Not Your Granny's Crannies

Why work so hard on your Thanksgiving turkey and skimp on the most delightful side of all? Fresh cranberry sauce is as easy as it is impressive to serve. Not to mention, fresh cranberries are good for you.

Cranberries are an under appreciated fruit. Northeast Native Americans swore by the health benefits of the cranberry as a dietary staple. Early New England sailors packed the little wild berries, rich in Vitamin C, in their ship larders to prevent scurvy. Research has since validated the old adage that drinking cranberry juice will reduce or eliminate instances of urinary tract infection, but other, more recent studies have also linked the lowly cranberry with increased benefits in fighting heart disease and cancer.

A luscious cranberry sauce is one of the easier ways to wow your holiday guests. Go for it!

GINGER ORANGE CRANBERRY SAUCE
3/4 cup water
3/4 cup sugar
dash salt
4 cups fresh cranberries
1 tablespoon orange zest
1 teaspoon crystallized ginger, finely grated
2 tablespoons orange liqueur (you can use orange juice)

Coarsely chop the cranberries in your blender or food processor. Bring water, sugar, salt to a boil. Stir often to dissolve sugar evenly without carmelizing for just about a minute. Stir in cranberries, grated ginger and orange zest. Bring to a simmer until saucy and slightly thickened, 5 to 7 minutes should do the trick. Remove from heat. let cool about ten minutes before adding orange liqueur. Stir well and allow to cool to room temp before serving.

To make ahead, refrigerate sauce in an airtight container and let stand at room temp thirty minutes before serving for the best flavor. Makes about 2 1/2 cups of sauce.

Comments

  1. tracy russoNovember 23, 2009 at 10:56 AM

    I have to confess, we aren't big on the cranberry sauce in our house. We usually plop out a can shaped blob onto a side plate and call it a day as far as this is concerned. For the life of me, I can't tell you who at our table reaches for it as a condiment. But this looks lovely and I am generally a fan of things that require citrus zest.

    ReplyDelete
  2. TinkyNovember 23, 2009 at 3:17 PM

    So true that they are easy and good for you. I hope Tracy tries them; they do grow on a person.

    Happy Thanksgiving, Deb, and thanks!

    ReplyDelete
  3. AnonymousNovember 23, 2011 at 10:44 PM

    I made my recipe this way but no ginger. I love it and I jarred it as gifts in a small size Bass jar with airtight lid. In 2007, I found a jar of Ocean Spray cranberry sauce in a grocery store in Brisbane Australia. I could not find fresh cranberries...frozen ones only...glad to find the prepared sauce! Enjoy your holiday and its abundant table!

    ReplyDelete
  4. Sherri Browning ErwinNovember 23, 2011 at 11:36 PM

    I love cranberry sauce, but I am not a fan of orange and cranberry together. Is that weird? I always make it myself though. So easy, why open a can?

    ReplyDelete

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