A delicious variation of the classic cranberry sauce, this recipe combines beautifully the tart fruity flavour of sea buckthorn with cranberries.
This Thanksgiving weekend in Canada I have been hearing lots of discussion on the topic of traditional dishes for this celebration. Among the things I have learned, cranberry sauce is a must, but few people actually like it. I suspect they are talking of the tinned variety, in which case the disdain is well earned, but cranberry sauce is arguably the easiest part of the menu, and making it with fresh berries is about as easy as boiling water. I usually just mix it with a little sugar or honey and water, and if available orange juice instead of water and some orange zest. It goes well not just with the turkey and dressing, but with any vegetarian alternative, with crackers and cheese, and best of all in sandwiches.
This year I decided to add some of my own garden produce – namely sea buckthorn which is now ripe and ready to be picked. If you are not familiar with this berry, please refer to this post. Although this berry is not native to here, it is making its way into markets as its nutritional benefits and sharp flavour are becoming recognized.
The best way to extract the juice from these berries is to cook them in a pot with a little water for a few minutes, then strain them. The less water you use, the better, but be sure to use enough the pot doesn’t boil dry.
For my cranberry sauce, I used 4 cups of fresh (or frozen) cranberries, 1/2 cup honey (or sugar) and 1 cup of strained sea buckthorn juice. Heat to a gentle boil until the berries start to pop and are all soft. Add more sugar or honey to taste if you want a sweeter sauce.
Don’t worry if it looks a little runny – it will thicken as it cools. Store any leftovers in a covered jar in the fridge where it will keep for at least 2 weeks. This recipe may even be the biggest hit of your festive dinner this year.
Linked to: Fiesta Friday #140, Hostess at Heart and Fabulous Fare Sisters.
October 10, 2016 at 6:40 pm
lovely pics
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October 10, 2016 at 8:10 pm
Thanks Arti.
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October 10, 2016 at 7:41 pm
I love cranberry sauce and add orange flavor to the berries. It is the easiest thing to make ahead of time. I wonder if you can buy that sea buckthorn juice. I don’t’ recall seeing this berry in my markets – but then I didn’t look for it!
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October 10, 2016 at 8:10 pm
I know they are not common in the markets, but when you do see them, now you’ll know what they are. As for the juice, it is occasionally sold in health stores but at a hefty price and in small amounts, often as an elixir. I found this website on Scottish supplies you might find interesting.
http://www.wildandscottish.co.uk/
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October 10, 2016 at 9:34 pm
I have never used sea buckthorns, I did see lots but they have a very distinct flavour and I never thought of pairing them with cranberries. It looks delicious and using honey as a sweetener is brilliant. 🙂
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October 10, 2016 at 9:46 pm
Thanks Petra. I think that one of the problems is that they are new to many of us and we don’t have many recipes on how to use them. I was very pleased with the results of this sauce.
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October 11, 2016 at 12:42 am
Sounds like a delicious sauce! I’ve never seen sea buckthorns but I’ll keep an eye out for them! Thanks for bringing this to Fiesta Friday 🙂
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October 11, 2016 at 1:23 am
Great to read of your amazing finds again, Hilda. Thanks for posting!!
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October 11, 2016 at 4:41 am
Well, I must be an unusual Canadian, Hilda, because I adore cranberry sauce! However I usually add some orange juice and rind as you have suggested, and often a few other spices or ingredients. I have never see sea buckthorn here, but will have to keep my eye out for it in some of our local markets. I am always up for something new and interesting. Thanks so much for sharing this new variation with us! I hope you have a great week! 😀
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October 11, 2016 at 5:15 am
Looks so yumm Hilda 🙂 I only get to see dried cranberries here, how I wish to lay my hands on fresh produce!
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October 16, 2016 at 11:17 am
What a lovely special sauce! I must make this lovely combo soon! Yumm!
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