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Thanksgiving: Cape Cod Cranberry Compote

Source of Recipe

From "New Thanksgiving Table" by Diane Morgan


Recipe Introduction

"Early New England cookbooks suggested that a darning needle be used to pierce the stem end of each cranberry and run the needle through the berry in order to keep the fruit from bursting when cooked. Darning needles seem to have gone out of style along with the laborious process of piercing each cranberry. Gentle simmering will keep most of the cranberries whole and retain the desired texture of a compote rather than a sauce. In the Yankee spirit, add a touch of applejack to spike the flavor once the compote has cooled down. I purchased Laird's applejack at my local liquor store. Laird's, the country's oldest distiller, makes applejack from tree-ripened apples grown in the Shenandoah Valley orchards. The pressed juice is fermented, distilled, and then aged for 4 to 8 years."

List of Ingredients

â—¦ 1 ½ cups water
â—¦ 1 ½ cups sugar
â—¦ 1 package (12 ounces) fresh cranberries, picked over and stems removed
â—¦ Juice of ½ lemon
â—¦ 1 tablespoon freshly grated orange zest
â—¦ 3 tablespoons applejack brandy, or more to taste


Recipe

In a deep, 4-quart saucepan, combine the water and sugar and bring to a boil over medium-high heat. Reduce the heat to maintain a simmer and cook for about 10 minutes until the mixture is syrupy.

Add the cranberries, lemon juice, and orange zest. Adjust the heat so the mixture barely simmers and cook, stirring occasionally, for about 10 minutes until the cranberries just begin to pop open and the syrup thickens.

Remove from the heat and let cool to room temperature.
Add the applejack. Transfer the compote to a bowl, cover, and refrigerate. Remove from the refrigerator one hour before serving.

Makes about 2 ½ cups



• Do Ahead:
The compote can be made up to 10 days in advance. Store in a tightly covered container in the refrigerator. Remove from the refrigerator 1 hour before serving.