Ahh ... cranberries ... the jewel of the holiday season. I buy at least a dozen bags of fresh cranberries beyond what I use during the winter holidays. Properly stored in heavy duty freezer bags, fresh cranberries keep for up to a year. I can make Cranberry Upside Down Cake (recipe is on this blog); Cranberry Chutney, Cranberry Quick Bread, Cranberry Catsup, Cranberry Apple Pie, and Roast Pork with Cranberries throughout the year. When the freezer gets bare midwinter, those scarlet berries seem as valuable as bags of rubies. I'll be putting more cranberry recipes on this site in the weeks to come - but I'll start with this easy twist on Classic Cranberry Sauce. This is a large recipe - enough for a crowd with plenty for next-day Thanksgiving leftovers.CRANBERRIES GRAND MARINER WITH CRYSTALLIZED GINGER
2-12 ounce bags fresh cranberries (direct from freezer is fine)
1-1/2 cups water
1-3/4 cups sugar, superfine preferred
1/2 cup Grand Marinier, Cointreau, or Grand Gala liqueur
Zest of one large lemon (colored part only)
Zest of one large orange (colored part only)
4 tablespoons finely chopped crystallized ginger (found in the spice section)
1/4 teaspoon noniodized salt
Give the cranberries a quick rinse with a colander and pick out any stems or shriveled berries. Combine sugar, water, and liqueur in a large saucepan. Bring to a boil and add the cranberries, lemon and orange zest, ginger and salt. Return to a boil. Reduce the heat and simmer for ten minutes, stirring occasionally. Cover and cool to to room temperature. Divide into two serving bowls and refrigerate until serving time.
