Thanksgiving Recipe Share Proposal

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Before I launch into a whole series of posts about the Shakespeare authorship question (yes, it’s very definitely a question, no matter what the “experts” say), I wanted to take a break from election despair and the various craft projects I’m attempting for Christmas gifts (election despair avoidance) to propose a recipe share for Thanksgiving.

My family has the privilege of being invited to our dear friends’ house every year for a giant potluck Thanksgiving meal. There’s a cranberry relish that my German mom made when I was a kid – sweet, tart, cold, and crunchy – it has exactly the right flavor combination to make the best Turkey sandwiches (which are honestly my favorite part of Thanksgiving), and it’s my signature contribution to the meal. Not everybody loves it (Ed’s not a fan because he says it’s too tart), but those of us who love it really looooooove it.

And as with most signature dishes, the recipe is more of a series of steps with a lot of tasting rather than a hard and fast rule, but that’s honestly half the fun of making the relish.

Oma’s Cranberry Relish

1-2 packages of fresh cranberries (depending on the size of the crowd and how many meals-worth of leftovers you want – it’s good in the fridge for a few weeks afterwards). Buy them a couple of days before Thanksgiving and throw them in the freezer so they chop more easily.

More white sugar than you think you could possibly need.

A package of chopped walnuts

The zest of 2-3 oranges

To make: throw the frozen cranberries into the blender or food processor. It’ll be REALLY loud. Do it at about 8am on Thanksgiving morning to wake the kids so they don’t think it’s a weekend. Scrape down the sides of the blender a couple of times so the berries are finely chopped, then pour the frozen berry mess into a big mixing bowl (to accommodate the shocking amount of sugar you’ll need). I’m not kidding when I say “mess.” You’ll find frozen cranberry bits in your hair.

Zest 2-3 navel oranges and add to the frozen mess.

Add the first three cups of white sugar (I recommend baker’s sugar – it melts faster), then taste. Pucker up, buttercup, it’ll be way too sour, but it’s the only way to understand how much sugar cranberries need to be edible. You’ll probably add a cup at a time, mix, and taste. Keep in mind that when the berries finally thaw, and the sugar fully melts, it’ll be sweeter, so I always err to the tart side of things. I’ll actually count how many cups I use when I make it this year, but I’m guessing it’s something like 5-6 cups.

Bash the walnuts into bitty bits with a rolling pin (or give the job to the kid you just woke up), and mix them into the cranberry/sugar/zest mix. Taste frequently (it’s fruit, so it makes a great breakfast), cover, and let defrost completely.

Mix and taste one last time before you serve, and I’m telling you – cranberry relish with turkey and stuffing on a roll with mayo – amazing!

I’ve shared mine, will you share yours?

If you cook, what is your signature Thanksgiving dish? Are you willing to write back and share your recipe? If you love the traditions of Thanksgiving but don’t cook, what dish is a vital component to your enjoyment of the meal? Is there someone else’s recipe you’d be willing to share? Or, if you don’t have your own favorite recipe, and don’t have someone’s recipe to share, is there a recipe you’d love to try? Post it here and maybe we can crowdsource it for you.

I’ll compile what I get into a Thanksgiving menu and send it out as next Saturday’s post for everyone to enjoy (the recipes from Thanksgiving often work for Christmas dinner too). Feel free to forward this email to any of your favorite cooks who might want to contribute recipes – I’ll give attribution to anyone who submits. Even better if you include where (in the world/country) you’re from.

You can either respond to this email, or comment on it, and if you’re like me and have a set of steps rather than actual measurements, that’s great too. The cranberry relish recipe came from my mom who also doesn’t have an actual recipe for it. It was her contribution to my childhood Thanksgivings at Great-Grandma’s house where the kitchen was full of extended family members adding their own signature dishes. Sharing favorites is the biggest gift of an otherwise predictable meal, and I appreciate every contribution you’re willing to add to our own Kick-Ass Heroines Thanksgiving.