Cranberry Plum Sauce

Cranberry Plum SauceCranberry sauce is usually an afterthought at our family turkey dinners- we’re lucky if our mom mashes it up enough to remove the ribbing from the interior of the can it came from. I wanted to mix things up a little for Thanksgiving this year but changing the stuffing, gravy, mashed potatoes or turkey itself would probably get me disowned, so to the condiments I go. This version adds in some balsamic vinegar for depth as well as orange juice and plums for natural sweetness. Along with maple syrup the extra fruits tone down the tartness of the cranberries without having to dump in cups of refined sugar. The cans that we normally use are over 1/3 sugar- that is a lot of added, refined sugars better avoided (or saved for pumpkin pie). With only 1/2 cup of maple syrup the sauce is still a bit tart so more can be added if it is too much of a break from tradition.Cranberry Plum SauceAs the summer berries are all dwindling out, these guys are coming into their own season. Cranberries are a good source of several vitamins and minerals, especially vitamin C, but what makes them most special and beneficial are their phytonutrients. These compounds are best sourced from the whole berry, instead of just cranberry juice, and have been shown to have effective anti-cancer, antioxidant and anti-inflammatory properties.Cranberry Plum SauceCranberry Plum Sauce

Cranberry Plum Sauce
 
Prep time
Cook time
Total time
 
Serves: 4 cups
INGREDIENTS:
  • 3 cups fresh cranberries ( 1 12 oz or 340 g bag)
  • 3 cups plums, chopped finely (4 large plums)
  • ½ cup maple syrup (or more as needed for less tartness)
  • 3 tablespoons orange juice (from 1 regular mandarin)
  • 1 tablespoon balsamic vinegar
  • 1 teaspoon orange zest (from 1 regular mandarin)
DIRECTIONS:
  1. Place everything into a large pot over high heat on the stove and bring to a boil. Reduce to medium low and leave to simmer for 15 minutes, stirring occasionally, until the cranberries have all popped, the plums have softened and the whole mixture has thickened. Leave as is or pulse a few times in a blender or food processor to smooth it out.

Cranberry Plum Sauce

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