Try Cranberry Sorbet for Thanksgiving. I found this on Simplyrecipes.com and adapted it a little. You can use this as a palate-cleanser between courses, or as a light dessert. We also use this on our fruit course at breakfast–chop apples and/or pears and top with sorbet.
Two kitchen tools are essential in our kitchen–an electronic kitchen scale and a food mill. A kitchen scale is great for when recipes call for ounces or pounds of something, and once you get used to using one, it’s a faster way to measure things. A food mill is a fast way to puree and strain out skins and seeds. Otherwise, you use a blender, which can actually chop the seeds up and it gets in your puree, and then you have to use a fine-mesh strainer.
Cranberry Sorbet
Adapted from Simplyrecipes.com
Makes about 1 quart
12 ounces fresh or thawed frozen cranberries (about 3 1/2 cups), washed and drained, stems removed and discarded, bruised or spoiled cranberries discarded
1 3/4 cups granulated sugar (18 oz.)
2 cups white cranberry juice (I used cran-raspberry juice)
1/4 teaspoon salt
2 tablespoons light corn syrup
1 teaspoon chopped fresh lime or orange zest (or lime juice)
Place cranberries, sugar, cranberry juice, and salt in a saucepan and bring to a boil over high heat. Reduce heat to low, cover and simmer for 15 minutes, until all of the berries have popped and the sugar has dissolved.
Cool for 10 minutes. Working in batches, purée in a blender until smooth. Press through a fine mesh strainer to remove seeds and pulp; discard seeds and pulp. (I just run it through a food mill.) Stir in corn syrup and zest. Cover and refrigerate until completely chilled, several hours or preferably overnight.
Process in your ice cream maker according to the manufacturer’s instructions. Right out of the ice cream maker the sorbet will be rather soft. If you would like it firmer, transfer the sorbet to an airtight container and put in your freezer for a couple of hours. Once frozen, you may need to let it sit for a few minutes at room temperature before serving.
For variations, try adding a tablespoon of chopped fresh ginger to the cranberries, or a tablespoon or two of orange zest.
