Cornelian Cherry Sauce is a modern British recipe for a spiced preserve made with cornelian cherries that's very similar to cranberry sauce and which is typically served with roast turkey at Christmas or Thanksgiving. The full recipe is presented here and I hope you enjoy this classic British version of Cornelian Cherry Sauce.
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This, of course, the British equivalent to the classic American Christmas accompaniment to turkey. But the slightly tart sauce also makes an accompaniment to goose (indeed, I make a summer variant of this specifically for goose where I substitute gooseberries for cranberries and this variation also works equally well with mackerel).
Note that unripe Cornelian Cherry berries are very astringent in flavour, but fully ripe fruit are sweet and very tasty with a sour aftertaste. When ripe, the fruit are a ruby red in colour. In Britain, however, they do not ripen fully until they have fallen from the tree. Collect them when they have fallen, place on newspaper in a box and set on a sunny windowsill to ripen.
First make a syrup by dissolving the honey in the water and port over gentle heat. Once all the honey has dissolved add the Cornelian cherries, spices orange and lime. Turn up the heat and cook the mixture until the Cornelian cherries soften (about fifteen minutes). Then reduce the heat to a rolling boil and continue to cook the mixture until it has thickened sufficiently (about 30 minutes)
Allow to cool slightly and then spoon into sterile pre-heated jars. Place the lids on the jars then allow to cool. They should keep for about two months in a cool, dark, cupboard and four months in the refrigerator. But once opened store in the fridge and consume within a week.
