Want to take the easy way out this Thanksgiving? If you’re invited to someone’s house, offer to make the cranberry sauce. It’s an essential part of the meal, but it’s the easiest and most fun dish to make. This recipe will fancy it up so everyone will think you put forth some effort. I know you didn’t, but I won’t tell.
It starts like every other recipe, just cranberries and sugar in a pot. First brighten it up with the juice and zest of oranges and tangerines. Then spice it up with cinnamon sticks, rosemary, and black pepper. Let it bubble and simmer until the cranberries pop. Voilà!
It supposed to be a sauce, but a sauce for what? I think it’s more of a small side dish.
It’s even more important for leftovers. No day-after sandwich is complete without it. Call it jam for breakfast. Or, stir it into salad dressing like the one for this harvest quinoa salad. It only shows up once a year, so make the most of it.
- 4 cups cranberries
- 2 oranges
- 2 tangerines
- 1/2 cup brown sugar
- 1/2 cup honey
- 1/2 teaspoon vanilla extract
- 1/8 teaspoon freshly cracked black pepper
- pinch of salt
- 2 sprigs rosemary, about 4 inches each
- 2 cinnamon sticks
- Place the cranberries in a pot. Zest one of the oranges and one of the tangerines into the pot. Squeeze the juice from all the citrus and add it to the pot. Stir in brown sugar, honey, vanilla, pepper, and salt. Add rosemary and cinnamon sticks. Bring it to a boil and then reduce the heat. Simmer for 20 minutes, stirring occasionally. Give it a taste. If you prefer it sweeter, stir in more honey. Remove the rosemary and cinnamon sticks before serving.
- Multiply or divide this recipe however you like.
I would love to see you use calamondins in your recipes some time. Your Great Grandma Sara Summerlin used them in lieu of oranges in her cranberry sauce with sugar. She also made delicious marmalade from them. Ironically, the thin peel of the fruit has the sweet flavor while the juice is very tart and tastes like a spiced lemon. The calamondin tree she had by her picket fence was very beautiful and did not get very big. When you open the fruit it looks like a baby tangerine.
I LOVE calamondins!!! And they sure do make the most incredible cranberry sauce. Brian makes great cocktails with them, too. I know of a few trees in the neighborhood, so I’ll have to check around. Many people don’t pick them because they taste the fruit and think they’re too tart, not realizing you have to eat the whole thing, peel and all.
I need a bigger yard.
Sorry I had caps lock on.
I was just talking to my aunt about making cranberry sauce for this thanksgiving. it’s never been my favorite part of the meal, probably because my family serves the canned stuff – i always just skip it. but i’m giving your recipe a go this time, if for day-after turkey sandwiches if nothing else! will report back.
Good to have your priorities straight on Thanksgiving. There’s just no room for non-favorites! While the rest of us love this cranberry sauce, my dad will have no part of it. So there will also be canned jelly-style on the table. ha! 😉 I hope you like it!
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