Cranberry Orange Sauce
Thanksgiving worthy, this cranberry sauce is unconventionally delicious with the addition of citrus juice, orange zest and port wine.
Technically, Cranberry Sauce - that quintessential Thanksgiving tabletop condiment - isn’t really a sauce in conventional culinary terms. It is a compote, which is defined as fruit-based, cooked with sugar and sometimes other flavorings until the fruit breaks down into a thickened mixture but still retains some texture. What also isn’t conventional is this recipe that includes port wine and a fresh orange to impart a flavor that in my opinion, better pairs with poultry. It’s especially easy to make around the holidays when the cranberry harvests are in and grocery store shelves as ladened with fresh cranberries.
If you want to cut back on your sugar intake, this can be made with substituted Splenda instead of sugar.
Cranberry Orange Sauce
Ingredients
- 1 16-oz package fresh cranberries
- 1 cup granulated sugar (or substitute Splenda)
- 1 cup water
- 1/2 cup port wine
- 1/2 tbsp allspice
- juice of one large fresh orange
- zest of 1/2 large orange
- 1 small cinnamon stick
Instructions
- Rinse the berries under cold running water through a colander.
- Place washed cranberries, water, sugar or Splenda, allspice, orange juice, port wine and the orange zest in a medium sauce pan on high heat.
- When the mixture comes to the boil, add the cinnamon stick, turn the heat down to medium, and simmer for 30 minutes.
- The cranberries will pop open and the liquid will reduce and thicken. When you have the consistency of runny jam or preserves, turn off the heat and allow the mixture to cool.
- The compote will thicken even more after cooling to the consistency you'll want for the table. Place the mixture in the refrigerator until ready to serve.
