Cranberry, Quince and Pear Chutney

• Recipe by Lee Hefter

With its depth and complexity, this chutney makes a good alternative to the usual cranberry sauce.

Ingredients

1. 1 2/3 cups verjus (see Note) or white wine
2. 1 cup sugar
3. 2 cups fresh cranberries
4. 3 large Bartlett pears, peeled and finely diced
5. 2 medium quinces (7 ounces each), peeled and finely diced
6. 2 teaspoons grappa or brandy

Directions

1. In a medium saucepan, combine 1 cup of the verjus with the sugar and bring to a boil. Cook over moderate heat, stirring occasionally, until reduced by one-third, about 10 minutes. Add the cranberries and cook until softened, gently smashing the cranberries against the side of the pan, about 15 minutes.
2. Meanwhile, in another medium saucepan, combine the pears with the quinces and remaining 2/3 cup of verjus and bring to a boil. Cover and cook over moderately low heat until the pears are softened, about 20 minutes.
3. In a heatproof bowl, combine the cranberry sauce with the pears, quinces and grappa. Refrigerate until chilled.

Notes

Verjus, the juice of unripe grapes, has a tart, applelike flavor. You can buy it at specialty markets. The F&W Test Kitchen especially likes the verjus from Wölffer Estate (wolffer.com).