I have known people who have turned Thanksgiving on its ear. A friend in graduate school traditionally did corned beef and cabbage; my ex-mother-in-law always did a rare leg of lamb; I am partial to an alternative fowl -- Cornish game hens stuffed with onions, garlic, celery and whatever else. What's the fixation on turkey?
I have, however, established one incontrovertible tradition: cranberry sauce. I grew up with the jellied stuff in the can, which when expelled from its can by opening both ends with a can opener, retains the indentations of said can. As an adult I discovered fresh cranberries and have been in love with them, riffing on the theme ever since.
This year's cranberry sauce is more or less:
Ginger Cranberry Sauce
One bag of fresh cranberries, rinsed.
Boil the cranberries at medium heat in about a cup of unsweetened cranberry juice until they start to pop. (Water will do, but the cranberry juice is a concept I just discovered this year perusing recipes. This deserves a Duh!!)
While the cranberries are still warm add in the zest and the juice of one naval orange, a small handful of dried cranberries so that they will plump, a good tablespoon or more of fresh, coarsely chopped ginger, about a third cup of honey, and a grating of fresh nutmeg. (I wonder if rosemary might be a wonderful addition, too? Just thought of that.)
You still need a little more sweetness to balance off the tart. I like to use an orange marmalade, about a third of a 10 ounce jar. This year I found the French St. Daflour ginger and orange marmalade, the least expensive marmalade in the exclusive grocery.
Once the mixture has cooled, add a douse of Cointreau, an orange liqueur, and some crushed walnuts for texture.
The flavor notes:
- cranberry
- orange
- ginger
- with a hint of nutmeg and the crunch of walnuts
Voila!!
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