Maybe you don’t cook with cranberries on a regular basis, maybe you don’t even really like cranberries, but their holiday to shine is upon us…Thanksgiving. No matter where your personal feelings lie, you’ll find yourself scooping up a bag of the berries at the supermarket in the next week or so, or purchasing a can of that sort of scary (no offense) jellied sauce.
Cranberries, originally referred to by the Pilgrims as a “craneberry,” possibly because of the fruit’s small blossoms that resemble the head and bill of a crane, go hand-in-hand with Thanksgiving, but why not give them a new spin? Try them out in a side dish, or in a jazzed-up version of apple cider or in a pre-dinner cocktail. If you understandably don’t want to deviate from the tried and true cranberry sauce, make your own with this recipe from Blue Ribbon Recipes by Barbara Greenman. This award-winning sauce hails from Wisconsin, and they know a thing or two about cranberries.
Cooked Cranberry Sauce (makes 4 -5 cups)
2 pounds cranberries, fresh or frozen
2 fresh pears, cored and diced
2 fresh apples, cored and diced
2 cups sugar
1 cup orange juice
2 teaspoons cinnamon
1/3 teaspoon nutmeg
1/3 cup brandy or wine (optional)
Combine cranberries, pears, apples, sugar, orange juice, cinnamon, and nutmeg in a large saucepan over medium-high heat. Bring to a boil, reduce heat, and simmer until cranberries pop and pears and apples soften, 12 minutes. Add brandy or wine, if using.
No Comments