Savory Cranberry Sauce
Forget that boring saccharine stuff, a sweet and savory cranberry sauce is what I really crave alongside all that turkey and stuffing. (Or to be more precise, usually a savory lingonberry sauce, when it happens to be simmering in my kitchen.) The flavor must still be fruity and approachable, but also compelling enough to demand some real attention until it's time for the homemade pie. This recipe is my absolute favorite. It features a full flavored combination of Port wine, balsamic vinegar, roasted shallots with thyme, and fresh marjoram. In other words, it's a sauce you won't soon forget.
Servings 12 servings
Ingredients
- 2 cups cranberries (or lingonberries) fresh or frozen
- 1 tablespoon olive oil extra virgin
- 2 medium shallots peeled and cut into roughly ¼ inch slices lengthwise through root end
- 3 teaspoons fresh thyme finely chopped
- 2 tablespoons balsamic vinegar
- 1 cup Port wine ruby or tawny
- ¼ cup sugar
- ¼ cup light brown sugar (packed)
- ¼ cup dried currants
- 1 tablespoon fresh marjoram finely chopped
- kosher salt and freshly ground black pepper
Instructions
- Heat oven to 400℉.
- Place the sliced shallots on a metal baking sheet and sprinkle with the chopped thyme. Then drizzle with olive oil, season with salt and pepper, and toss. Roast in the oven until the shallots are becoming golden, about 20 minutes. Set aside to cool.
- In a small heavy saucepan, combine the Port wine, balsamic vinegar, sugar, and light brown sugar. Bring the mixture to a boil over medium-high heat, stirring until the sugar dissolves.
- Add the cranberries (or lingonberries), as well as the dried currants. Reduce the heat to medium and cook, stirring occasionally, about 10 minutes or until the berries pop and the sauce is thick and glossy.
- When the roasted shallots are cool, roughly chop them. Then mix the roasted shallots and the fresh marjoram into the sauce. Check for seasoning, adding salt and pepper to taste.
- Transfer the sauce to a bowl and allow it to cool briefly. Then cover and chill in the refrigerator. Serve cold or at room temperature.