25 November 2009

Cranberry Tangerine Sauce


Happy Thanksgiving Eve, everyone! Like many of you, I have been getting a few things together for the big feast tomorrow. One of my make-ahead dishes is fresh cranberry sauce, and for as long as I can remember, we've always made it with a hint of citrus. When I was younger, we used oranges from our trees, lining a glass serving bowl with glowing slices and then mounding a cranberry sauce inside. I loved eating those orange slices, with sweet-and-tart cranberries clinging to them.

A few years ago, I came across a delicious cranberry-kumquat sauce. I had planned on making this sauce again today, but unfortunately the kumquats around here are not quite ripe yet. However, tangerines are in season, so I decided to experiment with them. It turned out great! Get yourself some seedless tangerines (such as Satsumas) and fresh cranberries, a little sugar, a little water, and you will have a delicious, citrusy sauce in no time!


What I love about this recipe is that the tangerines are mixed in with the cranberries, so you can enjoy the citrus in each bite. I also love the candied peels that get chopped and stirred in; they add another layer of sweet which balances the sometimes-overpowering tartness of the cranberries.

If you've already made your sauce for tomorrow, you might want to try this over the weekend to eat with your turkey leftovers! This goes great in sandwiches, too, or even as a dessert over vanilla ice cream!
Cranberry Tangerine Sauce
Makes about 5 cups

6 seedless tangerines (such as Satsuma)
1 cup sugar
1 cup water
1/4 tsp. salt
6 cups fresh cranberries


Peel tangerines in large strips, removing any loose membrane from peel and fruit. Place peel in a saucepan and cover with water. Bring water to a boil, then drain. Cover with water, boil, and drain 2 more times. (This removes any bitterness from the peels.)

Add 1 cup sugar and 1 cup water to drained peels. Bring to a boil, then reduce heat and let simmer, uncovered, for about 15 minutes. Let cool. Using a slotted spoon, transfer candied peel to a small bowl, leaving syrup in the saucepan.

While peel is cooking, separate tangerine fruit sections and cut each section in half. Add salt, cranberries, and tangerine sections to the syrup and stir to combine. Cover saucepan and bring to a boil. Reduce heat and continue to cook for about 10 minutes, stirring occasionally, until cranberries burst. While cranberries are cooking, chop the candied tangerine peel. Stir peel into cranberry sauce. Let sauce cool to room temperature, then chill in the refrigerator. Sauce keeps up to one week, refrigerated.

2 comments:

jenchilee said...

hi erica! i was just thinking about you today and my first (and only) german/italian thanksgiving. i remember i learned how to make pie crust from scratch, and i made pecan pie for the first time. :) in fact, i just made pecan pie earlier today for our thanksgiving meal tomorrow! happy thanksgiving. :)

erica said...

hey jenchi! ah, I remember that Thanksgiving too! that was so fun having you over :) hope your pecan pie was a hit and "Happy 2-days-post Thanksgiving" :)

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