When fall rolls around and cranberries appear in the grocery store I know I'll be making cranberry salsa. This sweet salsa is great with tortilla chips or can be poured over a brick of cream cheese to serve as a dip for crackers at a party. This is a staple for me at holiday parties as an appetizer. It's also great for all those holiday potlucks and work parties since it is so quick to whip up.
12 oz cranberries
1/4 cup minced green onions
2 small jalapeño peppers, minced
1/2 c. sugar
1/4 c. fresh cilantro leaves, minced
2 tbsp. finely grated fresh ginger
2 tbsp. fresh lemon juice
1. Rinse, drain, and pick over cranberries, (discarding all that are soft or bruised). Place cranberries in a food processor or blender; pulse until finely chopped but not mushy.
2. Place crushed cranberries in a bowl; mix together with onions jalapeño peppers, sugar, cilantro leaves, ginger and lemon juice.
3. Cover with plastic wrap and refrigerate and allow flavors to develop. It will be a bit tart to begin with, but as it is allowed to sit it will develop even more flavor.
4. Serve with chips or crackers. Can also be served over cream cheese with crackers.
This recipe calls for fresh ginger. When using ginger it is easiest to cut off any knarled spots before peeling. Once peeled you can grate it easily on a hand grater. Once it gets down to a nubbin of stringiness just toss the stringy mess away.
Homemade tortilla chips are a breeze to make and are just like those ones you get at great Mexican restaurants. Just cut up corn tortillas into 6 wedges. Fry them in some vegetable oil for about 2 minutes until they harden up. Remove and drain on paper towels and salt immediately.
