Perfect for an elegant meal and frequently served to enhance the flavor of an entree, chutneys and relishes are usually made from a delightful combination of salty, sweet, spicy and hot ingredients blended together to create an intense explosion of flavors.

Chutneys and relishes are a refreshing alternative to a standard cranberry sauce or heaven forbid, the jellied cranberry sauce variety in the shape of a can we all remember as a required Thanksgiving dinner accompaniment.

Chutneys can be made from an unlimited list of ingredients, but common ingredients for chutneys are garlic, brown sugar, onions, nuts, fruit, ginger and a variety of spices.

Relishes can be cooked or prepared from fresh ingredients and as chutneys, are usually served at room temperature or cold.

Preparing a Thanksgiving dinner requires a lot of prep, so it is helpful to prepare as much of the dinner as far ahead of time as possible. Chutneys and relishes can be made days ahead of the meal and refrigerated until ready to use.

Serve one or two of these recipes with your turkey this year and they’ll probably become your families new required Thanksgiving dinner accompaniments!

Cranberry Orange & Ginger Relish

Pear Chutney

Blueberry Chutney

Cranberry Sauce with Port

Apple, Raisin & Nut Chutney

- Glutenfreeda