There are two kinds of people in the world: people who serve cranberry sauce slipped out of the can and sliced with the ridges still in evidence, and people who serve cranberry relish. If you're a fan of the former, it's the easiest dish to prepare for Thanksgiving. The hardest part is getting the cylinder out of the can with the ridges intact.
For those of you who would like to be in the other camp but have been burned by puckeringly tart relishes (naming no names, I've seen people on TV buzz cranberries, a whole orange and a tiny spoonful of sugar in a blender), here's a middle-of-the-road recipe for cranberry-orange relish that is nearly as quick as opening the can.
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Ingredients:
1 (12 oz.) bag fresh or frozen cranberries (no need to thaw the frozen ones)
1 orange or 2 clementines
3/4 cup sugar
3/4 cup water
Procedure:
1. Grate the zest (the colored bit only) from the oranges.
2. Peel the white pith off the oranges and discard it; cut the oranges into sections.
3. Place the ingredients in a small pot and bring to a boil over medium heat.
4. Boil for five minutes, then turn into a dish and let cool.
The dish will get thicker as it sits, resulting in a spoonable consistency.
