Gochugaru Girl has the perfect accompaniment to the foods of Christmas.
The problem is what to call it.
This easy and versatile recipe was anything but easy when it came to naming it. I had to turn to my Chambers dictionary for the definitions to the following words which I wanted to use:
Compote fruit stewed in sugar or syrup
Relish an appetizer, condiment
Jam a conserve of fruit boiled with sugar
In truth, all these words describe an aspect of the cranberry and orange accompaniment.
So I have decided to make up a new noun and call it a cram, which is what you get if you squash these words together.
As a verb, cram really describes the state of the cranberries and oranges as it cooks in the pot: to press closely together.
It also describes what eating at Christmas is all about: to fill to superfluity; to overfeed; to feed with a view to fattening.
The Cranberry and Orange Cram can be used to accompany any of the following: cold ham, hot turkey, Holiday Fir Tree Cake, sausages, sausage pie, pork pies, vanilla ice cream, breakfast brioche, croissants…
The recipe below yields enough to fill 5 small jars. It doesn’t contain too much sugar, so please add more if you prefer a sweeter cram.
For the Cram:
900 g fresh cranberries, rinsed
300 g caster sugar
Grated zest of 3-4 oranges
200 ml freshly-squeezed orange juice
How to Make:
Place the cranberries, sugar, orange zest and juice into a large pot.
Simmer for 10-15 minutes, stirring with a wooden spoon occasionally to break up the cranberries.
Cool and then store in the fridge for up to two weeks or freeze for as long as you like.
