Two-Buck Chuck Cranberries

Most of you already know that I'm a wine snob, but you probably didn't suspect that I'm a cranberry sauce snob too. I'm one of those people who wants turkey and dressing to eat with the sauce, but I wouldn't touch that congealed mass that comes in a can, even with your fork.

For the uninitiated, Two-Buck Chuck, aka Charles Shaw wine, is an "extreme value" wine marketed by Trader Joe's, and it sells (sold?) for, you guessed it, $1.99 per bottle. (Until January 2013, when it became Two-Fifty Chuck, at least here in California.) You can find worse wine, and it has developed a certain cachet, more for cheek than taste. But it's still not the drink you'd want to be sipping when you propose to your beloved or toast the end of your probation.  That being said, I use it unabashedly for cooking. While you wouldn't want to use a 'bad' wine for cooking, neither would you want to use a 2005 Chateauneuf-du-Pape. I always suggest you use an inexpensive wine that you wouldn't mind drinking in a pinch. Say it's 2:00 am, your boyfriend just told you he's gay, and the liquor store is closed; then Two-Buck Chuck fits the bill impressively.

This cranberry sauce is quick, easy, and if you make it once, you'll never buy canned again. I first made it in a 'Forks and Corks' cooking class (taught by the incredible Martha Vining) at the John C. Campbell Folk School, and it's so good you'll eat it with a spoon. You'll want to make a double batch of it, one to serve with the turkey and stuffing and another to serve over the delicious paneer you're going to make, from the recipe, (also from the Forks and Corks class), I've included as a little holiday lagniappe. (Yes, you can make cheese. It's a showstopper appetizer and tastes even better than it looks.)

I use Two-Buck Chuck Cabernet Sauvignon, but if you can't get it where you live any decent inexpensive Cab would work well, as would a Zinfandel or even a Syrah. Just make sure it's something you won't mind pouring in your glass to finish off the bottle once the cooking is done!

CABERNET CRANBERRIES
(yields 1 1/2 cups)

12 oz fresh cranberries
1 1/2 cups sugar
1 cup Cabernet Sauvignon
1 stick cinnamon
Zest of 1 orange

Pick over, rinse and drain berries.

Combine sugar and wine in a 3-quart sauce pan. Bring to a boil and stir until the sugar dissolves. Add the cinnamon stick, orange zest and cranberries. Return to a boil, then reduce heat and simmer, partially covered, for about 15 minutes, until slightly thickened.

Remove from heat and cool to room temperature. Chill before serving. Mixture will continue to thicken as it cools and chills.

Perfect with Thanksgiving dinner or on top of homemade paneer at the Christmas party.


PANEER
(Soft Indian Cheese - yields 3 cups)

1 gallon whole milk
1/2 cup fresh lemon juice
Cheesecloth
Strainer

Bring milk just to boil in a large stainless steel pot, stirring frequently to prevent sticking. (This is important 'cause if it sticks you'll end up with brown flecks in your cheese plus the pot will be a bitch to clean.)

Whisk in the lemon juice and stir 1 -2 minutes until well blended. Let sit for 5 minutes. Milk will separate and break into curds.

Pour mixture into strainer, lined with cheesecloth and set over a large bowl. Allow to drain and cool for at least one hour, pressing down occasionally to remove excess liquid. (Hint: Weigh the cheese down with a small plate centered with a heavy object, such as a can or jar of processed food. This presses the liquid out faster and helps mold the cheese to the shape of the strainer.)

When the cheese is cool and completely drained, remove from strainer, wrap and chill. Should be used within 3-4 days.

For a showstopper appetizer, invert cheese on a plate and spoon Cabernet Cranberries on top. Serve with an assortment of crackers. Bon appetit!