Martha Stewart Living (November 2010)
Let's make a list of the first 10 things that come to mind when we say "Thanksgiving desserts":
-- pie
-- cake
-- bread pudding
-- cobbler
-- crumble
-- tart
-- mousse
-- pudding
-- streussel
-- galette
Did anybody say sorbet? Nah, we didn't think so. Sorbet just isn't something you really associate with the Thanksgiving table.
Well, we're here to tell you: It's high time you started.
We paused when we first spied this Cranberry-Port Sorbet in Martha Stewart Living.
"Hunh," we thought. "A sorbet. That's...different."
But the more we thought about it, the more we got on board. Sorbet is really a perfect thing to serve at Thanksgiving. Its bold flavors and bracing chill make it an ideal palate cleanser between all those dense, rich side dishes and those even denser, richer desserts.
Now, if you only served a sorbet for Thanksgiving dessert, you might have some disgruntled diners on your hands. But as an accompaniment to another dessert or two, we think this is stellar.
And this Cranberry-Port Sorbet is a definite crowd-pleaser. The berries make it a great fit with the rest of the meal (the ingredients are very similar to a basic cranberry sauce), but the port gives it a wonderfully deep, dark undertone.
When we had guests over, we served this as a stand-alone course between the main course and the other desserts, giving each diner just a few spoonfuls. They raved! It was the perfect little taste of sweet/tart flavors to break up the meal.
So it may be non-traditional, but sorbet has definitely shot to the top of our list of desserts to consider for Thanksgiving dinner!
>> More Thanksgiving recommendations from the Bitten Word
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Cranberry-Port Sorbet
Martha Stewart Living (November 2010)
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Active time: 10 minutes. Total time: 4 hours
Makes 3 cups. Serves 12
INGREDIENTS
12 ounces fresh or frozen cranberries (3 1/2 cups)
3 cups water
1 1/2 cups sugar
1 cup ruby port
3 strips lemon zest (each about 3 inches long), plus 1 tablespoon fresh lemon juice
DIRECTIONS
Bring all ingredients to boil in a medium saucepan. Reduce heat to medium-low. Simmer, stirring occasionally, until cranberries are tender, about 20 minutes. Let cool for 15 minutes. Remove zest.
Working in 2 batches, puree cranberry mixture in a blender until smooth. Strain through a fine sieve into a bowl, pressing to extract juice; discard solids. Refrigerate until chilled, about 2 hours. (You can also set the bowl in an ice-water bath to chill more quickly.)
Freeze mixture in an ice cream maker according to manufacturer's instructions. Transfer to an airtight container. Freeze for at least 1 hour before serving.
