LET’S COOK LITHUANIAN
with Dana Siliūnas
Cranberries have always been popular in Lithuania in autumn. The shinny little red berries are not only attractive, they are suited for many delicious recipes. If frozen, they can be kept up to one year.
CRANBERRY SALAD
Spanguolių mišrainė
1 pkg. fresh cranberries
4 sticks celery
2 oranges
2 apples
1 cup sugar
2 pkgs. cherry jello
Grind apples, celery, cranberries in blender. Drain well. Dissolve cherry jello in 1 cup boiling water. Dissolve sugar in jello. Chop oranges, measure juice. Add only 1 cup juice to jello. Combine fruits with gelatin. Makes 9x13x2 inch mold or can be divided into smaller decorative molds. Refrigerate overnight.
PEAR & CRANBERRY BREAD PUDDING
Kriaušių, spanguolių ir duonos pudingas
8 cups day-old bread, cubed
8 cups pears, canned or fresh
poached, cubed
1 1/2 cups sugar
4 ounces dried cranberries
8 whole large eggs
12 large egg yolks
1/2 cup rum, optional
2 Tbsps. vanilla
2 cups half-and-half
1 tsp. cinnamon
1/2 tsp. ginger
1/2 tsp. nutmeg
Caramel sauce:
1/4 cup sugar
10 ounces heavy cream
1 1/2 ounces unsalted butter
For the bread pudding, place bread, pears, and cranberries together in a bowl and toss. Heat half-and-half, sugar and spices until sugar has dissolved. Place whole eggs, yolks and vanilla in a separate bowl. Temper egg mixture. Mix and pour over bread. Allow to soak at least 30 minutes. Pour into molds or loaf pans. Bake in a 350° oven for 20 to 30 minutes for an individual mold or 40 to 50 minutes for loaf pans. Serves 10 to 14. For the sauce, place sugar in small sauce pan. Cover with just enough water to wet sugar. Cook until sugar be comes amber colored. Remove from heat. Whisk in butter. Whisk in cream. Add slowly as cream can splatter. Permit to cool and strain. Drizzle on bread pudding.
UPSIDE-DOWN CRANBERRY CAKE
Apverstas spanguolių pyragas
Topping:
1 stick (1/2 cup) unsalted butter
1 1/2 cups sugar
2 Tbsps. water
1 tsp. cinnamon
4 cups fresh cranberries, rinsed
Cake:
1/2 cups flour
1/2 tsp. each: baking soda, salt
6 Tbsps. unsalted butter, softened
1/2 cup each: granulated sugar, packed
light brown sugar
2 large eggs
3A cup sour cream
1 tsp. vanilla extract
Heat oven to 350°. Generously grease 9-inch spring form pan; wrap outside with foil. Set aside on a baking sheet. For topping: Melt butter in medium saucepan. Add sugar, water and cinnamon. Cook, stirring until sugar dissolves, about 3 minutes. Stir in cranberries. Pour into pan and spread evenly. Set aside. For cake: Sift flower, baking soda and salt in small bowl. Set aside. Beat butter and sugars with mixer on medium speed until smooth and fluffy, about 1 minute. Add eggs, one at a time, mixing well after each addition. Reduce to low speed, add half of the flour mixture. Mix until combined. Add sour cream and vanilla. Mix until combined. Add remaining flour mixture. Mix until smooth. Trans fer batter to pan. Spread evenly. Bake until golden brown, edges are just beginning to pull away from sides and toothpick comes out clean, about 45 to 50 minutes. Cool on rack for 10 minutes. Run knife around edge to loos en cake. Invert onto plate. Remove foil, ring and pan bottom. Replace any cranberries that have fallen out. Can be made up to 2 days ahead and kept at room temperature, covered airtight.
CRANBERRY-FRUIT RELISH
Spanguolių-vaisių skanėstas
2 cups fresh cranberries
1 medium apple, peeled and chopped
1/4 cup raisins
1/4 – 1/2 cup orange juice
1 Tbsp. sugar
8 oz. can crushed pineapple in own
juice, undrained
1 medium orange, cut into sections,or a small can of Mandarin oranges
In medium saucepan combine cranberries, apple, raisins, orange juice and sugar. Bring to a boil. Cover and simmer 20 minutes until cranberries pop. Remove from heat. Stir in crushed pine apple and orange sections. Chill. (Can be made ahead. Cover and refrigerate up to 48 hours.) Makes 4 cups.
CRANBERRY DESSERT
Spanguolių kisielius
2 cups fresh cranberries
5 cups water
1 cup water
2 Tbsps. potato starch
Wash cranberries and boil in water (for about 7 minutes). Strain boiled cranberries through sieve. Add sugar to juice. Dissolve starch in 2 tsp s. of water and pour into cranberry juice while mixing. Boil another 3 minutes. Pour into individual bowls. Let cool before serving.