Homemade Cranberry Sauce
Kissed with a hint of orange juice, this sweet-tart recipe is a holiday classic.
Ingredients:
2½ cups cranberries
⅔ cup sugar
½ cup freshly squeezed orange juice
¼ teaspoon ground cinnamon
Pinch of kosher salt
Method:
1. Combine the sugar, orange juice, cinnamon, salt and cranberries in a medium saucepan along with ½ cup water. Bring up to a simmer over medium heat and cook for 15 minutes until cranberries begin to burst. Let cool completely before serving.
Variations: Make this recipe your own! Feel free to substitute Grand Marnier for the orange juice; add the zest from an orange; or even add a dash or two of port.
Pear Sauce
This lovely sauce is amazing on top of freshly-baked scones, or enjoyed with your morning oatmeal.
Ingredients:
4-6 D’Anjou pears, peeled, cored and cut into 1-inch pieces
2 tablespoons water
1 teaspoon fresh lemon juice
½ teaspoon ground cinnamon
¼ teaspoon ground ginger
¼ teaspoon vanilla extract
Method:
1. Combine pears, water, lemon juice, cinnamon, ginger and vanilla in a large saucepan. Bring to a boil over high heat. Reduce heat to medium-low and simmer, stirring occasionally, until pears have softened, about 20 minutes.
2. Use an immersion blender to process the pear sauce until smooth. If you prefer a chunkier sauce, mash with a potato masher. (You can also transfer the cooked pear mixture to a food processor or blender to process, just make sure the pear sauce has cooled down first.)
3. Once the pear sauce has cooled down, pour into glass or plastic containers. Cover and store in the refrigerator, sauce will keep in the fridge for one week.
Apple Galette with Candied Cranberries
This country-style tart is also topped with a drizzle of our housemade cranberry syrup.
Ingredients:
Farm & Larder galette dough, chilled
4 apples
½ cup candied cranberries
2 tablespoons sugar
½ teaspoon cinnamon
1 tablespoon unsalted butter, cut into small pieces
F&L cranberry syrup
Method:
1. Preheat the oven to 400°. Peel, halve and core the apples and slice into ¼-inch thick pieces. In a small bowl, combine the sugar and cinnamon.
2. On a lightly floured work surface, roll the pastry into a 12-by-14-inch rectangle and transfer to a large rimmed baking sheet. Decoratively arrange the apple slices over the pastry to within an inch of the edge. Drizzle the honey over apples, then sprinkle with cinnamon sugar and dot with the pieces of butter. Scatter the candied cranberries all over the apple mixture. Fold the pastry edge up and over the apples to create a 1-inch border.
3. Bake the galette for about 1 hour, until the pastry is nicely browned and crisp and the apples are tender. Transfer the pan to a rack and let the galette cool. Lightly drizzle with F&L cranberry syrup and serve warm.
Peach Habanero-Garlic Hot Sauce
This spicy hot sauce is made with fiery roasted peppers and plenty of garlic, ideal for spicing up your favorite foods.
Ingredients:
6-8 habanero peppers, stemmed and halved
2 tablespoons olive oil
1 cup water (for thinning the sauce to your preferred consistency)
4 cups white vinegar
20 garlic cloves, peeled and coarsely chopped
1 onion, chopped
1 tablespoon sugar or to taste
3 teaspoons Worcestershire sauce
½ cup lime juice
1 teaspoon ground cumin
1 teaspoon salt
Method:
1. Preheat the oven to 425°. Set peppers on a baking sheet and drizzle with the olive oil. Roast in the oven for 15-20 minutes or until soft and skins begin to blister.
2. Meanwhile, heat a large pot to medium heat and add remaining ingredients. Bring to a boil then reduce heat to low and simmer for about 20 minutes, or until onion and garlic soften. Add roasted peppers and simmer for about 5 minutes.
3. Transfer mixture to a food processor and puree until smooth. Alternatively, use an immersion blender and puree directly in the pot. Return to the pot and simmer for another 5-10 minutes. Serve, or strain into sterilized bottles until ready to use.
Oven-Dried Cranberry and Orange-Peel Salt
This unique flavored salt is wonderful seasoning for pork or poultry (and makes a great holiday gift, too!).
Ingredients:
1 cup fresh cranberries
2 Mandarin oranges
1 cup kosher salt
Method:
1. Preheat oven to 200°. Line a baking sheet with parchment paper and set aside. Rinse the fruit and pat dry. Using a vegetable peeler, remove the orange peels in thin slices.
2. Arrange the cranberries and the orange peel on the baking sheet and bake for about 8 hours, or until the fruit is completely dry, but not burned. Remove the baking sheet from the oven and allow to cool.
3. Add the dried cranberry and orange peel to a food processor and pulse until the mixture until fine. Pour the mixture into a medium-sized bowl. Add the salt. Gently mix and pour the salt blend into an airtight jar. When kept sealed, the mixture will last for about 2 weeks.
Garlic-Ginger Beef & Vegetable Stir-Fry
Serve this fragrant stir-fry with rice or noodles; we also love topping each serving with a fried egg and extra hot sauce.
