Cranberries: Tips and Recipes

In either recipes or cocktails, the cranberry’s red colour is definitely eye-catching. These small berries, with their many benefits, bring a nice touch of acidity to any dish. Here are tips and tricks to storing and consuming them year-round, along with six recipes for cooking with them.

 FRESH CRANBERRIES (FROZEN OR THAWED)

● Consuming Them

Fresh cranberries are rarely eaten as is because of their sour taste. Instead, add them to cooked dishes, either savoury or sweet, make sauces with them, or turn them into juice.

● Storing Them

Fresh cranberries keep for three months in the refrigerator, in their original packaging or an airtight container. You can freeze them as well. So take advantage of their abundance when in season and stock up.

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● Cooking Them

Cranberry Sauce

These small red berries with their tart flavour are perfect for making the sauce traditionally served as a side dish with Thanksgiving turkey. In this recipe, they’re twice-cooked to varying textures, creating a combination of stewed and whole cranberries.

Cranberry Chutney

This cranberry-based condiment is all you need to jazz up happy hour. Cook the small berries with shallots in a mixture of apple cider vinegar and chicken broth. Sterilize the jars, and you can store the chutney for up to a year.

Apple Cranberry Crumble Muffins

Apple and cranberry always make a good pair, as demonstrated by these crunchy muffins. Add the fruit to the batter, which includes plain yogurt, before filling the moulds and baking the muffins. Delicious as a dessert or simply a snack.

DRIED CRANBERRIES

● Consuming Them

Dried cranberries, available in both sweetened and unsweetened versions, are a practical choice if you want to enjoy the taste of cranberries all year long. They can be added to salads, cakes, or even meat dishes.

● Storing Them

The shelf life for dried cranberries is one year. Store them in a cool, dark place in an airtight container.

● Cooking Them

Cranberry-Maple Sausage Chili

Cranberry- and maple-flavoured sausages are the star ingredient in this cozy chili. Like a classic version, this recipe includes bell peppers, beans, tomatoes and Mexican seasonings. It also features dried cranberries, which provide texture and a tangy note to the dish.

Pear and Cranberry Crisp

Pears and dried cranberries take centre stage in this delicious crisp. This fall favourite is made by mixing the fruits with orange juice and spices like ginger, cinnamon and cloves. It’s an easy-to-make dessert that’ll bring smiles to the faces around the table.

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Wild Rice Salad with Chicken, Orange & Cranberries

A mix of wild rice and kale forms the base of this hearty salad, great for dinner or lunch at the office. Topped with orange segments, dried cranberries and feta, this meal will definitely make your colleagues envious!