*This is my own recipe for Cranberry Pomegranate Sauce, though, it is similar to many cranberry sauce recipes. After my daughter was born, I took a particular interest in the Persephone, Hades and Demeter myth and began including pomegranate in many recipes. Pomegranate is now one of my and my daughter’s favorite fruits. We listen to Blondie and prep and cook the Cranberry Pomegranate Sauce together. The below myth is from Encyclopedia Mythica.
Persephone is the goddess of the underworld in Greek mythology. She is the daughter of Zeus and Demeter, goddess of the harvest. Persephone was such a beautiful young woman that everyone loved her, even Hades wanted her for himself. One day, when she was collecting flowers on the plain of Enna, the earth suddenly opened and Hades rose up from the gap and abducted her. None but Zeus, and the all-seeing sun, Helios, had noticed it.
Broken-hearted, Demeter wandered the earth, looking for her daughter until Helios revealed what had happened. Demeter was so angry that she withdrew herself in loneliness, and the earth ceased to be fertile. Knowing this could not continue much longer, Zeus sent Hermes down to Hades to make him release Persephone. Hades grudgingly agreed, but before she went back he gave Persephone a pomegranate (or the seeds of a pomegranate, according to some sources). When she later ate of it, it bound her to the underworld forever and she had to stay there one-third of the year. The other months she stayed with her mother. When Persephone was in Hades, Demeter refused to let anything grow and winter began. This myth is a symbol of the budding and dying of nature. In the Eleusinian mysteries, this happening was celebrated in honor of Demeter and Persephone, who was known in this cult as Kore.
The Romans called her Proserpine.
Veggies: Again, replace the meat-based stock with your vegetarian, porcini stock. This is the best meat-based gravies I’ve ever eaten. The vegetarian version of this gravy makes one of the best veggie gravies I’ve ever tasted, too. Highly recommended.
Cooking Time
About 1 hour
Yields
About 3 cups
Ingredients
- Bag of fresh cranberries
- 1 pomegranate
- 1 or more oranges (whatever type you prefer)
- Orange juice or orange mango juice
Steps
- Rinse and drain 1 bag of fresh cranberries. Look for any spoiled cranberries and throw them out.
- In a saucepan, cover the cranberries with just enough water to immerse them then let them cook until soft. Add water gradually as it evaporates.
- As the cranberries are cooking, half a pomegranate and spoon out the seeds into a bowl.
- In a separate, small pan, add the pomegranate seeds and 1 cup water, bring to boil then reduce heat and let the mixture simmer until it reduces. Cook for 30 minutes or more, until the water turns red. Keep adding small amounts of water to keep the seeds covered and cooking.
- Using a metal strainer, drain the pomegranate water into a bowl and then use a wooden spoon to smash the remaining flesh from the hard seeds, as best you can. Force as much liquid and pomegranate flesh through the strainer as you are able.
- Using a grater, grate the clean peel of an orange, to taste, and add it to the pomegranate reduction.
- When the cranberries are soft and have created a cranberry reduction, add the pomegranate reduction to the mixture, the orange peel. 1/2 cup sugar (more to taste, if you wish. I like to use orange juice or orange mango juice instead of sugar).
- Bring the mixture to a high heat (add a little water or orange juice if it is already thick), and then reduce head and let simmer for 10 minutes.
- Chill in the refrigerator.