With recipes for:
- Cranberry-Pear Cobbler
- Cranberry Sauce with Amaretto Liqueur
- Date and Cranberry Relish
- Quince Pandowdy with Apples and Cranberries
The term "As American as apple pie" should probably be changed to "As American as cranberries" because cranberries are one of the three fruits native to North America (along with blueberries and Concord grapes.) As the Ocean Spray cranberry people say, "They didn’t come over on the Mayflower, they were already here."
History
Berries of various kinds have grown wild in temperate climates for centuries. North American Indians mixed crushed cranberries with dried deer meat and fat to make pemmican, a preserved food that would keep for months. Pilgrims thought the blossoms of cranberries looked liked the heads of cranes and dubbed them "crane berries," which eventually became "cranberries." Commercial cultivation of cranberries began in the early 19th century when Henry Hall of Dennis, Mass. noticed how windswept sand on his cranberry plants seemed to spur growth.
How they're grown
Contrary to popular belief, cranberries are not grown in water. They grow,
instead, on vines in beds - called bogs or marshes - layered with sand, peat,
gravel and clay. Though cranberries require a special set of growing conditions
- acid soil, plenty of fresh water and a long growing season - vines are
hearty and have been known to last as long as 150 years.
Most of the world’s cranberries are grown on 30,000 acres of wetlands
and coastal uplands in five states and another 4,000 acres in Canada, mainly
British Columbia. The leading cranberry producing states in descending order
of size are Wisconsin, Massachusetts, New Jersey and Oregon. There are over
100 different cranberry varieties but there are four major commercial varieties
- Early Black, Howes, McFarlin and Searles. Ben Lear and Stevens are two
other varieties grown primarily in Wisconsin.
Their Season
Cranberries begin to hit the market in late September and continue into
December.
Selection, handling and storage
Cranberries, usually found in sealed plastic bags, should be checked for
uniform size, good deep red color and as little debris or withered fruit
as possible. Don’t wash cranberries (or any berries, for that matter)
until you’re ready to eat them or use them in a recipe. They’ll
turn moldy and mushy if washed and stored. The standard 12-ounce bag of fresh
cranberries yields about 3 cups whole berries, 21/2 cups chopped.
Nutrition
A cup of raw cranberries weighs about 100 grams (3.5 ounces) and contains 46 calories. However, that figure triples when sugar is added to make them palatable. That raw serving amount also contains about 11 grams of carbohydrates, just under a gram of fat, about .5 grams of protein, about 1.5 grams of dietary fiber and 18 % of the RDA for vitamin C. In addition to their antibiotic properties, particularly as they pertain to urinary and bladder infections, cranberries also act as an antiviral agent.
Preparation tips
The cranberry is perhaps the most accommodating fruit when it comes to
seasonings. It almost craves to be tossed one way or the other with whatever
spices, liqueurs or sweeteners suit your fancy. Though the traditional sweetener
is sugar, there’s no reason why you can’t use honey or brown
sugar. By using preserves such as marmalade, you add flavoring and sweetening
at the same time.
Citrus in general, but orange and lemon in particular go well with cranberries.
So do nuts such as pecans, walnuts and almonds. Ginger in all its forms -
but especially candied or crystallized - is superb with cranberries. As for
liquids, try bourbon, rum, orange juice and orange liqueurs. For a special
kick, try some hot peppers in your cranberry sauce, especially if it is going
to be used with some Southwestern dish.
CRANBERRY-PEAR COBBLER top
In addition to its affinity for so many flavorings, the cranberry blends well with most fall fruits.
2 pounds firm but ripe pears, peeled, cored and cut into 3/8-inch slices
2 cups fresh or frozen cranberries
1 tablespoon raspberry vinegar
1/3 cup plus 1/4 cup granulated sugar
1/3 cup brown sugar
1 tablespoon grated fresh ginger
2 tablespoons cornstarch
Butter-flavor cooking spray
1 cup all-purpose flour
1 teaspoon baking powder
1/4 teaspoon kosher salt
3 tablespoons chilled butter cut into small pieces
7 to 8 tablespoons low-fat buttermilk
Low-fat vanilla ice cream or frozen yogurt (optional)
1) Combine pears, cranberries, vinegar, 1/3 cup of the granulated sugar, the brown sugar, ginger and cornstarch in a bowl. Spray a 2-quart baking dish with butter-flavor spray and spread the fruit evenly inside. Preheat oven to 375 degrees.
