When I was growing up, cranberry sauce was one my favorite things to help make for Thanksgiving.  I loved adding extra ginger and citrus--both the zest and the juice--and letting the tangy scent of cranberries and sugar perfume the kitchen as we cooked for the big feast.

Even now, I often whip up a batch of this cranberry sauce to have on hand during the winter months; it is great on pancakes or as a thick jam on toast and pairs well with cheeses like sharp cheddar or manchego. 

I don't like a lot of sugar in my cranberry sauce, so I usually start with 1/4 cup of sugar and taste test my way to the perfect balance between tart and sweet which can vary from batch to batch depending on how sweet the citrus is.  I use three kinds of ginger (candied, fresh, and powdered)--a trick I learned from my mom--to lend depth to the heat of this root.  I use the zest of the lemon and orange so it is important to use only organic fruits.  If you want a thicker sauce, let it simmer on the stove longer.

Ingredients:

12 oz (one bag) of organic cranberries

1 cup water

1/4 to 1/2 cup sugar

1 organic lemon, juiced and zested

1 organic orange or grapefruit

1 tbsp candied ginger, minced

1-inch fresh ginger, grated

Pinch of cinnamon

Pinch of clove

Place cranberries and water in a saucepan and let simmer on medium heat until the berries begin to soften about 10-15 minutes.  Then add sugar, three gingers, cinnamon, and clove.  Stir until sugar has dissolved and reduce heat to medium-low heat. Add zest of citrus and juice of lemon.  Cut the pith from the zested orange or grapefruit and slice the citrus segments.  Squeeze any remaining citrus juice into the sauce along with the segments.  Stir and let sauce simmer on low for 5-15 minutes.  Cool completely before storing in fridge for up to 5 days or in the freezer for several months (I store the sauce using ice cube trays so I can defrost the exact amount I was for a particular dish).  Makes about 2 cups.  Enjoy!