BHG.com  /  Food  /   BHG Delish Dish

Cranberry

Delish Dish Editor

in-season eats: cranberry sauce with persimmons

Written on November 21, 2012 at 9:00 pm , by

Happy Thanksgiving! Erin from The Forest Feast here, sending greetings from my family’s annual celebration in Santa Barbara, CA. My husband Jonathan and I left the woods and headed for the beach where we’re spending the weekend cooking, eating, and surfing with lots of relatives at my aunt and uncle’s beach house. This is my absolute favorite holiday! We spend all day cooking in their dreamy kitchen overlooking the ocean while the turkey cooks on the BBQ outside.

This year, we are shaking up the menu a bit with this New Cranberry Sauce, which includes persimmons, my favorite autumn treat. Trees full of these ripe, orange fruits are everywhere near where we live  right now! A friend was kind enough to let me come and pick some off his tree, and I was excited to be able to use them in this Thanksgiving dish. It’s a fun, seasonal twist on the traditional recipe and adds color and sweetness to the cranberry sauce.

We eat around sunset, and I always take a picture of the turkey as it comes off the grill.

So much to be thankful for as we gear up for a weekend of family fun. Cheers!

 

New Cranberry Sauce with Persimmons

Makes: 12 servings. Serving size: 1/4 cup. Yield: 12 (1/4-cup) servings
Prep 10 mins, cook 18 mins to 20 mins, chill up to 48 hours.

Ingredients:
1 cup chopped onion (1 medium)
2 cloves garlic, minced
1 tablespoon olive oil or cooking oil
1 12 ounce bag fresh or frozen cranberries
1 cup pomegranate juice or cranberry juice
3/4 cup sugar
1/2 teaspoon ground ginger
1 fuyu persimmon or apple, cored and cut into 1/4-inch cubes
Rosemary sprig (optional, as garnish)
Directions: In large saucepan cook onion and garlic in hot oil over medium-high heat for 2 to 3 minutes or until onions begin to soften. Add cranberries, pomegranate juice, sugar, and ginger. Bring to boiling; reduce heat to medium-low. Simmer, uncovered, stirring occasionally, for 16 to 17 minutes, or until mixture is just thickened. Stir in persimmon for the last 2 minutes. Remove from heat. Serve warm or at room temperature or transfer to a storage container. Can be covered and chilled up to 48 hours. If desired, top sauce with a rosemary sprig as a garnish. Makes 12 (1/4-cup) servings.
Kitchen Tip: There are two types of persimmons: Fuyus and hachiyas. For this recipe, use fuyus, which are tomato-shape, and can be eaten when firm or slightly soft. The fruit, available from October to December, should be evenly light orange, not yellow or green. Store in the fridge up to 14 days.

The Forest Feast is a blog by Erin Gleeson full of simple, vegetable based recipes that are presented visually, with handwriting, illustration and photos to describe the steps.

Michael Wurm, Jr.

Celebrate Friendsgiving

Written on November 9, 2012 at 9:00 am , by

 

Hi BHG readers! Michael here from Inspired by Charm. As soon as the first of November roles around I am in full Holiday mode. Despite the madness of the season I attempt to spend as much quality time as possible with family and friends. In the hustle and bustle of modern life, it’s often difficult to plan the downtime needed to relax and refresh our spirits. I think the holidays offer an excellent excuse to push the pause button on our crazy-busy lives and revel in the company of the people who are dear to us.

 

While Thanksgiving is typically family time, this year I suggest celebrating a new tradition – Friendsgiving. This is a special time around Thanksgiving when you gather with friends (like you would with family) to spread a little holiday cheer, and of course, to consume large amounts of your favorite comfort foods. It’s a chance to let loose, escape the usual holiday chaos, and just enjoy!

1. Hearts of Romaine with Creamy Feta Dressing // 2. Candied Sweet Potato Casserole with Parsnips and Carrots // 3. Twice-Baked Pesto Mashed Potatoes  4. Glazed Carrots with Pistachios // 5. Lemon-Thyme Split-Roasted Turkey // 6. Porcini-Chestnut Stuffing // 7. Caramel Apple Pie // 8. Cranberry-Orange Spread // 9. Pumpkin Sandwich Cake

 

To make this as easy as possible, I’ve searched through the BHG recipe archives and put together a delicious, stress-free Friendsgiving feast that will wow your friends and still give you time to enjoy this new tradition. So call your friends, pick up some wine, get cooking, and have a fabulous and memorable Friendsgiving!

 

Cheers!

Michael Wurm, Jr. - Inspired by Charm