I just came from Aldi where fresh cranberries were on sale for 50-cents/12-oz. bags. Needless to say I'm well-stocked and will have the dehydrator running for the next few days. But I'll make this recipe now. We love it.

Fresh Cranberry-Orange Relish
(source: SuperFoods - Steven Pratt, M.D., and Kathy Matthews)

makes about 3 cups

One 12-oz.pkg. fresh or frozen cranberries, rinsed and drained
1 unpeeled orange, cut into eights and seeded
3/4 c. sugar (I use 1/4 c. agave nectar.)

Place half the cranberries and half the orange pieces in a food processor and process until the mixture is evenly chopped. transfer to a bowl. Repeat with the remaining cranberries and orange slices. Stir in the sugar. Store in the refrigerator or freezer until ready to serve.

-Grainlady

Where in Texas are you? Here in Houston, I always see fresh cranberries at the grocery store at this time of year. Just saw them yesterday at a fairly small grocery store so they must be pretty available.

I admit I've never bought fresh cranberries. Yes, I'm a heathen, but I was raised on the jellied stuff that comes out of the can in the shape of the can, and that's the stuff I love.

But I'm open to new things. I have to stop off at the grocery store (again!) today on my way home so maybe I should pick up some fresh ones.

Wanna post your recipe for cranberry orange nut bread please? It sounds great! Do you have to do anything special to the berries before cooking with them or do you just wash & throw them in?

Yep, I'm in Houston too and have been buying fresh cranberries in a 12 oz. pouch. Certain grocery stores even have them in a basket and you can purchase fresh cranberries by the pound.

How do you freeze them? Just wash and freeze? I want to do it this year because after the holidays I can never find any, ever. They were $2.50 for a 12 oz. bag at the grocery store--ripoff. Hopefully I can find some kind of deal somewhere in the next couple of weeks.

You've got to make cranberry Jezebel (or as my nephew calls them, slutty cranberries, he's in college and thinks hes' so funny.)

According to the package, to freeze cranberries, just put them in the freezer, don't wash them and don't take them out of their bag.

This is from Cindy

Cranberry Jezebel
12 oz bag fresh or frozen cranberries
1 c. water
3/4 c. white sugar
1/2 c brown sugar
3 Tablespoons horseradish
1 Tablespoon Dijon mustard

Wash and pick over the berries. Put water and sugars in saucepan (large enough to prevent boil over) and bring to a boil, add berries and return to a boil, cook on medium for 15 to 20 minutes from the time it returns to a boil, stirring occasionally. Cool to lukewarm then stir in horseradish and Dijon mustard. Refrigerate for a few hours at least and enjoy!

Cindy's Notes: Reduce the amount of white sugar and substitute some fresh-squeezed orange juice for some, or all of the water. I also like to add a couple tablespoons of Cointreau. Sometimes I'll stir in a little orange zest along with the horseradish and Dijon.

I used orange juice and orange zest - very good.

lowspark,
Glad to share the recipe for cranberry orange nut bread. Frozen cranberries work in this recipe, as well as fresh (just thaw them first).
Cranberry Orange Nut Bread
2 c. sifted flour
1 c. sugar
1 1/2 tsp. baking powder
1/2 tsp. baking soda
1 tsp. salt
1 egg
1/2 c. chopped nuts (pecans or walnuts)
2 c. cranberries cut in half
1 orange, its juice and grated peel
2 Tblsp. melted shortening (I use margarine)
Sift dry ingredients together. Add nuts and cranberries. Mix orange peel, juice, shortening, 3/4 c. water and egg. Stir into the dry ingredients and mix by hand until well blended. Bake in loaf pan at 350 for one hour, or if using mini-pans, for about 40 minutes, until a cake tester inserted in center of the loaf comes out clean. This loaf cracks on top naturally, so don't worry!

You don't have to do anything to the cranberries - just throw the bag in the freezer. I made a couple batches of cranberry sauce from frozen this year and just rinsed before cooking. I stocked up again when they were on sale.

This recipe was on the cover of Better Homes and Gardens, Nov or Dec 1977 or 78, I think. It is the only way my hubby will eat cranberries and is a favorite of everyone who tastes it. It is very pretty, light and refreshing and very easy to make, especially if you have a food processor. I usually make it during the holidays, then again during the summer with some of the frozen cranberries that I usually find in the back of the freezer in July. I would be interested to know if anyone makes it and enjoys it like we do, or if we are alone in this.

