Cranberry Orange Relish

Valentine's Day this week and for the first time I am spending it with someone, which changes the geometry of the day from something I have navigated alone for years to something shared. I made us dinner on Thursday evening: a duck confit that I have been wanting to attempt for two years, cooked slowly in its own fat until the legs are impossibly tender, then crisped in a hot pan until the skin is like lacquer. Served with roasted fingerling potatoes and a bitter green salad. It took all of Saturday to cure and cook and Tyler ate it with the slow attention the dish required and said nothing for a while and then said: I am going to marry a very good cook. I said: yes you are. He said: I am aware of how lucky I am. I said: I know. He said: I want to be clear about it. I said: thank you for being clear.

I told Crystal about the engagement this week. I have been sitting with how to tell her, whether to tell her, what I wanted her to know. I texted: Tyler and I are engaged. She texted back immediately: that is wonderful news. She said: I am so happy for you. She said: he is a good man. I said: yes. She said: you chose well. I said: I think so too. She said: I am sorry I was not there for the choosing time. I said: I know. She said: I am here now. I said: I know that too.

The duck confit was the heart of that Thursday dinner, but what kept pulling Tyler back for another bite was the cranberry orange relish I spooned alongside it — something tart and bright to cut through all that slow-rendered richness. I’ve made this relish a dozen times in winter, but that night it tasted like it belonged to something larger than itself, the way food does when the meal is a moment you’ll return to. If you make the duck, make this too. It takes ten minutes and it will make everything taste more intentional.

Prep Time: 10 min | Cook Time: 0 min | Total Time: 10 min | Servings: 8

Ingredients

12 oz fresh or thawed frozen cranberries
1 large navel orange, zested and segmented (peel and pith removed)
1/2 cup granulated sugar
1/4 teaspoon kosher salt
1/8 teaspoon ground cinnamon (optional)

Instructions

Prep the orange. Zest the orange into a food processor, then cut away the peel and pith and add the segments directly to the bowl, discarding any seeds.
Pulse the cranberries. Add the cranberries and sugar to the food processor with the orange. Pulse 10–15 times until the mixture is finely chopped but still has texture — you want a relish, not a puree.
Season and rest. Transfer to a bowl, stir in the salt and cinnamon if using. Taste and adjust sugar as needed. Let the relish rest at room temperature for at least 15 minutes, or refrigerate for up to 3 days — the flavor deepens as it sits.
Serve. Spoon alongside duck confit, roasted poultry, or a cheese board. Bring to room temperature before serving if chilled.

Nutrition (per serving)

Cranberry Orange Relish — The Bright, Tangy Finish to a Valentine’s Dinner Worth Remembering