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Cranberries: America's Native Fruit
Cranberries are as American as apple pie - in fact, even more so, for cranberries are one of only three major native North American fruits (Concord grapes and blueberries being the others). Long before the Pilgrims arrived in 1620, the North American Indians combined crushed cranberries with dried deer meat and melted fat to make pemmican - a food that would keep for a long time. They believed that the cranberry had medicinal properties. Often they would brew cranberry poultices to draw poison from arrow wounds. Native American women made their rugs and blankets colorful by dyeing them with the red cranberry juice. Later, American sailors carried barrels of cranberries on their voyages as a source of vitamin C to prevent scurvy, much like British "limeys" carried limes aboard ship.
To various Native American tribes, the berry was known by many different names. To the eastern Indians, cranberries were known as "sassamanesh". The Cape Cod Pequots and the New Jersey Leni-Lenape tribes called the little red berry "ibimi" or bitter berry, but it was the Pilgrims who gave the cranberry its modern name. To them, the shape of the cranberry blossoms resembled the heads of cranes. The berry was therefore named "crane berry", and later contracted to "cranberry.
Fresh cranberries are available in stores from mid-September through December and are most abundant during their peak harvest season, October and November. Take advantage of the peak season and be sure to freeze in abundance! To freeze cranberries, double-wrap in plastic without washing. Preparing frozen cranberries for cooking is very easy. Just sort and rinse cranberries in cold water. No thawing is necessary and, in fact, best results are obtained without thawing.
Cranberries are a great source of vitamin C, are low in calories (25 calories per one-half cup), high in fiber, contain no fat, are low in sodium, high in potassium, and can be used in so many forms of cooking! They can be used in everything from relishes to desserts. Use the recipes below and your imagination and you will discover hundreds of ways to enjoy this Native American fruit.
Homemade cranberry sauce makes a great gift, too. To give each jar a decorative touch, place a small fabric square over the top of a jar and wrap a bow over the fabric around the neck of the jar.
Recipes:
Cranberry Vinaigrette
Ingredients:
1 cup jellied cranberry sauce
2 tablespoons vinegar
1 tablespoon sugar
1/8 teaspoon cardamom
1/2 cup oil
Directions
Put all ingredients, except oil, in a blender. Blend for a few seconds on high speed. Remove the cap in the center of the blender lid; place lid back on blender. With the blender running, slowly add oil through the hole in the lid.
Recipe makes one cup.
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Cranberry Pear Salad Dressing
Ingredients:
1 cup jellied cranberry sauce
1/2 cup diced canned pears, reserving 1/2 cup syrup
1/8 teaspoon ginger
Directions:
Put all ingredients in a food processor. Process on high for two minutes or until smooth.
Recipe makes two cups.
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Cranberry Mustard Sandwich Spread
Ingredients:
1/2 cup jellied cranberry sauce
1-1/2 tablespoons grainy Dijon mustard
1 tablespoon brown sugar
Directions:
Combine all ingredients in a small mixing bowl, whisking until smooth. Spread on sandwiches or use to baste meats and poultry.
Recipe makes 1/2 cup.
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Tex Mex Cranberry Salsa
Ingredients:
One 16-ounce can whole berry cranberry sauce
1/4 cup canned jalapenos, chopped
1 green onion, sliced
1 teaspoon dried cilantro
1 teaspoon ground cumin
1 teaspoon lime juice
Directions:
Combine all ingredients in a medium-size mixing bowl. Serve with nacho chips or as a condiment for poultry or pork.
Recipe makes about two cups.
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Cranberry Fruit Salad
Ingredients:
One, 8-ounce can crushed pineapple, drained, reserving juice
1/2 cup water
2 tablespoons lemon juice
One, 3-ounce package raspberry gelatin
One, 16-ounce can whole berry cranberry sauce
1/2 cup chopped celery
Directions:
Combine reserved pineapple juice, water and lemon juice in a medium saucepan. Bring to a boil. Remove from heat. Add gelatin, stirring until it is completely dissolved. Breakup cranberry sauce with a fork. Stir into gelatin mixture. Refrigerate until mixture begins to set. Stir in pineapple and celery.
Pour into a 4-cup mold. Chill until firm.
Recipe makes eight servings.
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Crimson Slaw
Ingredients:
1/2 head red cabbage, shredded
1/2 red onion, thinly sliced
3 green onions, white and green parts, sliced
6 tablespoons olive oil
2 tablespoons red wine vinegar
2 tablespoons sugar
1 teaspoon salt
1/2 teaspoon ground black pepper
1/2 teaspoon cumin
1/4 teaspoon ground mustard
One 6-ounce package sweetened dried cranberries
Directions:
Mix together cabbage and red and green onions in large mixing bowl. Whisk oil, vinegar, sugar, mustard, salt, pepper and cumin together in a small bowl. Pour over cabbage mixture; add sweetened dried cranberries, mix thoroughly. Marinate in refrigerator for one hour.
May be made up to six hours in advance.
Recipe makes six servings.
