A twist on a traditional Thanksgiving side dish.
Serves: 6-8
Prep time: 5 min
Cook time: 25 min
Ingredients
One 12 oz. package of fresh cranberries
1/2 cup apple juice 1/4 cup bourbon
3/4 cup sugar
1 tsp orange zest
Directions
Place all ingredients into a medium sauce pan and heat on medium high, stirring to make sure the sugar dissolves. As soon as the mixture boils, reduce the heat to medium low. Simmer for 20-25 minutes until the berries burst and the sauce thickens.
Remove from heat. The compote will continue to thicken as it cools.
Serve at room temperature or cold.
This recipe is adapted from one I found from a Real Simple magazine several years ago. It caught my eye because bourbon, and because it looked ridiculously easy. So, I made it and brought it to Thanksgiving dinner at my in-laws. It was a hit, and I was asked to make it every year thereafter. To me, that was a big deal! I mean, I'd always felt comfortably part of their family, but now they wanted me to contribute to their traditional Thanksgiving dinner. That sealed it. And now, I share it with you. If you decide to give it a try, let me know what you think!
Notes:
The orange zest was not part of the original recipe, but I love the flavor it adds. If you don't already own a microplane, I suggest you get one! It makes zesting citrus so much easier. You can also use it to finely grate small amounts of cheese, especially hard cheeses such as Parmesan and Pecorino Romano. I use mine all the time!
I usually end up doubling this recipe, and doing so requires no extra effort! Just saying!
