Executive chef and owner Marla Ortega of Troy's Illium Café & Bistro shares her surprising twist on Cranberry Sauce (it includes blueberries).
About this recipe
This recipe has unexpected layers of sweet, tart and savory flavors for two reasons: the addition of blueberries and almond flavor liquid. Marla quickly disabuses those of us (including the staff at Edible) who initially thought she meant the commonly available almond milk. “It could separate while cooking and it might give the sauce a funny color,” she explains. And while soaking raw almonds in water does extract some flavor, the best result will come from almond flavoring liquid. “It’s frequently used in vegetarian cooking to add extra flavor to dishes and is available at most health food stores.”
Instructions
1 (12-ounce) bag of fresh cranberries, rinsed
1 cup fresh blueberries
1 cup water
½ cup granulated sugar
¼ cup almond flavor liquid
1 tablespoon vanilla extract
2 tablespoons cinnamon
2 tablespoons nutmeg
3 tablespoons cornstarch
3 tablespoons water
Mix cranberries, blueberries, water, sugar, almond liquid, vanilla extract, cinnamon and nutmeg in small saucepan. Place over high heat and bring to a boil. Reduce to a simmer and cook 15 to 20 minutes, stirring occasionally, until the cranberries pop and a thick sauce forms. Thicken slightly with cornstarch and water mixture until desired thickness is achieved.
