Cranberry Apple Chutney

Thanksgiving is just a week away so I thought I'd share some recipes that will be gracing our table this year. There are, of course, a few dishes that remain virtually unchanged year after year: the turkey is roasted simply with fresh vegetables and herbs; the sweet potatoes are baked with brown sugar and marshmallows; and the rice is made in our family's traditional way ... and there are no ifs, ands or buts about it.

But some dishes I like to tweak and experiment with include appetizers, the essential cranberry sauce and all the fall inspired desserts. So I thought I'd start with this cranberry chutney which I began making last year in place of plain cranberry sauce (which I still adore but sometimes a girl needs a little extra oomph). This is a great make-ahead recipe that's full of flavor and can have some texture depending on how thick you like to dice your apples.

Use apples that can withstand cooking a little better and not turn to mush: I'd say Gala, Rome, Jonagold or Winesap are your best bets. Also, freshly grated orange zest and juice as well as freshly grated ginger are key ... and if you're feeling adventurous, add some ground clove for a truly flavorful chutney that can not only serve as a worthy accompaniment to your turkey, but pair well with roasted pork loin, grilled pork chops and make an amazing addition to any sandwich.

Cranberry Apple Chutney
Makes 6 to 8 accompaniment servings


2 pounds of apples (about 4 large)
2 medium onions, thickly sliced
1/3 cup light brown sugar
1 tablespoon orange zest
1/2 cup freshly squeezed orange juice
2 tablespoons unsalted butter, cut into cubes
1/4 teaspoon ground ginger
1/4 teaspoon ground mustard
2 cups fresh cranberries (I purchase fresh cranberries and freeze them for future use, then thaw before using)


Preheat oven to 400 degrees. Halve, and core apples (and if you prefer, peel them as well although I leave them unpeeled) then cut into 1-inch cubes. In a bowl combine the apples with the orange zest, orange juice, sugar, ginger, mustard and butter and stir lightly to coat. Place the mixture in a baking dish and bake for about 45 minutes. Stir the apple mixture a few times during baking.

Stir in the cranberries and bake for 15 to 20 minutes longer until the cranberries are soft and the chutney thick. You can make the chutney a couple of days in advance; just bring it to room temperature or warm it ever so slightly before serving with your roast turkey. Try it with roasted chicken or pork; better yet add it to a sandwich or wrap using leftover chicken or turkey breast ... trust me, you won't be disappointed.

Ready, Set ... Holidays!

Thanksgiving came and went as did my son's second birthday party. Of course, I overcooked, overextended myself and over-thought everything. But in the end I am thrilled that my family and friends all were left satisfied with my efforts and more so with being in each others' company.

I'll admit I was exhausted this Sunday. Cooking and baking for what I thought was going to be a party of just over 20 on Thanksgiving day and then doing it all over again for a party of 45 two days later proved quite tiring. But with a little organization and planning I managed--from decorating; to baking a bunch of desserts, as well as a birthday cake and cupcakes; to cooking up a storm of appetizers and entrees. Not that I didn't have any help: my mom and sisters each brought a bunch of yummy side dishes and desserts on both occasions, but I'll be the first to admit that I am a bit of a control freak and a tad of a perfectionist, so you'll find me at the stove even as my guests are walking through the front door.

As I mentioned the day before Thanksgiving, the highlight of our holiday table was--of course--the turkey (a 24 pounder!) and our traditional stuffing. The stuffing, or "gemisi" as we call it, of Kalymnos is not at all similar to the stuffing of bread cubes and various other ingredients found on most Thanksgiving tables across America. Ours is a combination of rice, ground meat and pine nuts flavored with cinnamon. It is the gemisi we use to stuff the lamb which graces our Easter table every year. But we, as most Kalymnians do, also use it with poultry on other very special occasions. Only I didn't think it wise to stuff my oversized turkey as it already took nearly 5 1/2 hours to cook and most certainly would have needed even more time had it been stuffed. So I made our gemisi as a side dish and, in all honesty, it was just as flavorful. Beyond taste, however, our gemisi is rich with meaning and memories and a much needed staple on our holiday tables.

I kept the turkey simple: placing some butter combined with chopped fresh herbs (parsley and thyme) under the skin; filling the cavity with as many onions, carrots, celery, apples and oranges as it could fit; sprinkling it generously with salt and pepper; and leaving it to cook--without even basting--for nearly 5 1/2 hours. I also let the turkey "rest"--covered with foil--for almost an hour. It was moist and flavorful and I will definitely be making it this way again (maybe just add another herb or two to the butter next time).

Below I'll share my family's recipe for gemisi. Be advised though that our recipe is somewhat of an undocumented family tradition that's been passed on simply by watching grandmothers and mothers use these same ingredients time after time. So in terms of amounts and exact quantities of ingredients, we really go by heart (or gut) and determine what's suitable to each occasion we make this for.

P.S. There were a ton of appetizers out on Thanksgiving Day and a number of other side dishes to accompany our turkey (from this cranberry apple chutney, to thyme roasted potatoes, to my mom's yummy candied sweet potatoes) but ... I failed to take pictures of everything! I'll try to touch on a few of the recipes tomorrow though, when I post a little about all the goodies served for my son's birthday.

Traditional Gemisi from Kalymnos (Rice Stuffing)

Makes 8 to 10 servings

1 tablespoon olive oil

1/2 cup pine nuts

2 medium onions, finely chopped

1 1/2 pounds ground beef

1/2 pound liver (I used turkey/chicken for Thanksgiving, but we use lamb's for Easter), diced

2 cinnamon sticks

3 cups long grain rice

6 tablespoons butter
2 heaping tablespoons tomato paste

Salt and pepper to taste

5 to 6 cups of water (this is if you're only making this on the stove top as opposed to stuffing a chicken or turkey)

Heat olive oil in a large pot and toast pine nuts until just golden. Add the onion and cook until softened. Stir in the liver and ground beef and brown well for a few minutes.

Add the cinnamon sticks and rice, stirring until the rice is well coated. Stir in the butter and the tomato paste and season with salt and pepper. Stir in the water one cup at a time, bring to a boil, reduce the heat to low, cover and let simmer about 25 minutes until rice is done.