When I was a child, I don’t think fresh cranberries were ever seen in England. For me, cranberry sauce came out of a jar – and my mother was the sort of person who made her own mayonnaise. Actually, I have nothing against shop-bought cranberry sauce (and recommend it in various recipes), but I personally don’t quite see the point: it is ridiculously easy to make, and tastes so much better homemade that it feels like the wrong thing to cut out of your cooking schedule. Having a kitsch weakness for déclassé liqueurs, I love the cherry brandy element (not the sophisticated see-through kirsch, but the rich, red, sweet and viscous maiden-aunt’s tipple), though Cointreau, Grand Marnier, Triple sec or ruby port would be just dandy, too. But you can simply substitute some freshly squeezed orange juice (blood orange juice out of a carton would keep you tonally correct) and be prepared to up the sugar slightly – probably by an extra 100g, but don’t add it all at once – as the sweet liqueurs counter the fierce sharpness of the cranberries. If you’re squeezing an orange for juice, go that extra inch and zest it first over the cranberries in the pan.
For more recipes for Christmas accompaniments browse Nigella's selection of soups, salads and side dishes. Or for something more substantial try these Christmas inspired recipes.
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Easy peasy... and absolutely delicious! I've just finished making my 4th batch for Christmas because my husband puts it on everything he eats! I've modified the recipe to include the juice and grated peel of one clementine (mandarin)... and made a batch to give as Christmas gifts. This will become a staple in my household! Absolutely love it!
Posted by Mozkiwi on 19th Dec 2012 at 16.57