Every family has that one dish… Thanksgiving wouldn’t be the same without it. For me, growing up, it was my mom’s cranberry mold. Ground cranberries, an inordinate amount of sugar, whole orange, pecans and pineapple all ground up, then combined with gelatin and juice and chilled to wobbly perfection. I wanted to reimagine my mom’s dish, but in a sauce version instead of a chilled mold. The star anise is a new addition, but I love the hint of spice it lends. I’ve also left out the pecans, since in this cooked version they don’t quite hold up texturally, but you could certainly sprinkle some on top for garnish if you like.
Cranberry Sauce with Navel Orange & Star Anise
Every family has that one dish… Thanksgiving wouldn’t be the same without it. For me, growing up, it was my mom’s cranberry mold. Ground cranberries, an inordinate amount of sugar, whole orange, pecans and pineapple all ground up, then combined with gelatin and juice and chilled to wobbly perfection. I wanted to reimagine my mom’s dish, but in a sauce version instead of a chilled mold. The star anise is a new addition, but I love the hint of spice it lends. I’ve also left out the pecans, since in this cooked version they don’t quite hold up texturally, but you could certainly sprinkle some on top for garnish if you like.
Ingredients
- 12 ounces fresh cranberries
- 1 navel orange
- ½ cup canned crushed pineapple
- 2 whole star anise
- 1 cup sugar
Instructions
- Place the cranberries, pineapple, star anise and sugar in a medium saucepan. Use a microplane to zest about half of the orange, and add the zest to the pot. Cut the orange in half, then squeeze half of the orange into the saucepan. Peel the other half of the orange, chop the flesh and add it to the pot. Be careful not to allow much of the white pith in… it will add a bitterness.
- Bring to a simmer and cook for about 20-30 minutes, stirring occasionally. The cranberries will burst and the mixture will thicken. Cool, and refrigerate until ready to use. Remove the star anise before serving.
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