Easy Ginger Syrup

For a more intense flavor, make this syrup a day before using, and allow the ginger to sit in the syrup  overnight before straining.

Makes 2 cups

• 2 cups sugar
• 2 cups water
• 1 six-inch piece fresh ginger, coarsely chopped (no need to peel)

1.) Place sugar, water and ginger in a medium saucepan and bring to a boil.

2.) Reduce to a simmer, and cook about 1 hour, until ginger flavor is quite strong.

3.) Strain liquid and store it in an airtight container in the refrigerator. Consume within 2-3 weeks.

(Simple) Cranberry Simple Syrup

    Cranberry Simple Syrup, is the cranberry version of "Simple Syrup", which is a staple of every cocktail bar and a wonderful way to sweeten ice tea too. I think it should more accurately be called Simple Cranberry Simple Syrup, because it is easy to make, but the redundancy is a bit much.

    Pour a splash of this syrup in a glass of champagne to make a Cranberry Champagne Cocktail. Mix a little syrup club with soda or lemon~lime soda and garnish with a lime wheel to make a sparkling non-alcoholic drink. Fill a glass with ice, pour in a shot of Vodka, a little Triple Sec or Sweet & Sour mix, a splash of Cranberry Simple Syrup and a generous squeeze of lime...very Cosmopolitan!

     Makes about 2 cups of syrup

• 1 12 oz. bag of fresh or frozen cranberries (3 cups)
• 2 cups water
• 1 1/2 cups sugar 

1.) Rinse cranberries and pick through them, discarding any that look old. Place all the ingredients in a medium saucepan over medium heat and bring to a boil.

2.) Reduce heat to low and simmer until cranberries have all burst, about 15 minutes.

3.) Strain through a fine mesh strainer into a medium bowl and let the strainer sit over the bowl until the

syrup has cooled to room temperature, about 1 hour.

4.) Either discard the cranberry solids into your compost, or use them in another recipe. At this point they are still pretty tart.

5.) Refrigerate the syrup in a sealed bottle or other container with a tight fitting lid for up to 2 weeks.

Note: If you plan to use this for cocktails, you can add an ounce of vodka or grain alcohol to the syrup and it will act as a preservative, allowing you to store it for months.

Cranberry Blog

Sweet~Tart Cranberry Syrup

   Cranberry syrup can be made a few different ways. This recipe has corn syrup* in it, which some people are opposed to. I don't find it too objectionable, since the actual amount of corn syrup consumed per serving is quite low. After all, this syrup is so concentrated you will be using ~ one tablespoon per beverage, which means there are about 30 servings per batch. 

     The other recipe I have on my website is called Cranberry Simple Syrup, because it is the cranberry version of "Simple Syrup", which is a staple of every cocktail bar and a wonderful way to sweeten ice tea too. I think it should more accurately be called (Simple) Cranberry Simple Syrup, because it is easy to make, but the redundancy is a bit much.

    Use this syrup in cocktails and mocktails...a little bit goes a long way. Because this Sweet~Tart Cranberry Syrup is thicker and more intense than (Simple) Cranberry Simple Syrup, you can also pour it over pancakes, waffles and plain cheesecake. It's festive bright red color will make your holidays a little sweeter, and might even be perfect for your favorite Valentine's Day tart ;)

Makes about 2 cups of syrup

• 1 cup cranberry juice
• 1 cup water
  
• 1 cup cranberries
• 3/4 cup light-colored corn syrup
• 1/4 cup sugar

1.) Rinse cranberries and pick through them, discarding any that look old. If you buy them quite fresh, there should be very few bad ones.

2.) In a medium saucepan combine cranberry juice, cranberries, corn syrup, and sugar. Stir to dissolve sugar. Bring to a boil over medium-high heat. Reduce heat to medium-low and simmer for 20-30 minutes or until reduced by about half.

3.) Pour syrup through a fine-mesh strainer. You can line it with damp cheesecloth if you want it crystal clear, otherwise you might have a few tiny cranberry seeds in the syrup.

4.) Discard cranberry solids into your compost bin, or set aside to use in some other way. They will still be quite pretty and jewel-like, but are also quite tart!

5.) Seal tightly and store syrup in the refrigerator for up to one month.

* Why use corn syrup? Because corn syrup is an invert sugar, which means that it prevents sugar crystals from forming. Microscopically, sugar has jagged edges and when you melt it, sugar liquefies. But if you keep cooking it to a syrup, those jagged edged-fellas want to re-attach themselves to others. Corn syrup acts as interfering agent, which ‘interfere’ with that process. Honey, agave, and the like, don’t have the same properties. (Thanks to David Lebovitz for his easy-to-understand definition.)

 Cranberry Blog 

Traditional Cranberry Sauce

   This is the real deal and it's so easy to make. It'll leave you wondering why anyone would buy canned cranberry sauce when the fresh version is so quick to prepare, and I think it's actually a really fun thing to make. I especially like the way the cranberries crackle and pop as they are cooking!

  I used to make the Cranberry~Orange Relish recipe on the back of the bag of some brands of fresh cranberries, but now I really prefer this Traditional Cranberry Sauce. Cooking the cranberries reduces the acidity and results in a far smoother consistency, which I think is much better for spreading on those post-Thanksgiving turkey sandwiches. 

