Recipe: Cranberry-Pecan Mold

Cranberry-Pecan Mold
Handsome, shimmering gelatin molds were the traditional accompaniment to holiday roasted turkey. This recipe also goes well with roasted chicken or pork.
Makes: 6 servings

1 can (11 ounces) mandarin orange sections
Orange juice
1 package (3 ounces) cherry-flavored gelatin mix
1/2 cup cranberry-orange or cranberry-raspberry sauce (recipe follows)
Vegetable cooking spray
1/2 cup finely chopped Granny Smith apple
1/4 cup chopped pecans or walnuts, toasted

Drain orange sections, reserving syrup. Add enough orange juice to syrup to measure 1 1/4 cups. Place orange juice mixture in a medium saucepan and bring to a boil. Remove from heat. Add gelatin to hot mixture; stir until gelatin dissolves. Combine gelatin mixture and cranberry-orange sauce in a medium bowl. Cover gelatin mixture with plastic wrap; refrigerate 2 1/2 hours or until thickened but not solid (a spoon will leave an impression when drawn through it). Coat a 3 1/2-cup mold with cooking spray. Fold the mandarin orange sections, apple and nuts into gelatin mixture. Spoon into mold. Cover and refrigerate 2 1/2 hours more or until firm. To serve: Unmold the salad onto a plate. Tuck red-tipped leaf lettuce around base of salad. Makes 6 side-dish servings.


Cranberry-Raspberry Sauce

1 package (12 ounces) fresh or frozen cranberries
2 cups fresh or frozen raspberries
1 cup Merlot red wine
3/4 cup sugar

Combine cranberries, raspberries, wine and sugar in a large saucepan. Bring to a boil over medium-high heat, stirring occasionally. Use a whisk to mash the cranberries. Reduce heat to low and simmer 15 minutes. Pour sauce into a container and refrigerate. Serve hot or cold. Makes about 4 1/2 cups.