Spiked Apple-Cranberry Relish

I made this cranberry-apple chutney to accompany the stuffed chicken breast for my first ever Thanksgiving dinner. To celebrate the occasion, I adapted the recipe I got from Williams Sonoma cookbook and spiked it a little with Rum. The alcohol gives a well-rounded kick to this sweet side dish. And biting into a spiked candied fruit piece just hits the spot! Just like the Apple Chutney, this relish can be used with pork, turkey or chicken, as also a spread on toast for a snack ...

Spiked Apple-Cranberry Relish

1/2 orange
2 cups water
1 tart apple, such as Granny Smith, pippin or McIntosh
3 cups fresh cranberries
1-1/4 cups sugar

3 T light rum
1/2 tp ground cinnamon
1/4 tp ground cloves

Squeeze the juice from the half orange and set the juice aside. Remove the inner membrane of the orange and cut the rind into small dice. In saucepan, combine the rind and two cups of water over high heat and bring to a boil. Simmer for 10 minutes, then drain and set aside.

Peel and core the apple. Cut into 1/2-inch dice and place in a saucepan. Sort the cranberries, discarding any soft ones. Add to the apples along with the orange juice, orange rind, sugar, cinnamon and cloves. Bring to a boil over high heat. Reduce the heat to low and cover the pan partially. Simmer gently, stirring occasionally. As the sauce thickens add the rum and mix well. Cover and keep cooking until the apple is tender and the cranberries have burst, 15 to 20 minutes.

Transfer the cranberry sauce to a heatproof bowl and let cool for 1 hour before serving. The relish can be refrigerated in an airtight container for storage.