Homemade Red Wine Cranberry Sauce

This homemade red wine cranberry sauce with orange zest and cinnamon has become a staple on the Thanksgiving table. It’s a delicious twist on traditional cranberry sauce, and it’s a touch less sweet than classic cranberry sauce recipes, too .

My sister Lindsey LOVES cranberry sauce. And by LOVES I mean she enjoys a little turkey and stuffing with her cranberry sauce.

When I think of Thanksgiving, I think of Lindsey mounding cranberry sauce onto every food group on her plate.

And then I think of her finishing up her meal, dragging mom’s homemade bread across her plate, mopping up every last morsel of sauce.

And then I think of the days following Thanksgiving, when she would assemble cranberry sauce sandwiches — yep, just two slices of bread flanking as much sauce as their structure will allow.

And then I picture her sitting at the kitchen table, elbows bent as she holds her creation in front of her face, laughing as she bites into her favorite sandwich, giddy that this time of year has once again arrived.

My sister would not approve of the above-pictured sauce. If Peeps, Lindsey’s favorite candy (food?), are any indication of her sugar preferences, you understand why. She likes the traditional ratio of sugar to liquid to cranberries prescribed in most recipes.

I on the other hand feel otherwise. I do not love the sweetness of cranberry sauce, and I suppose I sort of feel indifferent to the sauce in general. But I like this recipe a lot. It takes no more time to prepare than traditional recipes — I certainly would not fuss over making cranberry sauce — and the flavors of orange zest, cinnamon stick and red wine (or Port) are nice. It’s also a touch less sweet than traditional recipes.

If you’re a cranberry-sauce purist, this recipe is not for you. If, like me, you don’t really care one way or the other and want to spruce up your cranberry sauce a bit, give this recipe a go.

How to Make Homemade Cranberry Sauce

See recipe below for more specific quantities and details.

1. Combine sugar, dry red wine, and cinnamon stick in a saucepan over medium heat.
2. Simmer 4 minutes.
3. Add fresh or frozen cranberries and slivered tangerine, clementine or orange zest. This peeler is great for oranges.
4. Simmer for 10 minutes, or until the cranberries are soft and the sauce has thickened. Serve at room temperature or chilled.

Description

Adapted from Sally Schneider’s A New Way to Cook

Don’t be afraid to double this sauce and make it ahead of time. It reheats nicely. The sauce can be made with frozen cranberries and start to finish can materialize in 20 minutes.

• 2/3 cup sugar
• 3/4 cup dry red wine or Port (an inexpensive Tawny Port)
• 1 cinnamon stick
• 1 package fresh or frozen cranberries (about 12 oz .)
• 1 tablespoon slivered tangerine, clementine or orange zest, or more to taste

1. In a saucepan over moderate heat, combine the sugar, red wine and cinnamon stick; bring to a boil. Reduce the heat and simmer for 3 to 4 minutes, stirring occasionally, until the sugar is dissolved and the wine is reduced slightly.
2. Add the cranberries and zest. Simmer for 5 to 10 minutes, or until the cranberries are soft and the sauce has thickened. Serve at room temperature or chilled. (More and more, I simmer for 5 minutes; then turn it off. This preserves some of the texture of the cranberries.)

• Prep Time: 5 minutes
• Cook Time: 15 minutes
• Category: Condiment
• Method: Stovetop
• Cuisine: American

Description

Adapted from Sally Schneider’s A New Way to Cook

Don’t be afraid to double this sauce and make it ahead of time. It reheats nicely. The sauce can be made with frozen cranberries and start to finish can materialize in 20 minutes.

• 2/3 cup sugar
• 3/4 cup dry red wine or Port (an inexpensive Tawny Port)
• 1 cinnamon stick
• 1 package fresh or frozen cranberries (about 12 oz .)
• 1 tablespoon slivered tangerine, clementine or orange zest, or more to taste

1. In a saucepan over moderate heat, combine the sugar, red wine and cinnamon stick; bring to a boil. Reduce the heat and simmer for 3 to 4 minutes, stirring occasionally, until the sugar is dissolved and the wine is reduced slightly.
2. Add the cranberries and zest. Simmer for 5 to 10 minutes, or until the cranberries are soft and the sauce has thickened. Serve at room temperature or chilled. (More and more, I simmer for 5 minutes; then turn it off. This preserves some of the texture of the cranberries.)

