Cranberry-jalapeno-persimmon sauce

Just like Grandma never made… cranberry sauce with a kick! I’ve made this many times and it’s always more popular than the stuff from the can.

The renovation: This recipe originally appeared in the San Diego Union-Tribune newspaper’s Smart Living section. I replaced the sugar with agave syrup and changed some of the fruits, reducing the onion by half.

Cranberry-jalapeno-persimmon sauce
Makes about 3 cups (750 ml)
12 oz. (340 g) cranberries
1 Asian pear (or regular pear)
2-3 persimmons (or one large apple)
2 jalapenos (about 30 g)
1/2 red onion (about 125 g)
1 orange
1/2 C. (125 ml) agave syrup (or maple syrup or honey)
1/4 t. (0.5 g) black pepper
1/4 t. (0.5 g) cumin
1/4 t. (0.5 g) cardamom seeds or ground cardamom

Wash the cranberries, fruit, and peppers.

Finely chop the onion and put in a medium-sized saucepan. Add the cranberries. Core the fruit and chop. You can leave it in larger pieces for a chunkier sauce, or chop it finely if you want a smoother sauce.*

Remove the core and seeds from the jalapenos and mince finely. Grind the cardamom seeds in a nut grinder or mortar and pestle.

Zest the orange into the pot, then cut in half and juice it. Add all the remaining ingredients.

Bring to a boil, then simmer for 30 minutes.

* If you have a juicer, you can run all the fruit through it with the blank in. Put half the cranberries through the juicer; leave half of them whole.