Mulled Cranberry Sauce

Ever since we found this recipe in a 1999 issue of Bon Appetit, we have not roasted a turkey without also making this sauce.

• 1 12-ounce bag cranberries
• 1 1/2 cups fruity red wine (such as Merlot)
• 1 1/4 cups (packed) golden brown sugar
• 1/3 cup minced crystallized ginger
• 1 tablespoon grated orange peel
• 1/2 teaspoon ground cinnamon
• 1/2 teaspoon ground allspice
• 1/4 teaspoon ground cloves

Throw all the ingredients in a saucepan and bring to a boil. Lower heat and simmer until most of the cranberries have popped and the sauce has reduced.

Invariably, I forget to buy oranges for the peel, and I end up just throwing in a splash of orange juice, and it's almost as good as the original. We also double the recipe so that we have enough for leftovers.

Often, we use Zinfandel, which is not usually very fruity, and the sauce still turns out great.