experiencelifemag.com

Print › | Back ›

Cranberries

Refreshing, tangy and tart, fresh cranberries add nutrients and zip to any meal.

Food Basics
Nutritional Know-How
Eat Up!
Kitchen Tricks

This year, consider forgoing canned cranberry sauce in favor of the real thing. You’ll give your body a powerful dose of nutrients and discover a flexible new culinary delight.

Food Basics
Native to North America, cranberries grow in northern swampy areas from New England to the Midwest. Deep red with a spicy aroma, fresh cranberries are available in season from October to December, but can be purchased frozen year-round (frozen berries are a great choice because they’re frozen immediately after harvest, which preserves most of the healthful nutrients). Avoid canned berries because they generally contain too much sugar and have poor texture. When buying fresh berries, check the box or bag for dampness or stains, indications that the fruit may be decaying. All berries should be plump, dry, firm, well-shaped and of uniform color. One 12-ounce bag of cranberries equals 3 cups.  

Nutritional Know-How
Numerous studies have shown that cranberries help prevent urinary tract infections. That’s because cranberries — which contain hippuric acid (an antibacterial agent) and proanthocyanidins (powerful free-radical scavengers and antioxidants that give the berries their red color) — inhibit E. coli from adhering to the walls of the urinary tract. These berries are one of our best sources of antioxidants; they can help prevent cancer, tooth decay, kidney stones and macular degeneration. In addition, they improve gastrointestinal health, as well as blood-vessel function. On top of all that, they’re rich in vitamin C.

Eat Up!
Cranberries are delicious added to breakfast cereals, granola, biscuits, scones, fruit strudels and many desserts. They’re also great in savory dishes.

• Before adding cranberries to a dish, coarsely chop them — fresh or frozen — with a knife or by pulsing them in a food processor. These small bites of cranberry are less tart than the whole berry, which reduces the need for added sugar.
• To make fresh cranberry sauce, cover 1 pound of berries with water in a saucepan. Add 1⁄4 teaspoon baking soda
• to help neutralize the acid and to reduce the amount of sweetener needed to balance tartness. Add 1⁄4 cup of honey or maple syrup to taste, or sweeten with your choice of fruit juice. You might also try adding orange or lemon zest, diced orange, pineapple, apple, or pear. Cook over low-to-medium heat until softened.
• Add diced or puréed cranberries to your favorite salsa recipe to create a zippy topping for grilled seafood or
• poultry entrées.
• Toss sliced raw cranberries in salad greens along with extra-virgin olive oil. There’s no need for vinegar or lemon, since the cranberries will balance out the flavors with a burst of tartness and crunchy texture.

Kitchen Tricks

• After purchasing fresh cranberries, discard any that are shriveled or discolored.
• Because of their high acidity and antimicrobial properties, cranberries store well — about a month in the refrigerator and up to a year when frozen.
• To freeze fresh berries, lay them flat on baking sheet, place in freezer for two to three hours, then store in freezer bags. This ensures that the berries freeze thoroughly and quickly without sticking together.
• Reconstitute dried cranberries by soaking them in hot water for 15 to 20 minutes.

Chef Cary Neff is the president of the consulting firm Culinary Innovations and the author of the New York Times bestseller
Conscious Cuisine (Sourcebooks, 2002).

For details on how to prepare Cranberry Sausage Stuffing, Cran-Berry Splash and Cranberry Orange Relish, check out the Web Extras! at the top right of this page.