Lacto-Fermented Cranberry Chutney: a holiday classic that's good for your gut

Barbara Lehr shares her wisdom about all things fermented every Friday from noon til' two with her Fermentation Friday demonstrations in the Hub Kitchen. Just in time for the holidays, this week she sampled a lacto-fermented cranberry relish with flavor dimensions that are out of this world! While it's culinary value is unsurpassed, you'll also appreciate the health benefits (lacto-fermented foods can aid digestion, for instance, making this a perfect accompaniment for a holiday feast). This recipe is quick to whip up (with or without a food processor) and only needs two days to ferment. Click here for the recipe.

Baked Sweet Potatoes with Poached Cranberries

With Thanksgiving just around the corner, we offer this healthy update to a classic holiday sweet potato dish. Sweetened cranberries take the place of the gooey marshmallow preparation. The colors are festive and bright, and the flavors are made for each other. 

Adapted rom Super Foods by Dolores Riccio

One 10-12 ounce package fresh cranberries

1 cup sugar

1 cup water

1 cinnamon stick

2 large sweet potatoes (about 2 pounds)

1 tablespoon cider vinegar

salt to taste

Preheat oven to 375 F. Wash potatoes and stab them in a few spots with a paring knife. Bake them for 30-45 minutes, or until beginning to soften, but still firm enough to slice.

While the potatoes are baking, wash and pick over the cranberries.  Combine the sugar, water, and cinnamon stick in a deep saucepan and bring the mixture to a boil; cook for 3 minutes. Add the cranberries, and cook uncovered at a low boil, stirring often, for about 5 minutes, or until the berries have popped open, but retain their shape. Remove the cinnamon stick and set the poached berries aside to cool slightly (the sauce will thicken). The cranberries can be prepared ahead; if chilled, bring them to room temp. before proceeding.

Once the potatoes are done, remove from the oven and allow to cool slightly. Cut the potatoes into thick, even slices, 4-5 per potato. Remove the peels, which will come off easily at this point. Place them into a serving dish, sprinkle with salt and ladle some of the cranberries on top. Leftover cranberries keep for weeks in the fridge and may also be frozen.

--Kayte

Cranberry Orange Chicken - Crock Pot

OUT OF THIS WORLD! Tender and delicious! Flavor Galore! This is one of my favorite dishes. I have found that bone-in chicken gives more flavor. I use the following method for fall-off-the-bone chicken. After placing the lid on crock pot place a large double folded kitchen towel over top of lid letting it fall over sides of crock pot. This allows no steam to escape. The sauce in this dish makes good ‘gravy’ over cooked rice. Makes a pretty dish to serve guests.                                      –Seasoned Cook at Food.com

3 chicken breasts (bone-in)
1 1/2 teaspoons salt
1 onion, chopped
1 celery rib, chopped
1 (15 ounce)can cranberry sauce
3 ounces orange juice
1 teaspoon dry mustard
1/2 teaspoon cinnamon
2 teaspoons lemon juice
2 tablespoons honey
2 tablespoons brown sugar
3 tablespoons chili sauce or 3 tablespoons barbecue sauce
1 orange, sliced
1 tablespoon cornstarch
3 tablespoons cold water

Rub salt onto chicken breasts and place in bottom of crock pot.
In a medium bowl place onion, celery, cranberry sauce, orange juice, dry mustard, cinnamon, lemon juice, honey, brown sugar and chili sauce. Stir and pour over chicken breasts.
Place lid on crock pot and top with kitchen towel using instructions in description above. (My crock pot is only 3 months old and I still do this.) Turn crock pot on high and allow to cook 1 hour. Turn on low for 3 or 4 hours.
Lift lid and quickly place orange slices over chicken without stirring. Cook an additional hour.
Combine cornstarch and cold water. Add last 10 minutes of cooking time for thickening purposes.
Serve over cooked rice and enjoy!

Spiced Cranberry (overnight) Oatmeal

From Rachel Rappaport of Coconut & Lime

Thoughts from the author: Is there anything easier to make for breakfast than overnight oatmeal? It is super creamy and requires no effort in the morning - perfect for workday mornings, holidays, brunch, etc. I added more sugar than I normally would to oatmeal because cranberries are quite tart but the cereal wasn't sugary, just pleasantly spicy and cranberry filled. 

Ingredients:
4 1/2 cups water
3 cups old fashioned rolled oats
2 cups (fresh) cranberries
3/4 cup light brown sugar
1 teaspoon cinnamon
1 teaspoon ground ginger
1/4 teaspoon nutmeg
1/4 teaspoon allspice
pinch of salt

Directions:
Place all ingredients in the slow cooker. Cook on LOW overnight (6-8 hours) Stir and serve (very nice with a bit of milk on top).

Yield: about 6 servings

Fermented Cranberry Chutney

This is delicious at the holidays in lieu of traditional cranberry sauce. It is also tasty over yogurt.

 adapted from a recipe at oh lardy 

Ingredients

3 cups fresh cranberries (1 bag)

1/2 cup pecans (optional)

1/2 cup honey

1 tsp sea salt

1/2 cup of whey 

1/2 cup apple juice (original recipe called for apple cider)

1 tsp cinnamon

1/2 tsp ground clove (optional)

Juice from 1 orange and 1 lemon

1/2 cup raisins

Instructions

Mix all ingredients (except raisins) together.

Put into a food processor or vitamix and lightly pulse until the desired consistency. I make mine medium chunky.

Stir in raisins.

Add mixture to a 1 quart mason jar.

Add filtered water if need to leave about 1 inch headroom.

Tighten lid and leave at room temperature for 48 hours to ferment.

Refrigerate and use within 2 months.

Waldorf Turkey Salad

(part of the  LEFTOVERS from my Thanksgiving Dinner for 12 for under $50)

The leftover apple/celery/grape/nut salad plus enough sliced celery to make 5 cups

3 cups leftover turkey, in large dice

1 cup cranberry sauce

Combine the leftover salad, the celery and the turkey. Add the cranberry sauce and mix it well. Add some more mayo if it needs it. Sprinkle each serving with some more chopped walnuts. If you have some lettuce, you could put each serving on a lettuce leaf.

Cranberry Sauce

(Part of my Thanksgiving Dinner for 12 for under $50)

I just used the recipe from the bag, except I used Splenda instead of sugar (I assume you’ll use sugar), and I added a stick of cinnamon. So for a 12 ounce bag of cranberries, I put a cup each of water and Splenda in a saucepan, then added the cranberries and a stick of cinnamon. (You could use ground cinnamon if that’s what you have.) I brought it to a boil, then reduced it to a simmer and cooked it for about 5 minutes or so, or until the cranberries had mostly popped. I let it cool, then stuck it in the fridge, where it remains to this day, since I forgot to get it out for Thanksgiving dinner.