Cranberry Meyer Lemon Relish Food

NUTTY CRANBERRY RELISH

Steps:

• Put the cranberries in a medium saucepan and transfer 1/2 cup of the cranberries to a small bowl.
• Add 1 cup sugar, the strip of orange or lemon zest and 2 tablespoons water to the saucepan and cook over low heat, stirring occasionally, until the sugar dissolves and the cranberries are soft, about 10 minutes.
• Increase the heat to medium and cook until the cranberries burst, about 12 minutes.
• Reduce the heat to low and stir in the reserved 1/2 cup cranberries. Season with salt and pepper. Taste and add more sugar, if desired.
• Quarter the unpeeled orange and apple; remove and discard the seeds. Roughly chop the fruit with 1/2 cup sugar in a food processor.
• Fold the orange and apple mixture into cranberry sauce along with the chopped toasted pecans. Let cool to room temperature before serving.

CRANBERRY-LEMON TART

Steps:

• Make the crust: Whisk the flour, confectioners' sugar and salt in a medium bowl. Work in the butter with your fingers until a soft dough forms. Firmly press the dough into the bottom and up the sides of a 9-inch tart pan with a removable bottom. Prick the crust in a few spots with a fork. Refrigerate or freeze until firm, 10 to 30 minutes.
• Preheat the oven to 350˚ F. Line the dough with parchment or foil and fill with pie weights or dried beans. Bake until the edges are set, about 20 minutes. Remove the parchment and weights and continue to bake until the crust is dry and lightly browned, 10 to 15 more minutes. Transfer to a rack to cool completely.
• Make the filling: Combine 3 cups cranberries, 1 1/2 cups granulated sugar and 1/4 cup water in a blender. Remove 5 wide strips of zest from the lemon using a vegetable peeler; set the strips aside. Fully peel the lemon, removing any white pith. Add the peeled lemon and 2 strips of zest to the blender and blend until smooth (reserve the remaining 3 strips of zest for topping). Strain through a fine-mesh sieve into a medium saucepan, pressing on the seeds and skins with a rubber spatula. Bring to a simmer over medium heat, stirring occasionally.
• Meanwhile, whisk the whole eggs, egg yolk, cornstarch and vanilla in a medium bowl. Whisk in about 1/2 cup of the hot cranberry mixture, then pour into the saucepan with the remaining cranberry mixture, whisking. Continue to cook, stirring constantly with a rubber spatula, until the filling boils and is thick like pudding, 10 to 15 minutes. Pour into the crust, cover with plastic wrap or an inverted plate and refrigerate until set, at least 4 hours or overnight.
• Make the toppings: Bring 1/2 cup each water and granulated sugar to a boil in a small saucepan. Add the remaining 1/2 cup cranberries and 3 strips of lemon zest, then remove from the heat and let cool. Strain through a fine-mesh sieve. Thinly slice the zest. Put the remaining 1/4 cup granulated sugar in a shallow dish, add the cranberries and zest and gently toss to coat. Let set, 30 minutes to 1 hour, shaking occasionally to re-coat.
• Beat the heavy cream and confectioners' sugar in a large bowl with a mixer on medium-high speed until medium peaks form. Top the tart with the sugared cranberries and lemon zest. Serve with the whipped cream.

MEYER-LEMON RELISH

Steps:

• Cut lemons lengthwise into eighths; remove seeds. Thinly slice crosswise into pieces (you should have about 1 1/2 cups).
• Heat oil in a large skillet over medium-high until shimmering. Add fennel, onion, fennel seeds, and a large pinch of salt. Reduce heat to medium; cook, stirring occasionally, until mixture is softened and just beginning to turn golden, 10 to 12 minutes. Add lemons, honey, and 1/3 cup water. Increase heat to high and bring to a boil; cook until reduced to a jammy consistency and liquid is almost completely evaporated, 4 to 5 minutes more. Transfer to a bowl; let cool completely. Refrigerate in an airtight container up to 5 days.

