kitchen | MY SPECIAL DOCTOR

After harvest, cranberry fruits can be eaten fresh, dried or made into syrups or jams. Cranberries are used, therefore, for both sweet and savory preparations, and only 12 percent of the crop is consumed as fresh fruit. The American cranberry can be used by the food industry in the form of juice concentrate or dehydrated or frozen fruit. Cranberries available for food use vary in size, color and taste; in fact, there are sour ones and sweet and sour ones. The dried fruits are mainly used in the confectionery industry. The fresh fruits, on the other hand, are mainly used to make jams. They must be rinsed and cooked covered, as they tend to burst during cooking. The jam is used for tarts, cakes, puddings, muffins, cookies, and sweet and savory buns. Traditionally, sweet and sour cranberry sauce is used as an accompaniment to the Thanksgiving turkey. You can either prepare it at home or buy it ready-made at the supermarket.

Its sour flavor is in perfect combination with orange; in fact, a sauce made from these two fruits is used as a side dish for roast duck. The fresh fruit is also used to make sorbets, soufflés and fruit preserves. Frozen product, on the other hand, is a perfect base for jellies, sauces, syrups and ice cream. Cranberry is the star of American diets, as it is found in almost all bakery, ice cream, and beverage and liquor preparations. It is a popular ingredient in candy and gum, yogurt, and in the preparation of diet snacks. Fresh cranberry can also be eaten with fresh cheeses, added to wine, cream, fruit salads and on cakes.

Cranberries on the table for Thanksgiving

After Halloween, American homes change their look, witches and hollow pumpkins are set aside and decorated with wicker cornucopias filled with seasonal fruits, flowers and leaves. The Thanksgiving meal involves the whole family in preparations, lasts several hours, and is usually followed by hours of homemade lazing around with guests.

Lunch begins with the classic Thanksgiving prayer, and the menu is always rich and plentiful. The star of the show is the stuffed roast turkey, which requires at least 4 hours of cooking, during which time it must be continually doused with its own gravy so that the meat does not set. Its filling is made of bread crumbs and herbs, but each family customizes it with the addition of mushrooms or sausage. Taking pride of place is cranberry sauce, a sweet-and-sour jam made by boiling berries in water and sugar to a consistency somewhere between jelly and fruit compote. Culinary tradition also calls for mashed potatoes, homemade rolls filled with butter, a potato and walnut pie, and corn on the cob. The holiday dedicated to the family, and parades and American Football games are shown continuously on TV. It takes several days to use up the leftovers from the mega-lunch, and very often they are also distributed to guests in small take-away packages. After spending many hours in the kitchen, the hosts rest for a few days and bring only leftovers to the table. The day after Thanksgiving is also Black Friday, the day of bargain sales that officially begin a few days before Christmas.

Source: The Cranberry – A fruit that never ceases to amaze by Mediserve

Although Italian cuisine has a wide variety of dishes, surely expanding with cranberry products might be an idea. This ingredient is still unknown to us, as it is mainly used in American culinary tradition. The basic element of the Mediterranean diet and the simplicity of the dishes is not covered in America, where almost every dish is seasoned with sauces that cover the flavor of the food being cooked. Cranberry, however, thanks to its natural flavor will be able to win over even the most discerning palates.

Cranberry sauce

This is a traditional sauce that accompanies stuffed roast turkey.

Ingredients for 12 people:

450 g fresh cranberries

200 g of brown sugar

240 ml of water

Recipe

Rinse the blueberries, removing the stems. Heat the water in a saucepan and add the sugar, waiting for it to dissolve completely. When the water begins to boil, pour in the blueberries. Adjust the heat so that the water continues to boil and cook until all the blueberries burst. Other ingredients such as orange peel, cinnamon, rosemary and cloves can also be added during boiling. Remove the pot from the heat and let it cool. It is necessary to rest in the refrigerator overnight before using the sauce.

Cranberry Holiday Bread

Fruit bread is typical for the festivities of the New Year. It is allowed to rest for a couple of days so that all the flavors blend well together.

Ingredients for 1,500-gram bread:

460 g of sifted flour

200 g of white granulated sugar

4 teaspoons of yeast

1 teaspoon salt

Lemon or orange zest

1 large egg

56 g of melted butter

1 sachet of vanillin

360 ml of milk

120 g of cranberries

90 g of candied peel

60 g toasted and chopped almonds

Recipe

In a bowl, mix the flour, sugar, baking powder, salt and orange zest. In a bowl, process the beaten egg, melted butter, milk, and vanillin. Mix together the liquid and dry ingredients, incorporate the fruit and almonds, and finally pour the mixture into a bread mold. Bake in a preheated oven at 160-170 °C for 70 minutes. Remove from oven and let cool on a wire rack.

Roasted pumpkin with cranberries and sage

Roasted pumpkin with the tart flavor of cranberry berries are the perfect combination for the winter season.

Ingredients for 4 persons:

1 kg hulled pumpkin

1 medium white onion

Dried cranberries

Dried sage

Coarse salt

Oil

Recipe

Let the cranberries soak in a bowl of warm water for 20 minutes. Drain them and set them aside. Cut the squash into cubes and the onion into slices so that it can reach the cooking point at the same time. Place the squash and onion in a bowl and season with the oil and cranberries. Season with sage and salt. Bake in a preheated oven at 180 °C for 30 minutes.

Cranberries Pumpkin Pie

Pumpkin pie is a typical American dessert that never fails on Thanksgiving. The dessert is served with ice cream or whipped cream.

