I think we all know how I feel about Thanksgiving — no need to rehash it here. But, though there have been a multitude of sides and some desserts and a few appetizers thrown in, I’ve never blogged about the main event: the turkey.
Simple reason: I’ve never made one. (If we’re being honest, I’ve never roasted any kind of whole fowl before.) But I wanted to host a “Friends-giving,” as a chance for friends to test out their holiday recipes before the big day and for me to actually try my hand at turkey, so here we are. Or actually, where we will be tomorrow, when I actually roast the bird. Today, let’s talk cranberries.
In my opinion, cranberry sauce is a must-have at any Thanksgiving table: something tart and a little fruity to balance out all of the rich, heavy side dishes, a piquant relish for turkey, a tangy spread for leftover-filled sandwiches the next day. I don’t like sweet cranberry sauce and I definitely don’t like anything that resembles the shape of a can. I want fresh, bright, snappy.
I also want a hint of orange and some spices. This cranberry-Pinot sauce is basically mulled wine with sugar and cranberries tossed in. A cinnamon stick, whole cloves and some peppercorns add warmth, an undercurrent of fall, if you will. But the best part of this recipe is that you can make it ahead of time,* and refrigerate for a few days. And when you’ve got a million things to make, that is a godsend.
To get ready for the holidays, I’m going to try to post a new recipe every day leading up to Thanksgiving, including the TURKEY.
*Another bonus: it’s so easy that you could theoretically make it at 7 a.m. while packing your lunch and getting ready for work. Not that I would know from experience or anything …
More Thanksgiving:
(The Perfect) Herb-Buttered Roast Turkey
Easy Giblet Gravy
And my Holiday Roundup
Boozy Cranberry-Pinot Sauce
Adapted from Alexandra’s Kitchen
You can make this cranberry sauce a few days ahead of time and refrigerate until ready to serve. I’m personally a fan of colder cranberry sauce, but if you’d like to heat it up, microwave for a minute or two.
– 1 cup sugar
– 1 cup pinot noir (or any other light-bodied red wine)
– 1/2 cinnamon stick (1-1/2 inches)
– 2-3 whole cloves
– 10 whole black peppercorns
– 1 pound (16 ounces) fresh or frozen cranberries
– zest of one orange
1) In a large saucepan over moderate heat, combine the sugar, red wine, cinnamon stick, whole cloves and peppercorns. Bring to a boil, then reduce the heat and simmer for about 4 minutes, stirring occasionally, until the sugar is dissolved and the wine is reduced slightly.
2) Add the cranberries and zest, then simmer for 20 minutes, until the cranberries have softened and started to burst, and the sauce has thickened. Serve at room temperature or chilled.
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