Cranberry Pomegranate Relish is delish served with crackers or on crostinis as bruschetta. Flavored with orange zest, basil and Sriracha.
Cranberry pomegranate relish tastes delicious with basil cream cheese on little crostini, but I prefer it on crackers (or straight up on a spoon)! That way, I can focus on the bright, tart fruit flavor mixed with orange zest, basil and just enough Sriracha sauce to give it the perfect tang of heat. The flavor combinations in this festive fruit “tapenade” are so spectacular and it actually has a variety of uses. This would make a fabulous cranberry sauce alternative for turkey or served with oven roasted chicken breasts. Top it on a winter chicken salad. Or give as a beautiful gift, spooned into small mason jars.
If you offer the relish as a bruschetta, one skinny baguette will yield about 40-50 slices, depending on how thin you slice it. I think 1/4 inch works best to provide a stage for the cranberry pomegranate relish to still be the star.
Cranberry Pomegranate Relish
Ingredients
- 1 pound cranberries, fresh or frozen, washed
- 2 teaspoons fresh ginger, coarsely chopped
- ¾ cup sugar
- ¼ cup honey
- 2 teaspoons Sriracha sauce
- ¼ cup chopped fresh basil
- ¾ cup pomegranate arils or seeds*
- Zest from one orange
If serving as a bruschetta:
- 1 baguette, thinly sliced about ¼ inch thick
- ½ cup extra virgin olive oil
- kosher salt
- freshly ground black pepper
For cheese topping:
- ¼ cup basil leaves, sliced and chopped or as desired
- 8 oz. good cream cheese or goat cheese, softened
Cook's Note:
- If making bruschetta, reserve extra orange zest, pomegranate arils and basil to garnish each slice
Instructions
- Place 1 pound cranberries, 2 teaspoons coarsely chopped ginger, ¾ cup sugar, ¼ cup honey and 2 teaspoons Sriracha in the bowl of a food processor. Pulse on and off several times till cranberries are coarsely chopped. Don't process too much.
- Add ¼ cup of basil and pulse a few more times. Not too much, you want mixture to be a bit chunky.
- Transfer to a storage container and add ¾ cup of pomegranate arils* and orange zest. Refrigerate for at least 2 hours or till ready to use.
For the baguette crostini:
- Preheat oven to 350˚F. Line 2 sheet pans with foil or parchment paper, if desired for easy clean up.
- Place baguette slices on prepared pans. Brush lightly with oil. Sprinkle lightly with salt and a grind of pepper.
- Bake for 14-18 minutes or until golden, rotating pans halfway through baking time.
For cheese topping:
- Mix ¼ cup chopped basil with 8 ounces of either softened cream cheese or goat cheese. Spread dollop onto crostinis just before ready to serve.
- Top with 1 Tablespoon cranberry pomegranate relish, using a fork or small slotted spoon.
Notes
- You should get about 40-50 crostinis. If you don't use them all, store in an airtight container. They can also be frozen and warmed for just a few minutes before serving.
- Deseeding a pomegranate is a breeze. Just halve the pomegranate and hold cut side down in your palm over a large bowl placed in your sink and whack it hard several times. The arils will just fall out through your fingers into the bowl. Pick out the white membrane that may fall into the bowl with the seeds.
Wonderful! I love this recipe! It is super easy to make and really tasty. I have already made this twice. It also has a beautiful presentation.
This is the kind of recipe I love. Nothing artificial in it. All fresh plus DELICIOUS! Served it on a baguette like the picture. Was wonderful Sally!
Looks beautiful for a holiday party I am having on the 28th!!