Tuesday, November 21, 2006

Adventurous sauce

First, the back story. I love cranberry juice, cranberry bread, and cosmopolitans, but I've never, much to lil bird's amazement, eaten cranberry sauce.

Our Thanksgiving celebration will be at someone else's house so when given the task of bringing the cranberry sauce I said yes, I'll give it a try. I do fancy myself a cook.

Now, fast forward to last night, just a few days from the celebration. I researched many recipes and found Ming Tsai's to be the most interesting. It starts with a saute of red onion and orange zest and ginger; not traditional but I'm adventurous. Then add the cranberries with two tablespoons of brown sugar, orange juice, and some salt and pepper. Salt and pepper? This is getting odd.

Taste. For me it had way to much of an onion flavor so I'm gonna fix it up. Yeah, right.

To this I added some more sugar and ground chipotle and some more ginger. I'm going to get some flavor out of this if it kills me. Getting better but still not certain. Oops, lost the cranberry tartness, how about some dried cranberries, yeah. Taste?

So like a coward, I went back to the market and made the recipe on the back of the package.


What will I do with the other? Surprisingly when it cooled it had enough flavor for me to keep so there will be two sauces this Thanksgiving. If I were to attempt that recipe again I'd caramelize the onions first add more sugar but I'd leave in the chipotle. It does add a brief hint of heat which in my opinion says California.

Hope everyone enjoys their holiday.

8 comments:

wheresmymind said...

That is so not being a coward...trying is what makes us all learn!

barb said...

this is my sister I have known this woman all of her life and I have never known that she has never eaten let alone cooked cranberry sauce. Our mother made wondeful cranberry sauce well wonderful to me. Anyway I commend you seester moon for attempting such a feat.
Chipotle rules...now I gotta try that.

sylvie1950 said...

Luckily you had time to tweak the recipes. Just think had you waited til Wednesday night to try this. FYI- I added some Grand Marnier (couple tablespoons)to my cranberry compote. I love it. Now for my family, that will be the test.

Deborah Eley De Bono said...

Sylvie, since we have to travel TG morning I was doing things in advance; lucky me.

Thanks, sistah.

La Vida Dulce said...

You can't go wrong with Ming Tsai, he's one of the hottest dreamy chefs on TV. Oh, and by the way, I'm serving that chile quiche of yours on Friday morning for brunch---muy delicioso!
Tenga un buen Dia de Gracias!

barb said...

wow an honor has been bestowed on us that our quiche is gracing yet another table...please let us know the reviews.

A very Happy Thanksgiving to y'all

maltese parakeet said...

vida, i'm going to have to find and post the picture of me with ming tsai at a book signing. he is indeed quite dreamy!

maltese parakeet said...

btw, the final verdict on the ming tsai version was that it was pretty good but that it was a little oniony and spicy for the thanksgiving table. it was suggested by someone that it would be good on pork tenderloin and i think i have to agree.