Tequila-spiked Cranberry Sauce with Hot Chili

Free from: gluten, eggs, dairy, soy, corn, nuts and yeast. Vegan.

I originally posted this recipe after Thanksgiving, but it’s a new year and if you’ve found this recipe it may still be in time for Turkey Day. If not, Christmas and New Year’s are not far off and all these dishes could easily come around again in December. If you’re over turkey, simply replace with roast pork, duck, or goose.

The year I created this side dish, we lived in London when we had an intimate dinner for 16. I had lots of help from the family (Tess, Jackie and Ernie) and friends (Crystal and Jeannie) for which I am most thankful.

The menu: an 18 pound+ roast turkey, sweet potatoes with orange glaze, roasted root vegetables, porcini mushroom gravy, sauteed kale with chili-toasted pumpkin seeds, garlicky green beans, eggplant parmigiana for the vegetarians (and Ernie who tried to convince me it was a Thanksgiving standby), sausage stuffing for the gluten-eaters, Ocean Spray jellied cranberries (for the uber traditional) and my new Tequila-spiked cranberry sauce with hot chili’s which when tasted Jackie exclaimed “That is off the hook!”

We finished off with gluten, egg, dairy, soy, yeast and corn-free apple tart and pumpkin souffle pie with gingersnap crust served with whipped double goat cream for the lactose intolerant and regular whipped cream for everyone else.

Recipes for all dishes to come, except the turkey. I roasted the turkey un-stuffed which shaved hours off the roasting time. The sausage stuffing baked outside the bird was tasty according to my gluten-able tester. The eggplant parmigiana, garlicky green beans, and apple tart have already posted. I did though use a non-soy, safflower-based vegan shortening instead of ghee for the apple tart crust because we think Ernie reacted to the ghee despite it being lactose and casein free.

Note: I haven’t tried this with frozen cranberries so can’t vouch for the substitution but it seems like it should work.

Ingredients:
4 (1000ml) cups fresh cranberries, rinsed
1 (250ml) cup sugar
½ cup (125ml) fresh-squeezed orange juice
½ cup (125ml) tequila
2 limes, zested and peeled, then cut sections into chunks
2 hot green “finger” chilis from India (quite hot, substitute 1 habanero or Scotch bonnet or 4 serrano chilis); de-seeded and finely chopped

Preparation:
1. Place all ingredients in saucepan, stir and turn heat to medium.
2. Cover and watch carefully. As mixture begins to boil, turn heat down and stir until mixture gets thick and coats the spoon. Taste for heat and add more fresh chili to your liking.