Cranberry Sauce with Apples and Port Wine

It’s not Thanksgiving without cranberry sauce and it is so easy to make it from scratch that there is no excuse to buy the can of jiggly cranberries. In this recipes, sweet tart cranberries and apples combine to make a simple relish that is accented with clementine oranges and port wine—it’s a veritable fruit basket in a bowl! Use any leftovers on sandwiches and your morning oatmeal.

Makes about 6 cups

6 cups or 24 ounces fresh cranberries, cleaned

1 ½  cups granulated (white) sugar

Zest of three clementines

1/2 cup freshly squeezed clementine juice, about 6 fresh clementines

1/2 cup filtered water

1/2 cups port wine

1 teaspoon fine-grain sea salt

1/8 teaspoon ground nutmeg

3 small granny smith apples, chopped

Rinse cranberries discarding any over-ripe berries. Set aside. Mix sugar, orange/clementine zest and liquids in a heavy-duty saucepan over medium heat until sugar is dissolved, add a pinch of salt and nutmeg and stir. Add cranberries and apples and put the lid on the pan. Bring to a boil. Reduce heat.

Simmer for 20-40 minutes, stirring occasionally. Remove from heat when thick and cranberries are popping.  Do not stir until completely smooth, you want some texture.

Cool completely. Refrigerate and serve cold or at room temperature.  Best made the day (or days) before.