Cranberries: Crimson Gems

The cranberry (Vaccinium spp.) is the fruit of three or four subspecies of evergreen shrubs, cultivated in bogs throughout the Northern Hemisphere. Harvest occurs in the autumn, primarily September and October, when the berry turns its characteristic deep-crimson color. Approximately 95% of the domestic cranberry crop is processed into juice, sauce and dried fruit (either sweetened or unsweetened—mostly the former), and the other 5% is packaged and sold fresh. Fresh cranberries have a long shelf life if stored in moderate to cool temperatures, approximately four months or longer, with proper ventilation.

Availability used to be an issue during off-harvest seasons. This has been greatly improved with advances in production and storage methods. Fresh cranberries still might be hard to locate in certain markets, but frozen is readily available in most areas. Fresh cranberries can be easily frozen and kept for up to nine months and do not need to be brought to room temperature before use.

Dried cranberries, which should be stored in a cool, dry place, come in several formats: whole, sliced, diced and chopped. They can be reconstituted (soaked) or used as-is for a variety of applications.

The cranberry appears in applications that range from center of the plate to baking, sides, sauces, compotes, frozen desserts and beverages. They add gem-like color and a distinct, sweet-tart flavor that complements savory and sweet spices, herbs and flavorings. Traditionally used with poultry, cranberries also meld well with pork, lamb and fish dishes. Baking applications abound, with the fruit found in cakes, pies, scones, muffins and breads.

Cranberries are visually appealing and tasty, and have a healthy appeal. As interest in cranberries continues to rise, product developers need only a little creativity to find applications that play up their advantages, such as a chutney where the sweet-tart character is ideal.

Cranberry-Fig Chutney

Formula:

Ingredients                                              % by Weight

Cranberries, fresh                                        29.78

Sugar                                                          19.85

Water                                                          19.23

Onion, chopped                                           12.41

Figs, Calimyrna, dried, sliced                           9.93

Cinnamon                                                        0.62

Salt                                                                  0.62

Cayenne pepper                                               0.62

Walnuts, toasted, chopped                                5.71

Ginger, fresh, minced                                        0.62

Lemon rind, minced                                          0.61

Total:                                                            100.00%

Procedure: Combine all ingredients except the nuts, ginger and lemon rind over medium-high heat. Bring to a boil and let thicken, about 10 to 15 minutes. Remove from heat and add the nuts, ginger and lemon rind. Serve with poultry, lamb, pork or a firm-fleshed fish.