Ingredients:
- 1 (12 oz) bag Fresh or Frozen Cranberries, rinsed and picked over (340 g)
- 1 cup Granulated Sugar (200 g)
- 1/2 cup Water (120 ml)
- 1/4 teaspoon Fine Sea Salt
- 1 Large Orange (zest and 1/4 cup juice)
- 1 Cinnamon Stick (Optional)
Instructions:
- Prep the Citrus: Use a microplane to carefully remove the zest from the orange, avoiding the white pith. Set the zest aside. Halve the orange and juice it; measure 1/4 cup (60 ml) of the fresh juice.
- Rinse Cranberries: Thoroughly rinse the cranberries and pick out any soft or bruised berries. Set aside.
- Combine Syrup Ingredients: In a medium non-reactive saucepan, combine the water, granulated sugar, fresh orange juice (1/4 cup), salt, and the optional cinnamon stick.
- Dissolve Sugar: Place the saucepan over medium-high heat. Bring the mixture to a full rolling boil, stirring until the sugar is completely dissolved and the liquid is clear and slightly syrupy.
- Add Cranberries: Carefully pour the rinsed cranberries into the boiling syrup mixture.
- Simmer and Pop: Reduce the heat to medium-low. Allow the mixture to gently simmer, stirring occasionally. Cook for 10–12 minutes, or until most of the cranberries have 'popped' and released their pectin and internal juices.
- Remove from Heat: Once the desired consistency is reached (some whole berries should remain for texture), remove the pan from the heat. Discard the cinnamon stick, if used.
- Add Zest: Stir in the reserved orange zest. Adding the zest off the heat preserves its bright, volatile oils.
- Cool Down: Transfer the relish to a heatproof bowl or airtight container. Allow it to cool at room temperature for about 30 minutes.
- Chill (Mandatory): Cover the container and refrigerate for a minimum of 2 hours, or ideally overnight. The relish will thicken significantly as it chills due to the pectin released by the cranberries.
- Taste and Serve: Before serving, taste the relish and adjust seasoning if necessary. Serve chilled or at room temperature.