Port Cranberry Sauce

So I am the sorry blogger who posts her Thanksgiving recipes post-Thanksgiving. However, since most of these recipes I only make once a year, I like to give them an additional test run before I upload them.

                     As you can see, I lack fancy bowls. Thus, the sugar bowl springs into action

As much as I get joy from experimenting with new recipes, at heart, I am a traditionalist with Thanksgiving, usually making the same things again and again. I mixed it up a bit this year, including my port cranberry sauce. I found the recipe on Food & Wine's website. I followed it almost exactly, and have printed here in my own words. I did reduce the sugar to suit my preference and reduced the recipe to a 1/3 of its original (we had a cozy 3 person Thanksgiving), so for the original measurements, please check out the original.

I realize it's hard to be excited about cranberry sauce, but I'm a bit of a cranberry snob. My parents are friends with some (former) cranberry farmers, and when I was a kid, one of my favorite places was Ocean Spray's now defunct Cranberry World, mainly because of the free samples.

By the way, this was made while listening to Amy Winehouse

Port Cranberry Sauce (makes about 1 1/2 C)

• 1/3 C port
• 2 C cranberries, picked over and rinsed
• 1/3 C sugar
• zest of 1 orange
• pinch salt

1. Bring the port to a boil in a skillet. Add cranberries, and stir frequently, until the berries begin to burst, being careful not to burn yourself.
2. Add sugar, zest, and salt, and stir until dissolved, about 5 mins.
3. Allow to cool and serve at room temperature.


Kitchen Notes: I used Quinta do Chrasto 2005 port which is relatively neutral tasting. The berries burn easily, so be cautious.

Verdict? This is one of the most flavorful cranberry sauces I have had. The port flavor enhances that of the cranberries, and the orange complements without overwhelming. The flavor is highly concentrated. I was concerned about it being too dry, but it was great. I did overcook the berries a bit, making them slightly chewy, but this was my own error and not due to the original recipe.