Ingredients:
½ cup soy sauce
½ cup hoisin sauce
2-3 cloves garlic, minced
2 tablespoons freshly-grated ginger
1- 2 tablespoons Sun Sauce or Sriracha (optional)
1 pound stir-fry beef, thinly-sliced
2 tablespoons sesame oil or vegetable oil
8 ounces mushrooms, such as a mix of Cremini and Shiitake, washed and sliced if very large
1 bunch broccolini, trimmed of any tough ends
1 bunch Senposai greens
1 Lotus root, peeled, trimmed of root ends and thinly-sliced into rounds
1 yellow onion, cut into slices
1 bunch scallions, trimmed of root ends and minced
Method:
1. In a bowl, whisk together the soy sauce, hoisin sauce, garlic, ginger and Sun Sauce until combined.
2. Put the beef slices in a plastic baggie or bowl. Pour ¼ cup of the garlic-ginger sauce over the pork and mix to coat evenly. Marinate at least 1 hour or overnight in the fridge. Place remaining garlic-ginger sauce in the fridge as well.
3. In a large skillet over medium high heat, add 1 tablespoon of the sesame or vegetable oil and the pork. Cook for 5 minutes, stirring occasionally. Remove the pork from the skillet and set aside.
4. In the same skillet add the other tablespoon of oil and add all the prepped vegetables and greens. Cook 5 to 8 minutes, stirring occasionally. Add the pork and remaining garlic-ginger sauce. Cook for an additional 3 to 4 minutes. Serve with scallions and sesame seeds on top, if desired.
Cranberry-Glazed Brie
Baked until the brie is warm and gooey, and the cranberries are soft and spreadable, this appealing appetizer is a true holiday favorite.
Ingredients:
3 cups fresh cranberries
¾ cup firmly-packed brown sugar
â…“ cup dried currants
â…“ cup water
â…› teaspoon each of ground allspice, cardamom, cloves and ginger
1 large brie cheese wheel
Crackers or crostini
Apple and pear slices
Method:
1. To make the marmalade, combine the cranberries, brown sugar, dried currants, water and spices in a heavy saucepan. Cook over medium-high heat until most of the berries pop, stirring frequently, about 5 minutes. Cool to room temperature.
2. Using a sharp knife, cut a circle in the top rind of the cheese, leaving a small border of rind. Carefully remove the center circle of rind from cheese. Place cheese on a foil- or parchment paper-lined baking sheet. Spread cranberry marmalade over the cheese (you may have extra marmalade depending on the size of your cheese wheel).
3. Preheat the oven to 300° then bake until the cheese is soft and warm, about 25 minutes. Set on a large platter and surround with crackers/crostini and the fruit slices. Serve warm or at room temperature.
Make it ahead: The marmalade can be made up to three days ahead of time. Bring both the marmalade and cheese to room temperature before popping in the oven.
Soy-Pickled Baby Shiitake Mushrooms
These delightful mushrooms made famous by Momofuku are a delightful addition to a stir-fry!
Ingredients:
4 cups loosely packed baby Shiitake mushrooms (about 3 ounces by weight)
1 cup sugar
1 cup soy sauce
1 cup white wine or sherry vinegar
1 thumb-sized knob of ginger, peeled
Method:
1. To prep the mushrooms, wash thoroughly and then remove the stems from the mushroom caps and discard. Slice the caps into 1/4 inch wide slices.
2. Combine the mushrooms with 2 cups water and the sugar, soy sauce, vinegar and ginger in a sauce pan. Bring to a simmer over medium heat, then reduce heat and simmer gently for 30 minutes. Allow the mushrooms to cool in the liquid.
3. Pack the pickled mushroom slices into a quart size container and add enough of the cooking liquid to cover. Ready to serve immediately, or they should last in the refrigerator in a tightly-sealed jar for 2-3 weeks.
Bucatini with Italian Sausage & Marinara Sauce
So simple, so satisfying: Top this week’s bucatini with our housemade sauce and cooked and crumbled Italian sausage.
Ingredients:
1 pound bucatini
1 pound Italian sausage
Nonna Pat’s Marinara Sauce
1 tablespoon butter
Sea salt and fresh ground pepper
Grana-style cheese
4 tablespoons micro basil
Method:
1. Cook the bucatini for 5-7 minutes in a pot of heavily salted water until al dente, or just cooked through with a bit of bite left. Drain, reserving 1 cup of the pasta water, and set aside.
2. Meanwhile, cook the Italian sausage in a large skillet over medium-high until no longer pink, breaking into bite-sized pieces with a spoon. Add in cooked pasta, 1 tablespoon butter and marinara sauce, tossing to combine thoroughly. Serve with a grated Grana-style cheese and a sprinkling of micro basil.
Black Currant Sauce
This rich, luscious sauce is fantastic served with salmon or other grilled protein!
Ingredients:
1 cup chicken stock
1 shallot, peeled and minced
1 teaspoon thyme leaves
3 cups black currants
1 tablespoon honey
½ cup balsamic vinegar
1 teaspoon unsalted butter
Sea salt and fresh ground pepper
Method:
1. Pour chicken stock into a medium saucepan over medium high heat and simmer to reduce the chicken stock by half. Add the shallot to the chicken stock and cook until the shallot is soft and golden. Continue to reduce the stock for a few more minutes. Add in the thyme leaves and the currants, coating the currants with the chicken stock. Add in the honey and the vinegar.
2. Simmer the sauce over low heat for about 7 to 10 minutes, or until the black currants have softened and extruded their juices. You can use the back of a wooden spoon to press against the berries to crush them lightly. Add in the butter and melt, stirring occasionally. Season with salt and pepper as needed.