ATH: Cooking with the seasonal cranberry

  • Kyle Valentini
  • October 17, 2013
  • 371
                        
Summary: Cranberries are high in vitamin C and fiber and with only 47 calories per cup; they are a perfect addition to a healthy diet. Great in sweet and savory dishes, the cranberry is one of nature’s most under used fruits. Available fresh, frozen and dried, cranberries are one of fall’s perfect fruits. Stop and think for a moment all the wonderful produce in season in the fall. Definitely a season of harvest, fall offers a nearly endless source of fresh ingredients for those of us that spend our time in the kitchen. Sweet potatoes, mushrooms, grapes, leeks, beets, pumpkins, cranberries, butternut squash, fennel, walnuts and the not so common quince are just a short list of what’s available, much of it locally grown. As the weather changes so do our appetites. Cravings for hot foods take the place of all the salads and lighter dishes we were eating when faced with the heat and humidity of summer. Soups and stews and casseroles rich with fall’s harvest warm us from the inside out and are comfort food classics, bistro-styled and even classically elegant when prepared in new ways. Cranberries are one of fall’s most underrated fruits. We all have some member of the family, hopefully a distance cousin or only related by marriage, that still buys the canned cranberry relish but the cranberry in its pure form is so much more than a glob that when removed from the can still holds the cylindrical shape. Perfect for use in sweet and savory dishes, cranberries are available fresh, frozen and dried. Try this quick and elegant appetizer the next time you have guests or simply just because it’s so easy and wonderful. Goat Cheese with Cranberry Pecan Crust You’ll need: 1/4 cup dried cranberries, finely chopped 2 tablespoons finely chopped pecans Pinch of salt 4 ounces soft goat cheese Place a piece of plastic wrap on a work surface. Combine cranberries, pecans and salt in a small bowl. Pour the mixture onto the plastic wrap and form it into a small rectangle on the plastic wrap. Roll goat cheese in the cranberry mixture to completely coat. Chill. Serve with crackers or toasted, sliced baguette. Cooler days and nights call for more filling dishes that stick to the ribs. Try this recipe for scrumptious pork chops. Pork Chops with Cranberry Pan Sauce 1 teaspoon fresh from the garden thyme leaves 1/4 teaspoon kosher salt, divided 1/4 teaspoon freshly ground pepper, divided 4 boneless pork loin chops (trim the fat if you like) 2/3 cup cranberry juice 3 tablespoons clover or other mild honey 2 teaspoons good olive oil or vegetable oil 1/4 cup chopped onion 1 cup cranberries, fresh or frozen, thawed, coarsely chopped (pulse in food processor to make chopping easier) Mix thyme and half the salt and pepper in a small bowl. Sprinkle both sides of pork chops with the thyme mixture. Stir cranberry juice and the 3 tablespoons honey in a 1-cup glass measuring cup or small bowl until well blended. Heat the oil in a large nonstick skillet over medium-high heat until hot but not smoking. Add the chops and cook until browned on both sides, about 2 to 3 minutes per side. Push the chops to one side of the pan, add the onion to the empty half and cook, stirring, until the onion is soft and beginning to brown, about 1 to 2 minutes. Pour half the juice mixture into the pan. Add cranberries. Reduce heat to medium and cook, turning the chops occasionally, until cooked through, about 2 to 4 minutes. Transfer the chops to a serving plate and tent with foil to keep warm. Add the remaining juice mixture to the pan. Increase heat to high and cook until the mixtures reduces to form a syrupy sauce, about 2 minutes. Season the sauce with the remaining salt and pepper and additional honey to taste for a slightly sweeter sauce. Spoon the sauce over the chops. There are many reasons to include cranberries in a healthy diet. They are high in Vitamin C and fiber. One cup of cranberries only has 47 calories. If your grocer only carries fresh cranberries seasonally stock up and throw a few bags in the freezer for use later on.


Loading next article...

End of content

No more pages to load