apartment therapy changing the world, one room at a time

We noticed this recipe at Epicurious last year and bookmarked it. It's the "anti-orange" cranberry sauce, with no orange liqueur, no orange zest. It bypasses that usual flavor combination for a more unusual base of dried figs, port wine, and rosemary.

It's very easy: you just simmer the port, balsamic vinegar, figs, and rosemary with a little sugar, then remove the rosemary and add the cranberries. Simmer until the cranberries burst and the syrup is reduced.

But it's more than the sum of its parts: the resulting sauce is deeply flavorful, full of the rich flavors of wine, and yet not too sweet. The rosemary gives it an herbed background, and the figs have a plump chewiness that contrasts with the soft, tangy cranberries. It's hard to describe just how good this is.

We made a new batch last week and served it with a pork tenderloin, and they are a great pair. Even though this sauce complemented our braised turkey very well, its real pair is pork. Try making a batch of this to go with a ham or a pork roast. Or jar up and give as gifts - it will be a hit, we promise.

• Get the recipe: Cranberry Sauce with Port and Dried Figs

Related: DIY Cranberry Sauce