Cook Simply

By SusanMykrantz 

How do you like your cranberries? During a typical Thanksgiving and Christmas season, cranberries will be on the dinner table in about 94 percent of the homes in the United States and Canada. Cranberries may even be more popular at Thanksgiving than, dare I say it, turkey! Americans consume about 400 million pounds of cranberries each year, but only about 20 percent are consumed during the holidays. The balance of the cranberry harvest is consumed in the form of cranberry juice and other cranberry products such as dried cranberries.

Cranberries are one of the few fruits that are native to North America. Native Americans pounded cranberries and combined them with dried meat to make a food called Pemmican. Cranberries were also used as a dye, giving a rich red color to fabrics for clothing and for medicinal purposes. 

Cranberries are a healthy food. Although they are 90 percent water, cranberries are packed with vitamins and minerals, especially vitamin C, E and K. New England sailors consumed cranberries on their sea voyages to help prevent scurvy. Cranberries also contain minerals such as Manganese, Potassium and Copper. They are also a good source of antioxidants which can aid in preventing disease. 

Early settlers also saw the value of cranberries for their medicinal purposes, Even today, medical professionals recommend cranberries and cranberry juice as a means of treatment and prevention of urinary tract infections, decreasing inflammation, preventing certain types of cancers, improving immune function, reducing the risk of heart disease and improving digestion. As we head into cold and flu season and a possible uptick in COVID cases, anything we can do to boost our immune systems and stay healthy is worth trying. 

This week, Cook Simply features three easy cranberry recipes that will add a splash of color and taste to your Thanksgiving table. Personally, I am not a fan of cranberry sauce, but I like cranberry relish. The Cranberry Chutney will give your turkey sandwich an extra kick.

Apple Cranberry Sauce

1 cup sugar

¾ cup water

¼ teaspoon ground cinnamon

¼ teaspoon salt

12 oz fresh cranberries, washed and sorted

1 cup tart apples, peeled and diced

In a medium saucepan, add sugar, water, cinnamon, and salt. Bring to a boil and reduce heat. Stir occasionally until sugar is dissolved. 

Stir in cranberries and apples. Simmer until slightly thickened and the berries begin to pop. (About 10 minutes.) Remove from heat and cool to room temperature. (About 1 hour.)

Cranberry Relish

4 cups fresh cranberries, washed and sorted

2 apples, washed, peeled, and cored

2 oranges

1 lemon

2 ½ cup sugar

½ cup chopped walnuts (optional)

Put cranberries and apples through the food processor. Quarter oranges and lemon, remove seeds and add to cranberry/apple mixture in food processor. Add sugar and nuts if desired. Mix and chill in the refrigerator for 2 to 3 hours. Makes 1 ½ quarts of relish. (I have also used limes in place of the oranges and lemon. It adds a little kick to the flavor.)

Orange Cranberry Ginger Chutney

1 teaspoon olive oil

½ cup minced shallots

1 tablespoon finely chopped peeled fresh ginger

¼ cup fresh orange juice

2 cups fresh or frozen cranberries, thawed

½ cup sugar

2 tablespoons red wine vinegar

¼ teaspoon kosher salt

¼ teaspoon ground allspice

Heat the oil in a medium saucepan over medium heat. Add shallots and ginger; cook 5 minutes or until golden, stirring occasionally. Add juice, scraping pan to loosen browned bits. Add cranberries and remaining ingredients. Reduce heat; simmer 15 minutes or until slightly thickened. Cover and chill 2 hours. Yields 6 ¼ cup servings.

Source: www.myrecipes.com