2) Put flour, baking powder, salt and remaining granulated sugar in a mixing bowl. Cut in the butter with a large fork or pastry blender until the mixture resembles coarse meal. Add the buttermilk and mix just until the dough comes together in a ball.
3) Put the dough between two pieces of lightly floured waxed paper and roll out to a size just large enough to cover the baking dish. Peel off the waxed paper and top fruit with dough. Seal the edges with a scalloped shape if desired. Cut 4 or 5 vents into the dough.
4) Bake 35 to 45 minutes or until the top is golden brown and juices bubble
up freely. Serve warm with, if desired, low-fat vanilla ice cream or frozen
yogurt.
Serves 6.
CRANBERRY SAUCE WITH AMARETTO LIQUEUR
2/3 cup sugar
2/3 cup water
1/3 cup amaretto liqueur
12-ounce package fresh or frozen cranberries
Juice of 1 orange, about ¼ cup
1 tablespoon orange zest, cut julienne
3 tablespoons toasted sliced almonds
1) Bring sugar, water, and amaretto to a boil in a heavy-bottomed saucepan. Add cranberries, stir, and return to a boil. Reduce heat and boil gently, stirring occasionally, for about 8 to 10 minutes or until cranberries pop.
2) Remove from heat, add orange juice and zest, and cool. Just before serving,
fold in almonds.
Makes 4 servings.
DATE AND CRANBERRY RELISH top
The sweetness of the dates contrasts nicely with the tart cranberries, giving this dish a North African holiday twist.
1/2 pound fresh cranberries
12 medium dates, coarsely chopped
1/2 lemon, seeded and diced
1/3 cup sugar
1 tablespoon cider vinegar
Pinch cayenne pepper
1) Put cranberries, dates and lemon in a food processor and process until well combined but not totally smooth.
2) Combine sugar, vinegar and cayenne. Add to mixture and pulse a few times. Chill an hour before serving.
Serves 4.
QUINCE PANDOWDY WITH APPLES AND
CRANBERRIES top
Pandowdies are an old New England variation on deep-dish pies and cobblers, originally served for breakfast - which we think is still a good idea. The word pandowdy comes from "dowdying," meaning to break the crust up into pieces before serving.
4 cups peeled and sliced quince
3 cups peeled and sliced tart apples
1 1/2 cups cranberries
1/4 cup orange juice
1/2 cup spicy orange marmalade
1 cup brown sugar
3 tablespoons quick-cooking tapioca
Butter-flavor spray
1 cup all-purpose flour
2 teaspoons baking powder
1/4 teaspoon salt
1/4 cup plus tablespoon granulated sugar
3 tablespoons chilled butter, cut into small pieces
About 1/2 cup chilled low-fat buttermilk plus a few tablespoons
1/4 teaspoon cinnamon
Low-fat vanilla ice cream or frozen yogurt (optional)
1) Put quince, apples and cranberries in a large mixing bowl. Mix orange juice and marmalade in a small bowl. Add to fruit and mix well.
2) Combine brown sugar and tapioca in a small bowl. Pour over fruit and mix well. Preheat oven to 375 degrees.
3) Spray a 2-quart gratin or baking dish with butter-flavor spray. Pour fruit mixture into the pan and spread out evenly.
4) Put flour, baking powder, salt and 1/4 cup granulated sugar in a mixing bowl. Cut in the butter with a large fork or pastry blender until the mixture resembles coarse meal. Add the buttermilk and mix just until the dough comes together in a ball. Chill in freezer 10 minutes.
5) Cover a cutting board with plastic wrap, pulled tightly and tucked under the board. Dust with flour, put the dough in the middle, dust with a little more flour and flatten slightly. Cover with another sheet of plastic wrap tightly drawn and tucked under the cutting board. Rollout dough just large enough to fit inside the baking dish. Peel off plastic wrap and top fruit with dough. Cut 4 or 5 vents into the dough. Brush the crust with the remaining buttermilk. Combine the remaining sugar and cinnamon and sprinkle on top of the crust.
6) Bake 30 minutes or until the top is golden brown and juices bubble up
freely. Remove and cut through the crust with a large serving fork or spatula
creating 2-inch pieces (they should be irregular for that homey touch). Then
push the pieces of crust into the fruit with the back of the spatula. Bake
another 10 minutes. Serve warm with, if desired, low-fat vanilla ice cream
or frozen yogurt.
Serves 6.