Cranberry Relish: the Bright Zesty Orange Relish You Need

Prep the Citrus: Use a microplane to carefully remove the zest from the orange, avoiding the white pith. Set the zest aside. Halve the orange and juice it; measure 1/4 cup (60 ml) of the fresh juice.

Rinse Cranberries: Thoroughly rinse the cranberries and pick out any soft or bruised berries. Set aside.

Combine Syrup Ingredients: In a medium non-reactive saucepan, combine the water, granulated sugar, fresh orange juice (1/4 cup), salt, and the optional cinnamon stick.

Dissolve Sugar: Place the saucepan over medium-high heat. Bring the mixture to a full rolling boil, stirring until the sugar is completely dissolved and the liquid is clear and slightly syrupy.

Add Cranberries: Carefully pour the rinsed cranberries into the boiling syrup mixture.

Simmer and Pop: Reduce the heat to medium-low. Allow the mixture to gently simmer, stirring occasionally. Cook for 10–12 minutes, or until most of the cranberries have 'popped' and released their pectin and internal juices.

Remove from Heat: Once the desired consistency is reached (some whole berries should remain for texture), remove the pan from the heat. Discard the cinnamon stick, if used.

Add Zest: Stir in the reserved orange zest. Adding the zest off the heat preserves its bright, volatile oils.

Cool Down: Transfer the relish to a heatproof bowl or airtight container. Allow it to cool at room temperature for about 30 minutes.

Chill (Mandatory): Cover the container and refrigerate for a minimum of 2 hours, or ideally overnight. The relish will thicken significantly as it chills due to the pectin released by the cranberries.

Taste and Serve: Before serving, taste the relish and adjust seasoning if necessary. Serve chilled or at room temperature.