Ingredients for 4 persons:

100 g of cranberries

120 g of white granulated sugar

250 g of pumpkin pulp

3 eggs

1 dl semi-fat cream

Butter

1 roll of shortcrust pastry

Recipe

Mix cranberries with 20 g sugar in a bowl. Grate the pumpkin pulp and pour the eggs, cream, and remaining sugar into the same bowl. Beat well with electric mixer and mix in pumpkin pulp. Grease the mold and roll out the shortcrust pastry. Pour the mixture over the dough and distribute the cranberries. Bake the cake in a preheated oven at 180 °C for 45 minutes.

Cranberries Muffins

Muffins are very similar to plume cakes and were originally made with cornmeal. It is a classic American breakfast dessert.

Ingredients for 10 muffins:

2 handfuls of cranberries

250 g of flour

100 g of sugar

2 eggs

100 g butter

1 sachet of baking powder

1 glass of whole milk

Recipe

In a container, process the butter and sugar. Add the eggs and pour in the flour and baking powder a little at a time. Add the milk and cranberries and continue stirring. Pour the mixture into 10 buttered molds and bake at 180 °C for about 20-25 minutes.

Chocolate Cookies with Cranberries

Chocolate chip cookies are a great idea to bake something tasty and add an unusual twist with cranberries.

Ingredients:

113 g of butter

150 g of sugar

2 eggs

1 yolk

1 sachet of vanillin

245 g of flour

1 teaspoon baking powder

1 pinch of salt

45 g of cocoa powder

50 g of cranberries

90 g of white chocolate chips

Recipe

Whip the butter and sugar and vanillin until fluffy. Add the eggs one at a time and mix. In another bowl combine the flour, baking powder, salt and cocoa powder. Incorporate the butter from top to bottom and incorporate the cranberries and white chocolate. Pour the dough onto a flat surface, divide it in half and make a roll about 25 cm long from each half. Arrange the two rolls on a baking sheet and bake for 25-30 minutes in a preheated oven at 170 °C.

Cream Cheese Cake and Cranberries

This dessert is very simple to prepare and is usually served with a sauce on the side.

Ingredients for 6-8 people:

For the crust:

100 g of GRHAM crackers crumbs

50 g of ginger cookies

30 g of sugar

80 g of melted butter

For the filling:

227 g of cream cheese

50 g of caster sugar

1 sachet of vanillin

240 ml whipped cream

For the sauce:

300 g of raspberries

200 g fresh cranberries

100 g of sugar

1 tablespoon of masi starch

Lemon or orange zest

Recipe

Crust:

Mix crumbled cookies, sugar, and melted butter. Place the mixture on the bottom and sides of a buttered baking dish. Cover with plastic wrap and place in the refrigerator for 30 minutes.

Stuffing:

Whip the cheese for the sugar and vanillin. In a separate bowl, whip the cream and incorporate it, mixing from the bottom up. Using a spoon, spread the filling on the crust and chill overnight.

Cranberry and raspberry sauce:

Mix all ingredients together and cook until the sauce thickens. Remove from heat and allow to cool.

Pear, apple and cranberries crumble

The characteristic feature of this cake is the topping resting on a fresh fruit compote. It is served with cream or vanilla ice cream.

Ingredients for 6 persons:

For the topping:

105 g of flour

155 g of brown sugar

½ teaspoon of cinnamon

¼ teaspoon of salt

70 g of oatmeal

40 g of chopped walnuts

113 g of butter

For the fruit compote:

30-55 g of brown sugar

½ tablespoon of wheat starch

680 g honey

680 g red pears

Recipe

Topping:

Combine the flour, sugar, cinnamon, salt, oatmeal and nuts. Mix the butter with the help of a whisk until you get pea-sized crumbs.

Stuffing:

In a bowl, combine the sugar and cornstarch. Peel the pears and apples, cut them into chunks and mix them with the cranberries in the sugar-starch mixture. When the mixture is well blended, pour it into the cake pan and spread the prepared crumble mixture. Bake in a 190 °C oven for 35-45 minutes.

Cranberry Jam

Cranberry jam is the best way to enjoy this fruit all year round. It can be enjoyed on its own or to accompany desserts or roasted meats.

Ingredients for 6 persons:

1 kg of fresh cranberries

400 g white sugar

400 g of brown sugar

Juice and peel of one orange

Cinnamon

Cloves

Candied orange peel

Recipe

Wash the berries and to dry them on a cotton cloth. Grate the orange peel and squeeze out the juice. Place the cranberries, the two kinds of sugar and the orange juice in a saucepan. Add the cinnamon and cloves. Cranberries jam is ready when the berries split, so it is important to pay attention to the cooking point. Pour the still-boiling jam into sterilized jars, cap them tightly and invert until cool.

Candied cranberries

Candied Cranberries are soft and sweet, excellent to use with their syrup to garnish cakes and desserts. The syrup can be used to wet sponge cake and to give color to frostings.

Ingredients for 6 persons:

200 g of cranberries

250 g of sugar

180 ml of water

Recipe

Arrange the cranberries in a steel bowl to be placed in turn in a steaming pot filled with 2 inches of water and brought slowly to a boil. Bring the sugar-water syrup to a boil and pour it over the fruits. Cover with a plate and add enough weight to keep it steady while boiling. Steam the berries for about 45 minutes and allow to cool. Cover the bowl with plastic wrap and leave the berries for 3-4 days at room temperature until they become gelatinous.

Source: The Cranberry – A fruit that never ceases to amaze by Mediserve