FESTIVE CRANBERRY TORTE

1½ c. graham cracker crumbs (1 package)
1/4 c. sugar
½ c. chopped pecans
6 T, butter, melted

1½ c. ground fresh cranberries (2 c. whole berries)
(buy 1 sm. pkg, use 2 c. for this & rest for glaze)
1 c. sugar
2 egg whites
1 T. frozen orange juice concentrate, thawed
1 t. vanilla
1/8 t. salt
1 c. whipping cream

Cranberry Glaze

fresh orange slices, quartered

In a mixing bowl combine graham cracker crumbs, pecans, 1/4 c. sugar & melted butter. Press onto bottom and up sides of an 8" springform pan. Chill in freezer.

In a large mixer bowl combine ground cranberries & 1 c. sugar. Let stand 5 minutes. Add unbeaten egg whites, vanilla, orange juice & salt. Beat on low speed until frothy. Then beat at high speed 6-8 minutes or till stiff peaks form (tips stand straight).

***(My notes in between these 2 steps-- I put whole cranberries in food processor, grind, add sugar, then add remaining ingredients. Then I whip the following whipped cream in a big bowl and fold cranberry mixture into it to save cleaning so many dishes)*****

In small mixer bowl whip cream to soft peaks (tips curl over); fold into cranberry mixture. Turn into crust. Freeze firm.

CRANBERRY GLAZE:

½ c sugar
3/4 c. fresh cranberries
1 T. cornstarch
2/3 c. water

In saucepan stir together sugar & cornstarch, stir in cranberries and water. Cook and stir till bubbly. Cook, continue stirring occasionally, just until cranberry skins pop. Cool to room temperature. Do not chill. Makes 1 cup.

To serve, remove torte from pan. Place on pretty serving plate. Place orange slices around outside. The original recipe said to spoon the glaze in the middle, however, experience has told me it's best to put it in a pretty bowl and let people spoon it on themselves. First, not everyone likes it, (I love it, hubby doesn't) and second, if there are any leftovers, the glaze doesn't freeze well and would need to be scraped off. Just put in pretty bowl.

We made an interesting variation on cranberry sauce this year, making fresh cranberries into a slightly Indian tasting compote. A very tasty alternative that pairs well with a holiday turkey and goes great on sandwiches if there's any left.

Here is a link that might be useful: Cranberry Compote Recipe

Marlingardener, I hope your grocery store gets the message that there is a market for fresh cranberries!! :D

I love them. I've got 6 bags in the fridge now, waiting to be made into sauce to can for the year, and I'm fretting that I didn't buy enough.

I keep a couple of bags in the freezer to use in muffins, pancakes and chutneys as well.

Here's a recipe I enjoy (it is a bit spicy) with meats, particularly pork roasts...it's from Williams Sonoma's "Savoring India":

Phalsa Chatni (hot and sour cranberry chutney)

3/4 lb cranberries, halved
2 fresh hot green chiles such as serrano, thinly sliced.
1/4 c sugar
2 t salt
1 T vegetable oil
1 t brown mustard seeds
20 fresh or 40 dried kari leaves or 2 cassia leaves

Mix cranberries, chiles, sugar & salt, toss well.

Warm the oil in a small pan over a high heat. When hot, add the mustard seeds and cover. When the seeds stop sputtering, after about 30 seconds, remove from heat. Uncover, add the kari or cassia leaves and cover again. Let the leaves sizzle for about 15 seconds and then pour over the cranberries. Mix thoroughly and let the chutney stand for half an hour or so before serving.

This lasts weeks in the fridge.

If you aren't terribly fond of spicy food, you can cut the chilis down to one, or, scoop out all the seeds and pith from the chiles, which will greatly reduce the heat factor while leaving the flavor.

I particularly like the flavors of orange and cranberries together, so I have made this chutney with grated orange zest added as well. Also, I have made it with chunks of oranges added, which was quite tasty, but that doesn't last in the fridge. As I sit here typing, it occurs to me that grated ginger would make a really nice, non-spicy substitute for the chiles.

Well folks, I went to the grocery yesterday and got more cranberries so I can try the great recipes y'all have shared (Jezebel, wasn't she a naughty lady?).
We're in central Texas, about 20 miles south of Waco. The groceries around here don't carry much "exotic" stuff. I envy the variety that Houston and Dallas folks have, but not having to fight traffic to get to the good stuff has its appeal, too. Thanks for the recipes, and hope y'all have great holidays!

marlingardener,
Thanks for posting that. I hope to make it this weekend!