Cranberry Sauce for Sophisticates

ingredients

• 1 cup port (or red wine or Madeira)

• 1 cup sugar

• 1 tablespoon juniper berries

• 10 black peppercorns

• 1 12-ounce bag fresh cranberries (about 4 cups — frozen can be substituted)

directions

1. Put the port, sugar, juniper berries, and peppercorns into a heavy saucepan and bring to a boil over medium-high heat.

2. Add the cranberries and return to a boil. Reduce the heat to low and simmer until the cranberries burst and are very soft, about 10 minutes more.

3. Strain the sauce into a bowl through a fine-mesh sieve, pushing the solids through the screen with a rubber spatula. Stir the thin and thick portions of the strained gelée together.

4. Transfer to a pretty serving bowl. (A funnel or liquid measuring cup with a spout can be useful for transferring without splashing the sides.)

5. Cover and refrigerate. It will firm up within a few hours, or can be made several days ahead.