Growing up in Massachusetts, home to Ocean Spray, the largest cranberry cooperative in the U.S., I always looked forward to “cranberry month!” November is the when the versatile little berry debuts for tangy Thanksgiving sauces, compotes, and chutneys as well as for sweets like tea breads, cakes, and crumbles. Cranberries were a staple of Native Americans long before the first Thanksgiving was celebrated in Plymouth in 1621 though, and dishes such as pemmican, a combination of crushed cranberries, dried deer meat, and melted fat, were already autumn favorites because they would keep well throughout the winter due to the berry’s waxy coating. Tart cranberry dishes were (and still are) a nice accompaniment to freshly killed fowl or game then and a “must” for Thanksgiving turkey today. They’re popular too: nearly 11 billion cranberries are consumed through the holiday season (about two berries for each person on the planet) transcending pilgrims, Plymouth Rock, even Thanksgiving itself! The crunchy cranberry will be front and center in markets for the next few months, so buy two or three bags to use now and a few more to freeze and have on hand when February rolls around and the craving kicks in again!
CRANBERRY-ORANGE NUT BREAD
Makes 1 Loaf
This November standard is sweet enough for dessert but not-too-sweet for breakfast —it’s delicious spread with softened butter or cream cheese. I like to bake it in a *ceramic tea loaf pan (12" x 4" x 2 1/2"), which is the same capacity as a 9" x 5" loaf pan but creates smaller slices. The bread is also perfect for baking in smaller, gift-giving sized pans (baking times need to be adjusted).
2 cups flour
1 cup sugar
1 1/2 teaspoons baking powder
1 teaspoon salt
1/2 teaspoon baking soda
3/4 cup orange juice
1 tablespoon freshly grated orange zest
2 tablespoons melted butter
1 large egg, beaten
1 cups fresh or frozen cranberries, roughly chopped
1/2 cup dried cranberries, such as Craisins
1/2 cup pecans, roughly chopped
1. Preheat the oven to 350ºF. Coat a 9-inch loaf pan with no-stick baking spray.
2. In a medium bowl, whisk the together the flour, sugar, baking powder, salt, and baking soda. Stir in the orange juice, orange zest, butter, and egg; mix until blended. Stir in the cranberries and nuts. Transfer to the prepared pan; smooth the top.
3. Bake the bread for 55 to 60 minutes, or until a skewer inserted into the center comes out clean. Cool on a rack for 15 minutes. Remove from pan; let cool completely. Wrap in aluminum foil; store overnight.
*You can order this pan from kingarthurbaking.com ($22.95).
CRANBERRY-APPLE CRUMBLE WITH
CINNAMON-MASCARPONE CREAM
Seres 8 to 10
The recipe for this deep-dish crumble comes from the late Mary Flahavan, matriarch of the famous family that has grown and milled oats in a two-hundred-year-old mill beside the River Mahon in Kilmacthomas, County Waterford. This recipe and photo come from Tasty Oat Recipes by Mary Flahavan, a recipe leaflet produced by the company to showcase its oat products.
For the pastry
1 1/2 cups all-purpose flour
1/4 cup sugar
6 tablespoons cold butter
1 large egg, beaten
1. Preheat the oven to 350°F.
2. In a large bowl, whisk together the flour and sugar. With a pastry cutter or your fingertips, cut or work in butter until the mixture resembles fine breadcrumbs. Add enough egg to bind the pastry.
3. On a floured surface, roll out the pastry to a 10-inch round. Transfer to a 9-inch pie dish. Press into the sides and base of the dish; prick bottom with a fork. Bake for about 15 minutes; remove to a wire rack.
For the filling
4 large cooking apples, peeled, cored, and sliced
1 1/2 cup fresh or frozen cranberries
1/2 cup sugar
2 tablespoons water
1. In a medium saucepan, bring the apples, cranberries, sugar, and water to a boil. Cook for 3 to 4 minutes, or until the apples are slightly tender. Spoon the filling into the pastry.
For the crumble
1 cup flour
6 tablespoons cold butter
1/2 cup (packed) light brown sugar
1/2 cup Flahavan’s porridge oats
1. In a medium bowl, combine the flour, sugar, butter, and half the oats in a food processor. Pulse 4 to 5 times to form coarse crumbs. Stir in remaining oats; sprinkle the mixture over the fruit.
2. Bake for about 40 minutes, or until the crumble is golden and the filling is bubbling. Serve warm or at room temperature with ice cream or Cinnamon Mascarpone Whipped Cream.
CINNAMON MASCARPONE WHIPPED CREAM
Makes about 1 1/2 Cups
1 cup heavy (whipping) cream
1 cup mascarpone cheese
1 teaspoon vanilla extract
2 tablespoons confectioners’ sugar
1 tablespoon cinnamon
1. In a chilled bowl, combine the cream, mascarpone, vanilla, confectioners’ sugar, and cinnamon. Beat with an electric mixer on high speed until soft peaks form.
CRANBERRY-WALNUT CHUTNEY
Makes about 2 Cups
Spread this chutney (or the sweet and spicy mostarda that follows) on a chicken, turkey, or ham sandwich or serve it on a cheese board.
1 1/2 cups fresh or frozen cranberries
1/4 cup water
2/3 cup (packed) brown sugar
1/2 cup chopped dates
1/3 cup chopped celery
1/3 cup diced apple
1/3 cup chopped onion
1 tablespoon crystallized ginger
1 tablespoon lemon juice
1/4 cup chopped walnuts
1. In a large saucepan, bring the cranberries, water, brown sugar, dates, celery, apple, onion, crystalized ginger, and lemon juice to a boil. Reduce heat to medium-low.
2. Cook, stirring once or twice, for 12 to 15 minutes, or until the cranberries burst and the mixture thickens. Let cool, uncovered. When cool, transfer to a covered container; refrigerate for up to two weeks. At serving time, return to room temperature and sprinkle with walnuts.
CRANBERRY-PEAR MOSTARDA
Makes about 3 Cups
1/2 cup dry white wine
1/2 cup sugar
1 pear, peeled, cored, and cut into 1/2-inch pieces
1 (12-ounce) bag cranberries
1 tablespoon mustard seeds
1 teaspoon dry mustard
Pinch of crushed red pepper
Salt
Ground pepper
1. In a large saucepan, bring the wine and sugar to a boil. Add the pears and half the bag of cranberries. Cook, stirring frequently, for 5 to 8 minutes, or until the cranberries burst and the pears begin to soften. Stir in remaining cranberries; return to boil.
2. Remove from heat. Stir in the mustard seeds, dry mustard, and red pepper; season with salt and pepper. Let cool, uncovered. When cool, transfer to a covered container; refrigerate for up to two weeks. At serving time, return to room temperature.
Margaret Johnson’s “Recipes” page also includes “Ireland Hopping: Adventures in Food, Drink, and Travel.” For further details on her work, or to order a signed copy of one of her cookbooks, visit irishcook.com.
