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Sunday, November 8, 2015

MI Love: Cranberries - Yes, You CAN Make Homemade Cranberry Sauce

Few things say holiday season in Michigan more than cranberries, and cranberry sauce is probably the most quintessential method to prep them. A lot of people buy their cranberry sauce in a can or think that only their grandmother can pull it off - I did for a while. Then I asked my grandma for the recipe, and it turns out it's a pretty easy three ingredient process with an easy ratio - 4:2:1 (four parts cranberries, two parts sugar, one part water).

That's right, three ingredients - and that's if you count tap water as an ingredient.

This is not health food, not really, given how much sugar you're putting in, but cranberries are nutritious and the color alone is enough to brighten your day, and you can always throw this as a condiment onto a lean turkey/lettuce/whole wheat sandwich or whole grain pumpkin pancakes or something else healthy to even it out. Or, you know, stir into seasonal cocktails, spoon onto ice cream, or eat with a spoon. You will not want to stop eating this.

So here's what you will need:

A medium size saucepan
A pretty casserole dish with a lid (or if you're going to serve warm and immediately, a pretty serving bowl)
4 cups of cranberries (Michigan cranberries recommended - can be from frozen if you like)
2 cups sugar
1 cup of water

Rinse and sort through the cranberries to remove any leaves or twigs that might be in with them. Bring the water and sugar to a simmer until the sugar dissolves, then add the cranberries (or you can just dump everything and bring to a simmer, but finding the simmering temp for the water will give you a better idea how hot to keep your burner). Stir frequently. Cook until the berries start to explode, the liquid has frothy light pink bubbles and is starting to get thick and syrupy. The longer you cook it, the thicker it will be (if it doesn't thicken completely the first time, don't despair. You've just made the loveliest cranberry syrup. Try again soon and cook longer next time.).

Turn the burner off, pour the cranberry sauce into your dish (if I'm doing very casual entertaining, I'm not above leaving it in the saucepan), let cool for a little while, and then put it into the refrigerator to finish setting. You can also spoon some over double cream brie while the sauce is still warm and serve with crackers or crostini for a simple but elegant holiday starter.

Variations:
Instead of water, use red wine, Vernor's or orange juice. (Consider reducing the sugar in this case.)
Add a dash of vanilla, a little grated orange rind, a splash of bourbon, or a little brandy.
Saute apples in the saucepan for a few minutes before adding the water and sugar, then proceed as normal.
Add a mulling spice packet to the sugar and water; remove it after the cranberries finish cooking.

You can combine the above variations to create a signature cranberry sauce for yourself or to pair it more successfully with whatever else you're serving. Taste the liquid portion before adding the cranberries and make sure to taste near the end also (but be careful: it's hot!).

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