MEYER LEMON-CRANBERRY BUNDT CAKE

Steps:

• Prepare the cake: Butter and flour a 10-cup fluted Bundt pan.
• Heat the cranberries in a pot until they start to release their juices. Add 3/4 cup granulated sugar, and cook over medium heat until until juicy and the mixture reduces to 1 1/4 cups, about 15 minutes. Let cool completely.
• Position a rack in the middle of the oven and preheat to 350 degrees F.
• Whisk the milk, whole eggs and yolks, and vanilla in a medium bowl; set aside.
• Whisk the 3 cups flour, the remaining 1 3/4 cups sugar, the lemon zest, baking powder and salt in a large bowl. Add the 3 1/4 sticks butter and beat with a mixer on low speed until moistened. Add half of the milk mixture, increase the speed to medium and beat 1 minute. Add the remaining milk mixture in two batches, beating between each addition. Scrape down the sides of the bowl and beat again, about 30 seconds.
• Transfer 2/3 of the batter to the pan. Spoon the cranberry mixture in a ring around the middle of the batter (do not let it touch the pan). Top with the remaining batter and smooth evenly. Bake until a toothpick inserted into the center of the cake comes out clean, 55 to 60 minutes.
• Meanwhile, make the syrup: Dissolve the 1/4 cup granulated sugar in 1/2 cup lemon juice in a saucepan over low heat. Remove the cake from the oven, poke the surface all over with a skewer and pour the syrup on top. Let cool in the pan for 10 minutes. Carefully invert the cake onto a parchment-lined rack to cool completely. Wrap tightly in plastic wrap and let sit overnight.
• When ready to serve, whisk the confectioners' sugar and the remaining 2 tablespoons lemon juice until smooth. Spoon over the cake.

LEMONY CRANBERRY RELISH

Steps:

• Rinse and drain the cranberries, then pick out and discard any squishy ones. In a food processor, pulse the cranberries, lemon, sugar and salt until finely chopped. You can serve this immediately or transfer to an airtight container and refrigerate for up to 48 hours, or until ready to serve. As it sits, the sugar will dissolve and the fruit will release liquid, creating a sweet-tart sauciness.

MEYER LEMON CRANBERRY SCONES

Steps:

• Preheat oven to 400°F. and line a large baking sheet with parchment paper.
• With a vegetable peeler remove the zest from lemons and chop fine, reserving lemons for another use.
• In a food processor pulse flour, 1/2 cup sugar, baking powder, salt, butter and zest until mixture resembles coarse meal and transfer to a large bowl.
• In a small bowl toss together fresh cranberries and 3 tablespoons sugar and stir into flour mixture. If using dried fruit, add to flour mixture.
• In another small bowl lightly beat egg and yolk and stir in cream. Add egg mixture to flour mixture and stir until just combined.
• On a well-floured surface with floured hands pat dough into a 1-inch-thick round (about 8 inches in diameter) and with a 2-inch round cutter or rim of a glass dipped in flour cut out as many rounds as possible, rerolling scraps as necessary. Arrange rounds about 1 inch apart on baking sheet and bake in middle of oven 15 to 20 minutes, or until pale golden.
• Serve scones warm with crème fraîche or whipped cream. Scones keep, individually wrapped in plastic wrap and foil, chilled, 1 day or frozen 1 week.

LEMON CRANBERRY SAUCE

Steps:

• In a large saucepan, combine the cranberries, sugar, water, Triple Sec and lemon juice. Cook over medium heat until berries pop, about 15 minutes., Remove from the heat; stir in lemon zest. Transfer to a small bowl. Chill until serving.

MEYER LEMON-CRANBERRY BUNDT CAKE

Steps:

• Prepare the cake: Position a rack in the middle of the oven and preheat to 350°. Butter and flour a 10-cup flute Bundt pan.
• Cook the cranberries with 3/4 cup granulated sugar in a pot over medium-high heat until juicy and the mixture reduces to 1 1/4 cups, about 15 minutes. Let cool.
• Whisk the milk, whole eggs and yolks, and vanilla in a medium bowl; set aside.
• Whisk the 3 cups flour, the remaining 1 3/4 cups granulated sugar, the lemon zest, baking powder and salt in a large bowl. Add the 3 1/4 sticks butter and beat with a mixer on low speed until moistened. Add half of the milk mixture, increase the speed to medium and beat 1 minute. Add the remaining milk mixture in two batches, beating between each addition. Scrape down the sides of the bowl and beat again, about 30 seconds.
• Transfer 2/3 of the batter to the pan. Spoon the cranberry mixture in a ring around the middle of the batter (do not let it touch the pan). Top with the remaining cake batter and smooth evenly. Bake until a toothpick inserted into the center of the pan comes out clean, 55 to 60 minutes.
• Meanwhile, make the syrup: Dissolve the 1/4 cup granulate sugar in 1/2 cup lemon juice in a saucepan over low heat. Remove the cake from the oven, poke the serface all over with a skewer and pour the syrup on top. Let cool in the pan for 10 minutes. Carefully invert the cake onto a parchment-lined rack to cool completely. Wrap tightly in plastic wrap and let sit overnight.
• When ready to serve, whisk the confectioners' sugar and the remaining 2 tablespoons lemon juice unil smooth. Spoon over the cake.