Mom's Cranberry Sauce

​I’ll bet the turkey battle has crossed your mind more than once during the past few weeks. You may even be experiencing turkey fever by now.
 
Fresh! Frozen! Organic! Free-range! With or without a pop-up timer! The choices are endless. Eventually, you will buy at least one turkey for your holiday feast. 

​Most likely you’re already debating which recipe to follow. I know it’s hard to decide—there are so many. I’ve tried them all—marinating it, deep frying it, smoking it, wrapping it in bacon, cooking it on a can of beer, stuffing it with traditional dressing, stuffing it with dried fruits and chestnuts, soaking it in whiskey or even buying a fully cooked one from a gourmet shop.
 
I still have yet to find a recipe that will turn a turkey into a gourmet meal—a turkey is still turkey. No, I’m not asking you for a new promising recipe. I’ve already given up.
 
So I’m going to leave you to fight with the big bird and to follow whatever recipe you choose. I doubt you’ll create a miracle and turn that bird into a beef tenderloin or a rack of lamb, maybe not even a chicken. 

​But trust me, if you serve your turkey with my cranberry sauce I promise you that your turkey will be given two thumbs up. (You can’t tell my mother about this or she will never share any more of her secrets with me.)

​Mom’s Cranberry Sauce
 
1 bottle of Ruby Port
1 ½ cups sugar 
2 cups (1 pack) fresh rinsed cranberries
1 tbsp. frozen concentrated orange juice (do not dilute)
1 ½ tbsp. fresh ginger—grated
4 medium garlic cloves, minced
 
Place the wine and sugar in a pot. Bring to a boil until sugar dissolves, stirring occasionally.
Add the rest: cranberries, orange juice, ginger and garlic.
Cook over low-medium heat until reduced to 3 cups.
Stir occasionally.
Press the mixture through a fine sieve over a bowl.
Add the residual from the sieve back into the strained mixture.
​Place in a nice serving bowl, cover and refrigerate for 24 to 48 hours before serving.
 
Serve cold.

Follow my upcoming blogs for more delicious holiday recipes. 

Gobble, Gobble, Gobble…Happy Cooking!

Michelle