Christmas recipe: cranberry sauce
An absolute must-have on American tables at Thanksgiving, cranberry sauce nowadays is also widely used on Christmas Day as an accompaniment to such dishes as turkey, roast ham, and pork.
The original American recipe for cranberry sauce uses only three ingredients, which are extremely easy to find: sugar, water, and fresh cranberries. Here's how to make it at home in a few simple steps.
Original cranberry sauce recipe: Ingredients
Ingredients for 8 people:
- 1 cup (200g) sugar
- 1 cup (250ml) water
- 4 cups (one 12-ounce package) fresh or frozen cranberries
Directions
Combine the water and sugar in a non-stick saucepan and bring to a boil, stirring to dissolve the sugar. Add the cranberries and simmer on low heat, stirring occasionally, until the berries soften but still retain their shape. This will take about 5 minutes for frozen cranberries and 8–10 minutes for fresh ones.
Cover and allow to cool completely to room temperature: this will thicken the sauce to perfection. Keep refrigerated until ready to serve.
NOTES: If you want to add a zesty twist, swap out ½ a cup of water with ½ a cup of orange juice. You can also reduce the amount of sugar if you wish, reducing the amount of water proportionally.
How to store leftover cranberry sauce
Made more cranberry sauce than expected? No worries! The sauce can be stored in the fridge for about 7 days, as long as the bowl is securely covered with plastic wrap. To ensure optimal storage, we recommend transferring the sauce to an airtight container.
Cranberry sauce can also be frozen; be sure to take it out of the freezer the night before serving.
Cranberry sauce: the Italian versions
Like other berry- and fruit-based sauces, cranberry sauce is used in Italy primarily in cheese pairings or as a filling for desserts.
To make cranberry sauce even more appealing, Italians love to add spices like cinnamon or star anise to the original recipe, a teaspoon of honey, or even a bit of fortified wine such as Portuguese port.
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