Cranberry Sauce

Selina’s Cranberry Sauce 

 

Ingredients

• 2 c fresh or frozen cranberries 
• 1 large apple, peeled cored and diced
• ½ c maple syrup 
• 1tsp citrus zest 
• ¼ c apple juice 
• 1 onion, ct in half and sliced thinly (optional) 
• ½ c rhubarb sliced thinly (optional)

Preparation

       1.       If using onion, preheat 1 Tbs butter or oil in pot or deep sided sauté pan over medium heat. Add onions and cook, stirring frequently until onions are tender and begin to caramelize, about 10 minutes.

       2.      Add rhubarb (if using), apple and cranberries. Sauté 3-5 minutes longer. If not using onion, simply combine all ingredients in sauce pot and follow steps 3 and 4.

       3.      Add maple syrup, zest and apple juice. Bring to a slow boil over medium heat and simmer until apple and rhubarb are tender and cranberries become tender and begin to burst, about 15 minutes. Liquid should reduce and thicken, but mixture will also thicken as it cools.

       4.      Cranberry sauce can be stored in jars or airtight containers in the fridge and served warm or cold.

Basic Cranberry Sauce Notes

The basic recipe for cranberry sauce is really just a ratio to remember and use as a guideline:

 1 part sugar: 1 part liquid: 4 parts cranberries

The preparation for basic cranberry sauce is also very simple: 

Put everything in a pot and bring to a boil, simmer until berries are cooked and begin to pop and liquid has reduced and thickened, about 15 minutes. 

This recipe can be altered to suit any taste preferences, and experimentation is encouraged! My cranberry sauce is usually a little different every time I make it!

Variations on Basic Cranberry Sauce

       1.       Use brown sugar or raw sugar instead of white sugar.

       2.      Use apple, fruit or citrus juice instead of plain water.

       3.      Add a dash of cinnamon, nutmeg, cayenne or chili powder. 

       4.      Add the zest of a lemon, orange or lime.

       5.      Use maple syrup, honey, apricot jam or another favorite jam/preserve as the sweetener and reduce the amount of liquid you add.

       6.      Include caramelized onions, diced apple, rhubarb, or other fruits and berries.

       7.      Add dried cranberries, raisins, or cherries for extra sweetness and texture.