Cranberry sauce

Cranberry sauce is often enjoyed as part of a festive table, but is it normally shop-bought. Making it yourself means that you know exactly what goes into it. This recipe does include pre-made apple or red currant jelly, but rather than using it as is, you can enhance the flavour and texture by adding citrus rind, port or muscadel and dried fruit.

The recipe is also quite versatile – you can serve it with roasted turkey, chicken, beef tongue, gammon or any cut of pork. It is delicious to have the next day with leftovers on a sandwich. Or serve as part of a cheese platter with fresh seasonal fruit, caramelised onions and your favourite selection of cheese, like brie, blue cheese, mature cheddar, pecorino or goat’s cheese and a selection of nuts.

While you are in the kitchen, make double the recipe and store in the fridge in sterilised jars to use for another meal. Or make enough to use as gifts from your kitchen for family and friends with a ribbon tied around the jars.

Recipe

Cranberry sauce

Recipe from Food from the heart/Onthoukos
Serves 6

Ingredients

100 ml port or red muscadel

80 ml (⅓ cup) red currant or apple jelly

20 ml (4 tsp) lemon juice or apple cider vinegar

15 ml (1 tbsp) finely grated lemon rind

10 ml (2 tsp) finely grated orange rind

5-7,5 ml (1-1½ tsp) cornflour, mixed with a little water to make a paste

100 ml dried cranberries or raisins

salt and freshly ground black pepper to taste

Method

1. Place all the ingredients, except the cornflour and berries or raisins and salt and pepper, in a small saucepan.

2. Heat over a medium temperature and stir until the jelly has melted.

3. Simmer together for 7-10 minutes and stir in enough of the cornflour paste to make the sauce the consistency of your choice. Stir in a little water if it is too thick.

4. Allow to simmer until it thickens, stir in the berries or raisins and season to taste.

5. Keep warm to serve, as it will set and thicken further.  Or spoon into sterilised jars, seal and allow to cool. Serve as an accompaniment with beef tongue, pork, turkey or any meat that you enjoy.