OmNomNom!

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This recipe originally called for 1-1/2 cups white sugar, but that drowned out the wonder that is cranberry. I fixed that for me, and now, for you.

Tools
Large saucepan with lid
Silicone or wooden spoon
1 cup measure
Five to seven inch chopping knife
Fine-tooth grater or sharp knife (for zesting)
Citrus juicer (there are many complex devices. You won't need those).
Tablespoon measure

Ingredients
1 US bag fresh cranberries (12 oz/340g)
2 under-ripe pears
2 oranges
1/3 cup white sugar
1/3 cup apple juice
3 Tbs cornstarch (or arrowroot or kuzu or other fine grain white thickener)

Method
1. Turn cranberries into large bowl, add water to float. Pick over and remove any moldy or crushed berries. Let soak while you're doing the other things.

2. Peel pears, make four slices vertically to isolate the core and yield 4 pieces. Turn each to its flat side and slice to 1/4inch, then slice crossways to yield 1/4 inch pear cubes

3. Wash one orange well; some oranges have a light wax you need to remove with a stiff brush. Zesting citrus fruit takes much longer to describe than to do. The plan is to scrape off the colored layer of skin to yield approximately 1 Tbs orange zest. (Don't go into the white pith, which is bitter.) Hold a sharp knife blade perpendicular to the peel and scrape, or hold the peel against the rice-size holes on a grater and scrub. Once done zesting, cut both oranges in half and squeeze out the juice. One way is to cradle the half-orange in your palm, gently push a fork into the center of your palm (but stop before you hit the peel!) place the middle of the fork over a glass, and squeeze.

4. Pour 1/3 cup white sugar into your measuring cup.

5. Add in apple juice to reach 2/3 cup.

6. Put the pears, orange zest, oranges, orange juice, sugar, and apple juice in the saucepan on medium heat. Drain the cranberries and add them to the saucepan. Cover and let it slow boil for 10 minutes. Check it every 2 minutes and stir gently. Around ten minutes, you'll hear plop plop pip as the cranberries pop in half.

7. Before that point measure 3 Tbs white thickener into the measuring cup. Add 3 Tbs cold water. Stir thoroughly. If it turns lumpy, add a little bit more cold water until it stays in solution.

8. Adjust the heat so the berries are again at a slow boil. Pour in the thickener. The mixture will change from deep fuchsia to opaque light pink. Stir slowly for around 90 seconds. When the berries are again translucent, let it cook 15 more seconds and you're done.

9. Turn into a storage container, and if your weather is like mine, put it on the porch to cool, then stick it in the refrigerator. This will keep covered for at least a week. I've served it at Thanksgiving meals; it's a great side dish with pork chops; it's a welcome addition to hot cereal; and we just eat it for dessert at my house.