Spiced Cranberries

A jellied, spiced cranberry sauce built on the berries' own pectin. The molding depends on getting the pulp through a strainer and then boiling the sugar syrup long enough to set.

• A quart of cranberriesThat is 4 cups of whole berries, roughly a pound; modern bags are usually 12 oz, so you will need a little over one. Pick over and discard soft or shriveled fruit before cooking.
• The first cookingSimmer the berries in the cup of boiling water, covered, until the skins have all burst and collapsed, roughly 8-10 minutes. They must be fully broken down or little will pass through the strainer.
• StrainingPress the pulp through a fine sieve or food mill with the back of a ladle, scraping the underside. Skins and seeds stay behind; expect to lose a fair amount of volume.
• Take the spices outThe cinnamon sticks, cloves and allspice go in whole and are not mentioned again. Tie them in cheesecloth or fish them out before molding, or the finished sauce will be studded with them and will keep sharpening in flavor as it stands.
• The 15-minute simmerThis is the hinge. It is what concentrates the syrup enough for the natural pectin to set. Stir often at this stage; strained cranberry pulp with 2 cups sugar in it scorches easily over direct heat.
• Wet moldRinse the mold with cold water and do not dry it. The film of water is what lets the set sauce slide out cleanly. Chill at least 4 hours, preferably overnight.
• Salt lastThe recipe holds the salt back until after the simmer. A 'speck' is smaller than a pinch, a few grains at most; it is there to point up the fruit rather than to season it.
• YieldProbably around 3 cups once strained and reduced, enough to serve a small table alongside roast turkey. The recipe gives no yield or keeping time.