![Wild lingonberries in the wild](https://www.themanual.com/wp-content/uploads/sites/9/2023/10/lingonberries-in-wild.jpg?fit=800%2C800&p=1)
Supply chain shortages are calling for some of our favorite products, from eggs to champagne to Green Chartreuse liqueur. It seems that cranberries are now taking a hit. And that’s not good news given that the holidays are on the horizon.
Don’t worry, there is an equally good, if not better, substitute: lingonberry. Lingonberries, cranberries’ Scandinavian sisters, are perhaps most famous for injecting flavor into Swedish fish candies. This versatile fruit works well in a number of things, from cocktails to sauces like compote. Anyone who’s been to Ikea knows how tasty lingonberry meatballs are, but the fruit can do so much more.
Also known as mountain cranberry or cowberry, cowberry thrives in the boreal areas of the upper reaches of the Northern Hemisphere. This northern fruit is a safer bet this year, as cranberries continue to battle drought and heat spikes. thanks to climate change.
So when you’re craving that tangy turkey gravy for Thanksgiving or looking for bright red fruit to add to your favorite drink, think beyond cranberries, especially lingonberries.
Here’s how to use this tangy fruit in a multitude of dishes this fall and winter.
![Lingonberry compote.](https://www.themanual.com/wp-content/uploads/sites/9/2023/10/lingonberry-compote-plating.jpg?fit=800%2C800&p=1)
Chef Dan Jacobs’ Lingonberry Compote
Dan Jacobs is the head of James Beard-nominee restaurant EsterEv in Wisconsin. He likes to make lingonberry compote, treating the fruit with baking spices, peppers, sugar and a few other complementary ingredients. Try the compote with pancakes in the morning, topped on the bread of a turkey sandwich for lunch, or with meatballs or sausage for dinner.
“We like to get frozen wild cranberries from Mikuni Wild Harvest,” Jacobs said. “Lingonberries are slightly smaller than their American cousin, the cranberry, so be sure to account for this in your recipe. Lingonberries are different in that their flesh color is light pink or red, compared to cranberries, which typically have white flesh. Lingonberries have a lower acidity, making them a little sweeter than the cranberries we’re used to in the United States. They are perfect to accompany game meats, like our dry-aged duck at EsterEv.
Ingredients
- 2 1/3 cups lingonberries
- 1 Scotch Bonnet pepper, blistered and seeded, chopped
- 1 3/4 ounces orange zest
- 1/3 ounce sunflower oil
- 2/3 ounce minced ginger
- 1/2 teaspoon toasted and powdered cinnamon
- 1/2 teaspoon allspice, toasted and powdered
- 2/3 cup brown sugar
- 2 1/2 ounces rice vinegar
Method
- Sweat the ginger and add the spices to the pan.
- Toast until fragrant.
- Add the brown sugar, orange zest and liquefied scotch bonnet.
- Add the vinegar and cranberries and simmer for 30 minutes.
- Cool and serve.
![Winter Mule Cocktail](https://www.themanual.com/wp-content/uploads/sites/9/2023/10/winter-mule-cocktail.jpg?fit=800%2C800&p=1)
Winter mule
“We like to highlight native Scandinavian ingredients in our spirits,” said Mathias Tonnesson, master blender at Purity Distillery in Sweden. “Lingonberry is a tart and sweet fruit that shines in our organic gins and gives classic cocktails a unique and flavorful twist for the holidays. » As for lingonberry syrup, Ikea’s Dryck Lingon is highly recommended.
Ingredients
- 2 ounces Purity Old Tom organic gin
- 1 ounce of lingonberry syrup
- 1/2 ounce fresh lime juice
- 4 to 6 ounces ginger beer, chilled
- Lime and rosemary for garnish
Method
- Mix all ingredients in a mule cup over crushed ice and garnish with a lime slice and a
sprig of rosemary.
![Spinach Meatballs](https://www.themanual.com/wp-content/uploads/sites/9/2021/12/emiliano-vittoriosi-ofismyezpny-unsplash.jpg?fit=800%2C800&p=1)
Jamie Oliver’s Swedish Meatballs
Well, now we’re hungry, so we found a recipe from a famous chef. Jamie Olivier. The classic Scandinavian dish brings comfort and warmth to any table. Be sure to save all the delicious juices while you cook and combine them with the leftover herbs and lingonberries for some extra sauce (which will keep in the fridge).
Ingredients
- 1 tablespoon mixed fresh herbs, such as dill, flat-leaf parsley, or 1 tablespoon chives, roughly chopped
- 2/3 pound ground pork
- 2/3 pound ground beef
- 1 large egg
- 3 1/3 ounces milk
- 1/3 cup dried breadcrumbs
- 1 teaspoon ground allspice
- 1/2 lemon
- 1 1/3 cup beef broth
- 1 tablespoon of flour
- 2 ounces double cream
- 1 jar of lingonberries (7-8 ounces)
- Salt and pepper
- Olive oil
Method
- Place most of the herbs in a bowl with the pork, beef, egg, milk, breadcrumbs and allspice. Add the salt and pepper and mix everything together.
- Divide the mixture in half and manipulate each part into a link shape. Cut them into 15 pieces and roll them into spheres. Wet your hands to make the process easier. Place the meatballs on an oiled baking sheet, wrap and refrigerate for 1 hour.
- Add the oil to a large skillet over medium heat and add the meatballs. Cook for 10 to 15 minutes, stirring occasionally, until golden brown.
- Place the meatballs on a plate and remove excess fat from the pan. Add the lemon juice, a little stock, flour, cream and 1 tablespoon of lingonberries (salt and pepper to taste).
- Bring to a boil then reduce the heat. Return the meatballs to the pan and coat them evenly with the sauce.
- Serve about eight per plate and drizzle with pan sauce with a little extra lingonberry.
Cranberry game meatloaf
This recipe is a hearty number fit for a king during the throes of shoulder season. We love the element of comfort involved, because it looks a lot like something you might find on the Thanksgiving Day table. Feel free to have fun with our ground meat, trying beef, pork and plant-based options or a combination of both.
Ingredients
- 2 cups ground game meat
- 4 tablespoons of breadcrumbs
- 1/2 cup veal stock (not concentrated)
- 1 cup heavy cream
- 1 tablespoon of soy sauce
- 2 teaspoons of Purity Gin
- 2 eggs
- 2 tablespoons onion, grated
- A pinch of black pepper
- Butter for frying
- 1/2 cup lingonberries, frozen
- 1 cup of game/veal stock (not concentrated)
- 2 cups of heavy cream with sauce
Method
- Mix the breadcrumbs, veal stock, cream, soy sauce, gin and egg in a bowl. Let the mixture sit and swell for 10 minutes.
- Add the minced meat, grated onion, pepper and possibly a little salt. Mix until you have a smooth paste.
- Moisten your hands with water and shape the patties.
- Brown the butter in a pan and brown the patties for 3 to 4 minutes on each side. Then reduce the heat and let them rest for a few minutes. Don’t fry too many patties at once. If the pan is too full, the patties will boil instead of fry.
Add the cranberries (preferably straight from the freezer) to the pan when the pancakes are almost cooked. Let them cook for a while. - Remove the patties, pour the game broth + cream into the pan and whisk. Let it simmer for a while.
- Return the patties to the sauce and let them cool. Garnish the pancakes with some cranberries and parsley and serve with cranberry jam and cooked potatoes.
The holidays are coming, are you ready? Check out our Favorite Thanksgiving Cocktails and the recipe for perfect mashed potatoes. We also have some good holiday wine ideas too.
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