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Wild Rice with Cranberries and Caramelized Onions
Ingredients:
2 cups chicken broth
1/2 cup brown rice
1/3 cup wild rice
3 tablespoons butter or margarine
3 medium onions, sliced in thin wedges
2 teaspoons brown sugar
1 cup sweetened dried cranberries
1/2 teaspoon finely grated orange zest
Directions:
Combine chicken broth and both of the rices in a medium saucepan. Bring to a boil over medium-high heat. Reduce heat to low. Cover and simmer 45 minutes or until rice is tender and the liquid is absorbed. Meanwhile, melt butter in a medium skillet over medium-high heat. Add onions and brown sugar. Cook six minutes or until liquid is absorbed and onions are soft and translucent in color. Reduce heat to low. Slowly cook onions, stirring often for 25 minutes or until they are caramel color. Stir in sweetened dried cranberries. Cover and cook over low heat for ten minutes or until cranberries swell. Gently fold cranberry mixture and orange zest into cooked rice.
Recipe makes four to six servings.
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Cranberry Carrot Saute
Ingredients:
1 pound carrots, peeled and cut into 2-1/2 by 1-1/2 inch sticks
1 teaspoon salt, divided
1 tablespoon brown sugar
1 teaspoon cinnamon
3/4 teaspoon dry mustard
1/4 cup orange juice
2 tablespoons butter
1/2 cup sweetened dried cranberries
1/3 cup pecans, coarsely chopped, garnish
Directions:
Place carrots and one-half teaspoon salt in a large saucepan. Cover with water and bring to a boil. Reduce heat; cook ten minutes or until carrots are fork tender. Drain. Combine brown sugar, cinnamon, mustard and remaining salt in a small mixing bowl. Add orange juice. Melt butter in a large skillet. Add carrots and orange juice mixture. Cook two to three minutes or until carrots are coated, stirring frequently. Add sweetened dried cranberries; cook until heated through. Garnish with pecans.
Recipe makes four to six servings.
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Cranberry Turkey Casserole
Ingredients:
2 cups cooked turkey breast, cut into one-half inch cubes
1 cup onion, finely diced
1 teaspoon thyme
1/2 cup jellied cranberry sauce
1 cup baking mix
1 cup skim milk
2 eggs or egg substitute equal to two eggs
Directions:
Preheat oven to 400 degrees.
Combine turkey, onion and thyme. Spread evenly on bottom of pan. Break up cranberry sauce with a fork until smooth. Spoon by teaspoonfuls randomly over turkey.
Combine baking mix, milk and eggs in a blender. Blend on high speed for one minute. Pour over casserole.
Bake for 30 minutes or until toothpick inserted into the center comes out clean.
Recipe makes eight to ten servings.
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Smoked Turkey and Cranberry Gourmet Pizza
Ingredients:
One, 16-ounce pre-cooked Italian bread shell
One, 16-ounce can whole berry cranberry sauce
3/4 cup sliced green onion, white and green parts
One, 8-ounce package shredded Monterey Jack cheese
1/4 pound smoked deli-turkey breast, cut into thin strips
Directions:
Preheat oven to 375-degrees. Place bread shell on an ungreased baking pan.
Spread cranberry sauce evenly over bread shell. Sprinkle with green onion and cheese. Top with turkey.
Bake for ten minutes or until heated through and cheese has melted.
Recipe makes one large pizza.
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Palomino Chicken
Ingredients:
One, 16-ounce can whole berry cranberry sauce
1 plum tomato, seeded and chopped
1/4 cup diced dried apricots
1-1/4 teaspoons cinnamon
1/2 teaspoon ground ginger
1 teaspoon dried cilantro
1 teaspoon hot pepper sauce
1/2 teaspoon black pepper
6 boneless, skinless chicken breast halves
Directions:
Combine all ingredients except chicken, in a medium saucepan. Cook until heated through. Keep warm until serving time. Sauté, broil, bake or grill chicken. Top with one-quarter cup of the cranberry salsa.
Recipe makes six servings.
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Banana Berry Jumble
Ingredients:
1 banana cut into one-quarter inch slices
1/4 cup sweetened dried cranberries
1-1/2 tablespoons brown sugar
2 tablespoons oats
1/4 teaspoon nutmeg
Directions:
Combine all ingredients in a medium nonstick skillet. Cook on medium heat just until bananas are heated through, stirring constantly.
Recipe makes about three servings.
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Chocolate Cranberry Dessert Sauce
Ingredients:
One, 16-ounce can cranberry sauce
1/2 cup semi-sweet chocolate bits
Directions:
Combine cranberry sauce and chocolate bits in a medium saucepan. Melt over medium heat, whisking occasionally until smooth. Cool. Serve over desserts.
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Cashew Clusters
Ingredients:
9 ounces semi-sweet chocolate
1/2 cup sweetened dried cranberries
1/2 cup cashews
Directions:
Melt chocolate in a double boiler. Remove from heat and cool slightly. Stir in sweetened dried cranberries and nuts. Drop by teaspoonfuls onto a cookie sheet. Let harden at room temperature or chill in refrigerator.
Recipe makes about 16 clusters.
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See also:
Beneficial Byte: Cranberries
Good Eats: Cranberries
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