Try these Thanksgiving chutneys

If you don’t like cranberries, Thanksgiving is probably your worst nightmare.

If you don’t like cranberries, Thanksgiving is probably your worst nightmare. It’s basically the only time of the year that they make an appearance, and if you don’t eat cranberry sauce, well, why even bother? After all, the undisputed best part of Thanksgiving is assembling the perfect bite of turkey, stuffing, and cranberry sauce.

Not being into cranberry sauce doesn’t mean that you can’t or shouldn’t appreciate what is great about it. Cranberry sauce works because it’s the lightly sweet, ultra-tart foil to the other rich foods on our plate. Think about it. Your plate has turkey smothered in gravy (rich), stuffing (so rich), mashed potatoes (the king of rich), plus whatever other butter-covered, cream-filled, buttermilk-soaked foods your family makes every year.

But that bite of cranberry sauce helps to cleanse your palate of that somewhat grimy feeling that can come in between bites of biscuit and corn pudding. For the same reason, it’s the perfect spread for your post-Thanksgiving sandwich (the undisputed second-best part of Thanksgiving).

But despite totally cornering themarket on Thanksgiving fruits, cranberries are not the be-all and end-all when it comes to saucing your holiday table. These three chutney recipes from The Culinary Institute of America are fresh alternatives to sliced “can-berry” that hit the same spot from a different angle.

Chutneys are typically a sweet, sour, and savory combination of fruits, vegetables, and spices that are cooked to a stewed consistency. CIA Chef John Kowalski explains, “Chutney contains fruit and sugar to give it a sweet taste, and almost all chutney contains vinegar and perhaps onions to give it a corresponding sour flavor. Like jams and jellies, chutney can be chunky or smooth. In India, spicy chutney is usually served with curry and often with cold meats and vegetables.”

The Fall Vegetable Chutney, which is similar to an Italian caponata, uses the last of the season’s farmstand ingredients, like tomatoes, bell peppers, and eggplant. Because chutneys are cooked un- til they’re soft, it’s a great opportunity to use some of the produce you may have stored away in the freezer.

All of these recipes are great as written, but they’re also a good jumping-off point for your own experimentation. The Mustard Fruits recipe uses dried dates, apricots, and apples, but you can use any of your favorite dried fruits, like raisins, pears, or figs. And the Cranberry-Pineapple Chutney would be just as delicious with mangoes and the addition of savory ground cumin.

Whether you make one of these relishes or all three, keep inmind that they are the perfect make-ahead items. Prepare the chutneys a week ahead of time, and you’ll find that they only get better once the flavors have time to mingle

And they aren’t only good on the dinner table. Use the Cranberry-Pineapple Chutney as a pairing with dried sausages or pâtés, the Mustard Fruits for a savory baked brie, and the Fall Vegetable Chutney for a crostini topper witha sprinkle of goat cheese. With all of these uses, you might even find room on the table for the cranberry sauce.

FALL VEGETABLE CHUTNEY

Makes about 3 cups Start to finish: 40 minutes (Active time: 15 minutes)

1 red bell pepper, seeded and chopped

1 green bell pepper, seeded and chopped

1 medium eggplant (about 1 pound), chopped 2 plum tomatoes, chopped 1/2 yellow onion, chopped 3 cloves garlic, thinly sliced 1 cup white wine vinegar 1 tablespoon brown sugar 1/4 teaspoon kosher salt 1/4 teaspoon crushed red pepper flakes 1/4 teaspoon ground cloves In a large saucepan, combine the bell peppers, eggplant, tomatoes, onion, garlic, vinegar, brown sugar, salt, pepper flakes, and cloves. Bring to a boil over medium heat, then reduce to a simmer. Cover and cook until the vegetables begin to soften, about 10 minutes. Uncover and cook, stirring occasionally, until the vegetables are softened and the sauce has reduced to a syrup consistency, about 25minutes. Serve warm or at room temperature.

MUSTARD FRUITS

Makes about 2 1/2 cups Start to finish: 55 minutes (Active time: 20 minutes)

1/4 cup maple syrup

1 cup white wine vinegar 1 cup water

1 tablespoon whole grain mustard

2 cloves garlic, chopped

1/4 teaspoon kosher salt 1 cup apricots

1/2cup pitted dates 1/2cup dried apples

In a medium saucepan, combine the maple syrup, vinegar, water, mustard, garlic, and salt. Stir to combine, then add the apricots, dates, and apples. Bring to a boil over medium heat, then reduce to a simmer. Cook, stirring occasionally, until the fruits are soft and the liquid has reduced to a syrupy consistency, about 50 minutes. Serve warm or at room temperature.

CRANBERRY-PINEAPPLE CHUTNEY

Makes about 3 1/2cups Start to finish: 20 minutes

1/2 pineapple, chopped (about 4 cups)

1 1/2cups cranberries, fresh or frozen

1 serrano or jalapeño pepper, seeded and minced

1/4 cup golden raisins

1/2cup apple cider vinegar

1/2cupwater

1/4 cup brown sugar

1 teaspoon ground ginger

1/4 teaspoon kosher salt

In a medium saucepan, combine the pineapple, cranberries, peppers, raisins, vinegar, water, brown sugar, ginger, and salt. Bring to a boil over medium heat, then reduce to a simmer. Cook, stirring occasionally, until the pineapple is soft, the cranberries have burst, and the sauce is syrupy, about 15minutes (the mixture will thicken more as it cools). Serve warm or at room temperature.

PHIL MANSFIELD — THE CULINARY INSTITUTE OF AMERICA VIA AP This 2017photo provided by The Culinary Institute of America shows Thanksgiving chutneys in Hyde Park, N.Y. This dish is from a recipe by the CIA.