
In the U.S., we recently celebrated Thanksgiving – but I hoarded one ingredient for beyond the holiday table. And that was cranberries.
We can only get fresh cranberries a couple months out of the year, and I always end up using them all in the traditional relish. However, I wanted to use them in a different way once the “good plates” and linen napkins had been put back into storage.
The main idea I kept coming back to was a spicy and fresh cranberry sauce on ricotta as an appetizer.
I wondered, “Is this crazy. Or just crazy enough to work?”
The answer is, “Oh yes. It works.” Tart cranberries combined with jalapenos and lemon juice on creamy ricotta create an appetizer that was so good that it doubled as dinner.
And although I’ve heard of frozen cranberries, I’ve never seen them in any of my local markets. So, while they’re still in season, I’m heading down to the store to buy a few bags to freeze myself.
I want to be able to make this sauce year round.

Cranberry Lemon Sauce
Tart cranberries combined with jalapenos and lemon juice on creamy ricotta create an appetizer so good it could double as dinner.
Ingredients
- 1 cup fresh or frozen cranberries
- 1/2 small red onion, roughly chopped
- 1/2 jalapeno, seeded and roughly chopped
- 2 tablespoons flat-leaf parsley
- 2 tablespoons brown sugar
- 1 tablespoon lemon juice
- 1/2 teaspoon kosher salt
Instructions
- If using frozen cranberries, place them in a colander and thaw under running warm water.
- Place all of the ingredients in a food processor and process to desired consistency.
- Serve with chips or on toasted bread spread with ricotta.
Nutrition Information
Yield
4Serving Size
1Amount Per Serving Calories 38Total Fat 0gSaturated Fat 0gTrans Fat 0gUnsaturated Fat 0gCholesterol 0mgSodium 269mgCarbohydrates 10gFiber 1gSugar 7gProtein 0g