Best Shiras Cranberry Thumbprints Recipes

CRANBERRY-HORSERADISH CREAM

Steps:

• Empty a 12-ounce bag of fresh or frozen cranberries into a saucepan and transfer 1/2 cup to a small bowl. Add 1 cup sugar, 1 strip orange or lemon zest and 2 tablespoons water to the pan and cook over low heat, stirring occasionally, until the sugar dissolves and the cranberries are soft, about 10 minutes. Increase the heat to medium and cook until the cranberries burst, about 12 minutes. Reduce the heat to low and stir in the reserved cranberries.
• Fold in 3/4 cup sour cream and 1 to 2 teaspoons horseradish. Chill before serving.

SHIRA'S CRANBERRY THUMBPRINTS

Steps:

• Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Make the cookies: Whisk together flour, cornmeal, and salt in a medium bowl. Beat butter and 1/4 cup sugar with a mixer on medium speed until pale and fluffy, about 2 minutes. Add orange zest and egg yolk, and mix well. Reduce speed to low. Add flour mixture, and mix until just combined.
• Lightly whisk egg white. Scoop 2 teaspoons dough, and roll into a ball. Dip into egg white, and roll in remaining 1/4 cup plus 1 tablespoon sugar. Repeat with remaining dough; transfer to parchment-lined baking sheets, spacing about 1 inch apart, as you work. Gently press center of each ball with your thumb. Bake, rotating sheets halfway through, until pale golden, 15 to 17 minutes. Gently indent each cookie again using the handle end of a wooden spoon. Transfer sheets to wire racks, and let cool. (Cookies can be stored at room temperature for up to 1 week.)
• Meanwhile, make the filling: Bring cranberries, water, sugar, and orange zest to a boil in a small saucepan over medium-high heat. Reduce heat, and simmer, gently mashing cranberries, until thick and jamlike, 5 to 6 minutes. (If mixture is too thick, add a little water to thin.) Transfer to a bowl, and let cool completely. (Filling can be refrigerated for up to 1 week.)
• Spoon a small amount of filling into each cookie indentation.

BRAISED SHORT RIBS WITH MUSHROOMS

Steps:

• Preheat the oven to 300 degrees F. Bring the short ribs to room temperature. Meanwhile, pulse the shallots, 10 cloves garlic and the tomato paste in a food processor to make a paste. Cook the pancetta in a large ovenproof pot over medium-high heat until crisp, about 7 minutes. Transfer the pancetta and all but 2 tablespoons drippings to a bowl.
• Add the shallot mixture to the pot and cook, stirring, until brown, about 6 minutes. Reduce the heat to medium and add 1/2 cup cognac, scraping up the browned bits. Sprinkle in the flour and cook, stirring, about 5 more minutes. Gradually stir in the wine until smooth. Add the porcini, thyme, bay leaves and 11/2 teaspoons salt.
• Season the short ribs with salt and pepper, place in the pot and add water to cover. Trim a piece of parchment paper so that it rests on the surface of the meat. Cover the pot with the lid and transfer to the oven. Cook until the meat is fork-tender, about 3 hours.
• Remove the meat from the sauce and transfer to a plate. Set the sauce aside, about 10 minutes, then skim off the fat. (If the sauce is thick, add a splash of water.) Discard the bay leaves, season the sauce with salt and pepper and add the remaining 2 tablespoons cognac. Return the short ribs to the sauce and keep warm over low heat.
• Chop the remaining 1 clove garlic, then mash with 1/2 teaspoon salt using the flat side of a knife; add the parsley and chop. Heat the pancetta and the reserved drippings in a skillet over medium-high heat. Add the oyster and cremini mushrooms and cook until brown, about 10 minutes. Toss in the parsley mixture. Untie the short ribs, divide among plates and top with the sauce and mushrooms.

MARASCHINO CHERRY THUMBPRINT COOKIES

Steps:

• Preheat the oven to 350 degrees F (175 degrees C). Coat baking sheets with baking spray.
• Stir flour, baking powder, and salt together in a bowl. Set aside.
• Beat sugar and butter together in a large mixing bowl with an electric mixer until light and fluffy. Add eggs; beat well. Stir in milk and vanilla extract. Add flour mixture and mix well.
• Shape dough into level tablespoon-sized balls. Roll in corn flakes. Place on the prepared baking sheets. Make a shallow indention in the tops of the cookies with your thumb; top each cookie with a halved cherry.
• Bake in the preheated oven until lightly browned, about 10 minutes.

CRANBERRY THUMBPRINTS

Steps:

• 1. Heat oven to 350°. Whirl sauce in a food processor until smooth, about 30 seconds; set aside. 2. Beat butter and sugar together in the bowl of a standing mixer until smooth. Stir in vanilla extract. Add flour, spices, and salt, then mix on low speed until blended, scraping inside of bowl as needed. Stir in pecans. 3. Form dough into 1 1/2-in balls and set 1 in. apart on a greased baking sheet. Use your thumb to press a well into center of each cookie. Spoon about 3/4 tsp. cranberry sauce into each well. 4. Bake cookies until light golden brown, 12 to 15 minutes. Let cool completely on baking sheet.