Lemongrass Cranberry Sauce

The three most important foods on the Thanksgiving table to most people are a golden brown turkey, delicious stuffing and, of course, cranberry dressing. In years past, I have simply used the quintessential canned dressing or jelly. Not anymore! Scratch-made cranberry sauce is one of the easiest dishes I can bring to my table. A simple mixture of fresh cranberries, sugar, Tahitian Vanilla and lemon grass creates a familiar, but unique, cranberry sauce. Lemon grass is a beautifully fragrant herb that grows in long stalks, and is primarily used in Thai cuisine. It is very versatile and can be used with a variety of proteins, soups, jams and relishes. I like the bright citrus flavor that it brings to my cranberry sauce.

Lemongrass can be found in most grocery stores or Asian markets. It also is a prolific species and grows well in high light and moderately humid areas of your home. I grow mine in our greenhouse, but it could be grown in a pot near a sunny window in colder climates.