, or shall we say uncooking, the berries this way maintains some texture that normally gets boiled out when making sauce. The relish is delicious on sandwiches or as a side dish to balance all those starchy casseroles, but it’s probably best showcased atop a smear of spruced-up cream cheese on a cracker.
If you still need to fill out the table, check out our stuffed acorn squash, Brussels sprouts with mushroom ‘bacon,’ and sweet potato mac and ‘cheese.’
So, the base of our holiday canapé is a doctored-up cream cheese with lemon zest, chives, and some nooch thrown in for extra cheesiness. For our vehicle, we prefer the nostalgic flavor of “buttery” but secretly animal-free Ritz crackers, but you can choose any variety that you fancy. The relish component is best made in advance so the flavors have time to mingle and the cranberries to break down. The earlier you make it, the juicier it gets. Any extra liquid is delicious added to a cocktail, so this recipe really pulls double duty.
Chive Spread with Cranberry-Jalapeño Relish
Yield: 6 to 8 servings, 4 bites each