  I have plenty of other ideas for using Traditional Cranberry sauce...see below*.

Makes one generous pint (or 2 to 3 half-pint jars)

• 1 12 oz. bag of fresh or frozen whole cranberries (3 cups)
  
• 1 cup white sugar
• 1 cup water

1.) Rinse cranberries and pick through them, discarding any that look old. If you buy them quite fresh, there should be very few bad ones.

2.) Combine all ingredients in a large, heavy-bottomed, non-reactive pan. (In other words, don't use an aluminum, copper, or cast iron pan when cooking with high acid foods.)

3.) Cook over medium heat, uncovered, stirring occasionally, for about 10 minutes. Once the cranberries start to pop, you can mash them a bit with the back of a large spoon, but it isn't necessary. Because of the high levels of natural pectin in the cranberries, the sauce thickens quickly. Once the skins have started to (audibly) burst, the sauce should be finished cooking within 5 minutes, so be prepared to remove your pan from the heat.

4.) The cranberry sauce will keep for several weeks (if not longer) in a tightly covered container in the refrigerator.

5.) If you want to keep it for even longer, you can process the sauce by first ladling it into 2 or 3 clean, hot half- pint jars, leaving 1/2" headspace.  Run a plastic knife around the edges to remove any air bubbles.  Next, wipe rims spotlessly clean. Place a warm seal on the jar, and then screw on a band finger-tight.

6.) Process in a boiling water bath 15 minutes. Remove the jars from the kettle and let them sit in a draft-free place overnight. Store in a cook dark place for up to one year. Refrigerate and use within a month of opening. 

7.) If by any chance, a jar fails to seal, store in the refrigerator and use within 3 months.

*Ideas on how to use this Traditional Cranberry Sauce in other recipes:

• Whir in a blender to make a cranberry vinaigrette.
• Incorporate a bit into a smoothie for extra Vitamin C.
• Put a dollop on your non-fat yogurt.
  
• Spoon over vanilla ice cream.
• Add a dab to dress up a slice of plain cheesecake.

Preserved Meyer Lemons

     Any kind of lemon* can be preserved, but I prefer to use the smooth-skinned and slightly sweet Meyer lemons. Sometimes they are preserved whole, other times in halves. Me? I like to preserve wedges.

    Once preserved these fabulous lemon peels can be used many different ways, and in several different cuisines. Moroccan tagines may be the most common place where chopped preserved lemon peels are found, but their unique flavor can also found in Asian dishes and the briny acidity works wonderfully with otherwise rich seafood, and creamy pasta and arborio rice dishes.You can use preserved lemons in any dishes where you would normally use lemons, although you might want to stick to savory dishes because of the salt. 

     To use the preserved lemon wedges in recipes, separate the pulp from the peel by scraping, which is quite easy to do once they are soft from fermenting for a month or more. The soft pulp can be used in recipes or discarded but it's the intense flavor of the peel that most cooks are after. Some people choose to rinse the preserved lemon peel before chopping / using, while others skip rinsing and adjust the salt in their recipe instead. 

    After using up your preserved lemon wedges don't throw out the leftover brine! It provides a boost of lemony goodness when mixed into salad dressings, drizzled over cooked fish or added to a Bloody Mary. 

*No matter what kind of lemons you buy, please look for organic lemons. Otherwise the peel may contain pesticides or waxes. Not as much of an issue when juicing lemons but potentially a problem when you're eating it. 

Makes one pint-size jar

• 6 lemons (preferably Meyer), 3 cut into wedges, 3 left whole
• 1 bay leaf
• 1/4 cup good quality sea salt
  
• 1/2 teaspoon black peppercorns
  
• 1/4 teaspoon coriander seeds (optional)

1.) Cut  3 lemons into wedges, then use the tip of the knife to pick out the seeds.

2.) Lay a spotlessly clean jar on it's side. Place wedges into the jar -- length-wise -- in one layer. If it's a tall jar, you will end up with 2 or 3 layers. If it's a squat* jar, you might only have one layer plus room for a few on their sides on the top. Note: When the jar is about half full, slide the bay leaf vertically down the inside of the jar. If the jar is too full, the leaf might not fit, and if it's not full enough, the leaf won't stay in place.

3.) If you are going to have room for 3 layers, sprinkle 1/3 of the salt, 1/3 of the black peppercorns and 1/3 of the coriander seeds (if using) on top of the wedges and then repeat the process until the jar is full. You are aiming for an even distribution of salt and spices.

4.) At this point, the jar should be packed full, and you can then slice the remaining lemons in half one at a time, juicing them into the jar, until the wedges are covered with juice. You might only need 2 of the lemons, depending on how juicy your lemons are. (To maximize juice output, microwave the lemons for 10 seconds (or boil for 2 minutes) then roll the lemon around on the counter, while pressing down firmly, for several seconds before slicing in half to juice.)

4.) If there are any air bubbles, use a chopstick or thin-bladed knife to release air bubbles.

5.) Let the lemons ripen on the counter for week, where you will remember to shake the jar each day to distribute the salt and juice. Then stick the jar in the fridge and let it ripen for another 3-4 weeks before using.

Preserved lemons will keep up to a year.

 Meyer Lemon blog post with step-by-step photos