Jellied Cranberry-Port Molds

From Redbook

Photo by Ngoc Minh Ngo

Active time: 15 minutes

Total time: 20 minutes plus chilling

Makes 12 side-dish servings

1 bag (12 oz.) fresh cranberries

1 2/3 cups sugar

6 Tbsp. tawny or ruby port

1 cinnamon stick (3 inch)

1. In medium saucepan; bring cranberries and 1 3/4 cups water to boiling. Boil over medium heat 5 minutes, or until skins split and berries soften.
2. Pass mixture through food mill set over bowl (or pour through fine-mesh sieve set over bowl, scraping berries with rubber spatula); discard skins.
3. Put puree back into saucepan; stir in sugar, 4 tablespoons port, and cinnamon stick. Bring to boiling over medium heat; boil 10 minutes, stirring several times. Discard cinnamon stick. Stir in remaining 2 tablespoons port.
4. Rinse 12 small molds (3- to 4-ounce capacity) with cold water. Ladle about 1/4 cup cranberry mixture into each wet mold (or for 1 large mold, pour into wet 1-quart mold). Cool to room temperature. Cover and refrigerate at least 4 hours, or until set (can be made up to 1 week ahead and refrigerated). To serve, loosen edges of molds with knife; invert onto serving plate. Serve with small spatula.