Mission Fig Cranberry and Port Wine Sauce

valleyfiggrowers@alkalyne.solutionsHolidays, Recipes, Thanksgiving Recipes

Fig Cranberry Port Wine Sauce

Cranberry sauce with port wine might just be your new traditional condiment for turkey. Port wine cranberry sauce is also great with pork or chicken.

One of the most popular recipes with fresh cranberries is homemade cranberry sauce. Scented with orange and figs, this is a sauce to serve on Thanksgiving.

What would the Thanksgiving table be without cranberry sauce? Making the sauce is pretty easy, but there are a few things to consider before you get started.

More on Mission Figs

We use Sun-Maid or Orchard Choice Mission Figs with their full, earthy sweetness to team up with tart and tangy cranberries. Dried figs are a marvel when rehydrated, taking on the flavor of whatever liquid they are steeped in or simmered in—when simmering, they also soften significantly, but still keep their shape.

Simmering Liquids

Port wine is naturally sweet and often enjoyed on its own with dessert or after dinner. It is a perfect partner to Mission Figs, amplifying their flavor. But, left on their own—especially with the addition of brown sugar and sugar—would make the cranberry sauce too sweet. So, balsamic vinegar adds acidity.

Seasoning

Woody rosemary, salt, and piquant black pepper add nuance to the port wine cranberry sauce.

Last Minute Condiment

To make the sauce, you’ll simmer everything except for the cranberries for 10 minutes. Then the cranberries get added to the saucepan until some of them have popped their skins. A final seasoning and the sauce is done.

California Fig, Cranberry and Port Wine Sauce

Serve port wine cranberry sauce with balsamic vinegar and dried figs with Thanksgiving turkey. You could serve cranberry sauce with port with pork too.
Fig Cranberry Port Wine Sauce
Nutrition

Ingredients

  • 1 3/4 cups port wine
  • 1/2 cup balsamic wine vinegar
  • 2 cups Orchard Choice or Sun-Maid California Figs diced
  • 1 rosemary sprig whole
  • 1/4 cup brown sugar packed
  • 1/2 cup sugar
  • 1/8 tsp fresh ground pepper
  • 12 ounces cranberries washed, drained
  • kosher salt to taste

Instructions

  • Simmer all of the ingredients except the cranberries for ten minutes. Remove the rosemary sprig. Add the cranberries and simmer until half of them have popped their skins. Adjust the taste with salt if needed. Remove the sauce from the heat. This sauce can be served cold or hot.

Notes

Recipe courtesy of Chef Kirt Martin, Snake River Grill, Hagerman, Idaho

Photo by Annelies Zijderveld

If you make this recipe, snap a photo and tag us @valleyfig —we’d love to see what you’re cooking on Instagram and Facebook!

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