Cranberry Port Gelee

I am not use to cooking with juniper berries.  Though I am sure use to drinking them in my day.  I use to love to have a gin and tonic when I was out with friends.  It was one of my favorite drinks.  Gin, if you don't know, is made from juniper berries.  Juniper comes from a type of pine tree called, Juniperus communis.  All juniper bushes grow juniper berries, however most are too bitter to eat.

I saw a recipe similar to this on Food 52, which is quite a stellar site.  Lots of great recipes from various sources.  I had a bit more cranberries than it called for and I had some Lingonberry Preserves that was not getting eaten. 


Cranberry Port Gelee
The jumping point for this recipe.

1 cup port
1 1/2 cups sugar
1 jar of Lingonberry Preserves
6 cups cranberries (fresh)
1 tablespoon juniper berries
1 tablespoon freshly ground black pepper

Mix all except sugar together in a saucepan.  Cook until heated through.  Add sugar and cook until berries are popping. Mash with a potato masher and strain pushing some of solids through.  Pour and refrigerate.