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Jalapeño Cranberry relish

One of Thanksgiving's culinary clichés is cranberry relish. Often, it is plopped on a plate straight from the can, a gelatinous, quivering cylinder. In such form, it really doesn't add distinction to the holiday table. A pity, because you can take cranberry relish in some interesting directions. Southwestern-style cranberry relish can add a New Mexico flourish to your Thanksgiving dinner, and provide a welcome relief from the predictable and ordinary cranberry cylinder.

Southwest Cranberry Relish

1 12oz package fresh cranberries
2 key limes (or 1 large lime)
2 jalapenos or more to taste
¼ cup chopped cilantro with stems
½ to ¾ cup sugar, to taste

Chop key limes and add to blender or food processor with ½ cup sugar. Pulse until finely chopped and put in bowl. Put cranberries in food processor or blender and pulse until chopped. You do want some texture, so don't puree them. Chop the jalapenos finely. As jalapenos vary widely in heat, I recommend taking a tiny nip of each pepper to gauge the heat- you just want your salsa to have a little background bite, so if you run into a hellishly hot one, either add fewer jalapenos to compensate or set the hellion aside for other uses. Add the chopped jalapenos and the chopped cilantro to the bowl.

Mix well, and taste. Add additional sugar if you think it needs it. Chill and serve.

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