Thanksgiving Favorite: Apple-Orange Cranberry Sauce

I discovered this Williams-Sonoma's Apple-Orange Cranberry Sauce about five years ago when I was living in Los Angeles and making Thanksgiving dinner for the first time.  It's so delicious - it's freshing because of the tartness, yet warming because of the spices.  This year, I'm making a double batch and considering making a third.  Even those who say they don't like cranberry sauce, gobble it up. 

Photo via Williams-Sonoma

Ingredients:
1/2 orange
2 cups water
1 tart apple, such as Granny Smith, pippin or McIntosh
3 cups fresh cranberries
1 1/4 cups sugar
1/2 tsp. ground cinnamon
1/4 tsp. ground cloves


Directions:

Cut the orange in half and squeeze the juice from the orange into a bowl and set aside.  Cut the rind off the membrane and make a small dice. In a small saucepan over high heat, combine the rind and two cups of water and bring to a boil. Cook for 10 minutes, then drain and set rind aside.

Peel, core and quarter the apple. Cut into 1/2-inch dice and place in a saucepan. Sort the cranberries, discarding any soft ones. Add to the apples along with the orange juice, orange rind (as much or little as you think you'll like), sugar, cinnamon and cloves. Bring to a boil over high heat, reduce the heat to low and cover the pan partially. Simmer gently, stirring occasionally, until the sauce thickens, the apple is tender and the cranberries have burst, 10 to 15 minutes.

Transfer the cranberry sauce to a heatproof bowl and let cool for 1 hour before serving. Or cover and refrigerate; bring to room temperature before serving. Transfer the cranberry sauce to a sauceboat and pass at the table.

Makes 3 1/2 to 4 cups.

Adapted from Williams-Sonoma Kitchen Library Series, Thanksgiving & Christmas, by Chuck Williams (Time-Life Books, 1993).