• Prep Time: 5 minutes
• Cook Time: 15 minutes
• Category: Condiment
• Method: Stovetop
• Cuisine: American

Find it online : https://alexandracooks.com/2011/11/23/red-wine-cranberry-sauce/

I know what you’re thinking: Pasta carbonara? The week after Thanksgiving? Thank s, but no thanks.

But, and forgive me if I’m wrong, I think you might be thinking of an entirely different dish, one containing vast amounts of cheese and butter?

I had misconceptions, too. But true pasta carbonara is in fact light, and this recipe, from Everyday Food , calls for sautéed leeks, grated lemon zest, and freshly squeezed lemon juice, flavors that make this carbonara preparation particularly fresh and light. What I love most about this dish is the sauce, made with two whisked eggs, 1/4 cup of the pasta cooking liquid, and 1/4 cup of grated Parmigiano Reggiano, an incredibly creamy mixture (despite containing no cream at all) that coats the pasta so well, making every bite especially tasty. Oddly, it tastes not the least bit eggy. Just creamy and delicious. Yum.

With bacon and eggs on hand, dinner can be assembled in a flash. I’ve made this dish once a week since my Everyday Food magazine arrived in mid-October. Nothing makes me happier than whisking that pasta cooking liquid with the eggs and cheese, watching it transform into a magically flavorful sauce, and throwing dinner on the table. I think you’ll enjoy it, too.

PS: Pasta Carbonara with Asparagus

PPS: No-Bacon Carbonara with ALL the Greens

How to Make Pasta Carbonara, Step by Step

First, slice up some leeks. Transfer them to a large bowl of cold water to soak and to let the dirt settle — leeks can be very dirty.

Then, dice up some bacon and …

… crisp it up in a pan.

Set it aside; then cook the leeks in the bacon fat.

Boil a pot of water; then cook whatever pasta you like till al dente.

I’ve been loving this Casarecce:

This is the key step: be sure to reserve some of the pasta cooking liquid. You only need 1/4 cup initially, but I suggest reserving much more because it’s so nice having on hand for reheating.

Whisk together the sauce: 2 eggs, 1 tablespoon lemon juice, 1/4 cup parmesan, and 1/4 cup reserved pasta cooking liquid.

Drain the pasta.

Add it to the skillet with the leeks, the crisped bacon, and the sauce.

Chop up some parsley.

Add it to the skillet and stir to combine.

Shave more parmesan and crack more pepper over top to taste.

Soooo good.

Description

Adapted from: Everyday Food

Note: If you want to make this vegetarian, use 3 tablespoons of olive oil in place of the bacon.

• Coarse salt and ground pepper
• 6 slices bacon, cut crosswise into 1-inch pieces or 3 tablespoons extra-virgin olive oil
• 4 leeks (white and light-green parts only), halved lengthwise, thinly sliced, soaked in cold water and drained
• 3/4 pound pasta, such as campanelle, orecchiette, or gemelli
• 2 large eggs
• 1/2 cup grated Parmigiano Reggiano, plus more for serving
• zest of 1 lemon
• 1 tablespoon fresh lemon juice
• 1 cup fresh parsley leaves, roughly chopped
• 1 pound of asparagus, finely chopped (optional)

1. Set a large pot of salted water to boil (I use 1 tablespoon kosher salt).
2. In a large skillet, cook bacon over medium heat, stirring occasionally, until crisp, 8 to 10 minutes. With a slotted spoon, transfer bacon to paper towels to drain. Pour off all but 3 tablespoons fat from skillet. (Alternatively use 3 tablespoons of olive oil in place of the bacon.) Add the leeks, season lightly with salt to taste, and cook over low heat, stirring occasionally, until leeks are soft and beginning to brown at the edges, about 10 minutes.
3. Add pasta to pot and cook al dente according to package instructions. Reserve 1 to 2 cups of the pasta cooking liquid. In a medium bowl, whisk together eggs, parmesan, lemon zest, and lemon juice. Whisk 1/4 cup pasta water into egg mixture.
4. If using the asparagus, add it to the pot of pasta, then drain the pot immediately. Add the pasta and asparagus to the skillet with the leeks and immediately add the egg mixture, along with the bacon, and parsley. Season with salt and pepper to taste and add more pasta cooking water as needed. Serve immediately with more parmesan and pepper on the side.

• Prep Time: 15 minutes
• Cook Time: 10 minutes
• Category: Pasta
• Method: Stovetop
• Cuisine: Italian, American