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Cranberry Sauce

Cranberry sauce is an often overlooked and underestimated Thanksgiving side dish—yet there are plenty of ways to punch up the flavor and make it a holiday-spotlight stealer. Traditionally jellylike and typically quite sweet, we like improvising on this classic recipe by adding port, orange zest and cinnamon to bring out the seasonal tartness of the berries. One of our favorite ways to upgrade cranberry sauce is with dried sour cherries and a bit of orange juice; it's not overly sweet, and the citrus provides brightness without overpowering the cranberries. Whether you're a cranberry sauce innovator or staunchly loyal to the canned version, Food & Wine's guide has a recipe for every skill set and holiday table.

Port Cranberry Sauce Plus Cranberry-Sauce Galette

Port Cranberry Sauce Plus Cranberry-Sauce Galette This recipe is a two-fer. Stop after step 2 and you have a classic cranberry sauce for the Thanksgiving table, infused with Port for fantastic depth of flavor. Carry on through the remaining steps and you have a beautiful cranberry galette for dessert.

Total Time: 5 hours 30 minutes(includes chilling)

Active Time: 1 hour 30 minutes

serves: 10 as a sauce, 6 as a dessert

Ingredients For the Port cranberry sauce:

2 pounds fresh cranberries, rinsed and picked over

1 (750 ml) bottle ruby Port

1¾ cups sugar

Zest of 1 orange (optional)

For the galette:

2⅔ cups (340 grams) all-purpose flour

1 tablespoon granulated sugar

¼ teaspoon fine sea salt

1 cup plus 2 tablespoons (255 grams) cold unsalted butter

1 tablespoon apple cider vinegar

½ cup ice water

2 cups Port cranberry sauce

1 egg

2 teaspoons whole milk

1 tablespoon turbinado or raw sugar

½ cup crème fraiche

1 cup heavy cream

Directions

Make the Port cranberry sauce: In a heavy bottomed saucepan over medium heat, combine all ingredients and bring to a boil. When cranberries pop and start to burst, reduce heat and simmer until sauce has thickened and reached the consistency you like, 15-20 minutes. Let cool to room temperature.

Serve immediately as a sauce for Thanksgiving turkey and sides, continue to step 3 and use as a filling for a cranberry galette, or refrigerate up to 1 week. Bring back to room temperature before serving.

Make the cranberry galette: Place metal blade of a food processor in freezer for 20 minutes.

With chilled blade in place, in food processor, combine flour, sugar and salt. Pulse to integrate. Cut butter into about 15 pieces, add and pulse 20 times. Combine vinegar and water. Add ¼ cup of this mixture to dough and pulse 7 times. Add remaining liquid and pulse 7 times.

Transfer dough to a work surface and gather it into a ball. If necessary, add 1-2 tablespoons very cold water. Halve dough equally and roll each half into a ball.

Wrap one ball in plastic wrap, then aluminum foil, and place in a sealable freezer bag. Transfer to freezer. (Dough will keep 10 weeks in freezer. Thaw overnight in refrigerator before using.)

Place second dough ball on a sheet of parchment. With the heel of your hand, press dough into a small circle. Wrap in plastic and refrigerate at least 3 hours and up to 48.

Remove dough from refrigerator, unwrap and let sit 5 minutes at room temperature on a large sheet of parchment. Place a second large sheet of parchment on top of dough. With a rolling pin, roll dough into a circle ¼ inch thick.

Slide dough circle on its parchment onto a baking sheet. Strain and discard excess liquid from cranberry sauce. Fill dough circle with cranberry sauce, leaving a 1½ inch border all around. Fold border up and over sauce and lightly press folds together. Refrigerate 30 minutes. Meanwhile, preheat oven to 425 degrees.

In a small bowl, whisk together egg and milk. Brush galette borders with egg wash. Sprinkle with turbinado sugar. Bake until crust is golden, 50 minutes. Serve warm or at room temperature.

Use a stand mixer or electric beaters to whip creams together until billowy. Pass crème Chantilly at the table.

Adapted from Aleksandra Crapanzano

This recipe was published in:

Roast Duck Breast With Cranberry Sauce And Mash

Add the star anise, orange zest, orange juice and half of the port to the pan. Bring to a simmer, turn the duck over (so that it is skin-side up) to coat in the liquid, then place into the oven for 12-15 minutes, or until the duck is golden-brown and cooked but still slightly pink in the middle. Transfer the duck to a warm plate to rest.

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