Cranberry fig relish recipe

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Every good cook seems to have a knockout Thanksgiving recipe for fresh cranberry sauce or fresh cranberry relish. This is my new knockout recipe, a cranberry relish with dried figs and pecans. It's not actually my recipe - it comes from the California Fig Advisory Board website. I found the recipe when the California fig folks kindly sent me several large bags of dried figs with which to experiment. I know you'll love it.

And yes, I know Thanksgiving has come and gone. But there's always Christmas. And next Thanksgiving. Some of us like to be prepared.

Cranberry fig relish (from the California Fig Advisory Board)

• 1 cup fresh squeezed orange juice
• 3/4 cup chopped dried California figs (preferably Mission)
• 1/2 cup dry red wine
• 1/2 cup granulated sugar
• 1/4 cup packed brown sugar
• 1 package (12 ounces) fresh cranberries
• 1/3 cup chopped pecans, toasted

Combine orange juice, figs and wine in medium, non-reactive saucepan; bring to a boil. Cover, reduce heat, and simmer 10 minutes.

Add granulated sugar, brown sugar and cranberries. Cook over medium heat 10 minutes or until mixture is slightly thickened and berries pop, stirring occasionally. Cool slightly. Stir in pecans. Cover and chill.

Makes 1 1/2 cups sauce. Of course, I quadrupled the recipe, just to make sure we'd have enough.