Recipe: Mom Parsons’ Cranberries

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Today on Good Food, LA Times Food Editor Russ Parsons joins Evan Kleiman to guide Good Food listeners through a flawless Thanksgiving menu. Russ tells the story of his mom’s famous cranberries. (If you consider a recipe on Epicurious noteworthy than they are indeed famous!) He says while his mother was not a particularly good cook, her cranberry sauce was a hit year after year. Russ has tweaked the recipe ever so slightly with the addition of orange zest, but other than that Mom Parsons’ Cranberries remain the same. Keep reading for the recipe…

Mom Parsons’ Cranberries

Total Time: 15 minutes, plus 1 to 3 days chilling time

3 cloves

3 allspice berries

2 (3-inch) cinnamon sticks

1 1/2 cups sugar

3/4 cup water

1 (12-ounce) bag fresh cranberries

Grated zest of 1 orange

1. Make a sachet: Wrap the cloves, allspice and cinnamon sticks in a cheesecloth square and tie it shut. Bring sugar, water and spice sachet to a boil in a 4-quart saucepan. Cook, stirring, until the syrup is clear, about 3 minutes. Add the cranberries and cook just until they begin to pop, about 5 minutes.

2. Remove the pan from the heat, add the grated orange zest and cool. Refrigerate 1 to 3 days before serving. Remove the spice sachet before serving. This makes about 21/2 cups cranberries.

Stacie Hunt suggests a number of wines to pair with your turkey and cranberry sauce. Here are her Red, White and Beaujolais Choices:

White:  ’10 Hugel Gewurztraminer, Austria                $25

Light gold in color; aromas of figs, lychees nuts, spice; tastes of white peach, fig, melon and spice.

Red:  ’09 Tobin James Zinfandel                    $16

            ’10 Bogle Zinfandel                            $12

Ruby-garnet in color: aromas of raspberry, strawberry, white pepper, cedar, and spice; tastes of blueberries, pepper, and strawberry.

Light Red:

          Beaujolais Noveau (various producers)            $10

Bright ruby color; aromas of fresh-picked strawberries, vanilla, and multi-fruits.  Serve this wine chilled.

Rosé or Blush:

’11 Turley White Zinfandel, Napa                    $20

The famed Turley Zinfandel winemaker, weighs in with this beautiful light salmon-pink wine, dry in style.   

’11 Petale de Rose, Provence                        $15

The classic from Provence:  pale rose-pink, raspberry, strawberry and dry as a bone.