Welcome LOLA !

I have a special guest today!

Just in time for Thanksgiving, a super fun and surprising recipe by my friend Dolores.  She brings us a vibrant cranberry sauce with a subtle kick, a traditional non traditional and festive sauce that every Thanksgiving table needs. A little perk me up when things can go bland, and when you don’t want that plastic bottle of Sriracha in the middle of the table among the floral arrangements and goards.

I’ve known Dolores for a really long time, we both grew up in Chino, California and have now both long moved from this suburban town.

For the past couple of years Dolores has been traveling through Oaxaca learning the regional cuisine and after some studying in Mexico for her masters thesis, she spent her off time taking cooking classes and getting more in depth with her rich Mexican heritage and her family’s cooking. Easy to say, she has one of those stories that involves a life long passion for cuisine, traditional flavors, cooking which she has now converted into a website Lola’s Cocina.

I am super proud of her and want to give space for her here on my blog, she is absolutely one of the nicest individual who you could ever meet. Not to mention she is also beautiful, and super down to earth.  Go visit her colorful cooking site Lola’s Cocina. 

Please visit Lola’s Cocina and try her other recipes! Thanks Dolores for the pictures and your enthusiasm. Congrats!

Cranberry Sauce with Japones Chile | Salsa de Arándano con Chile Japonés

Ingredients:
1 ½ cup water
1 cup sugar
4 cups fresh cranberries
10-15 dry japones chile peppers
½ lemon juiced
¼ teaspoon salt

Preparation:

1. Bring water and sugar to a boil over medium-high heat. Allow sugar to dissolve.
2. Reduce heat to medium-low and add cranberries, dry chiles, lemon juice, and salt.
3. Continue to cook until cranberries are soft and most of the water is absorbed (approximately 30 to 45 minutes). Stir occasionally to avoid burning. Once soft, remove from heat and cool.
4. Once cool, add mixture to blender and blend until smooth on medium-high setting.
5. Pour mixture back into pot and simmer over low-medium heat for 30 minutes or until slightly reduced and darker in color.
6. Pour into mason jars and allow to cool in refrigerator overnight before serving.

Authors Note: Dry japones chile peppers can be found in the Hispanic section of most supermarkets. They may also be substituted with dry chile de árbol. I used 10 chiles for this recipe and the spiciness was very subtle once the sauce cooled.