Recipe: Santa’s sidecar

Santa’s sidecar

Total time: 25 minutes, plus cooling time for the compote

Servings: 1

Note: Adapted from Zahra Bates, Providence

Cranberry compote

1/2 pound fresh cranberries

1 ounce fresh orange juice

1 to 2 ounces fresh lemon juice

1/2 cup sugar

2 tablespoons loosely packed sage leaves

1 ounce peeled ginger, chopped

In a medium saucepan, combine the cranberries, orange juice, lemon juice, sugar, sage leaves and ginger, with enough water to cover the fruit completely (about 11/2 cups). Cover and bring to a boil, then remove the cover and simmer until the berries are softened, about 15 minutes. Remove from heat and cool completely. This makes about 3 cups. The compote will keep, covered and refrigerated, for up to 1 week.

Cocktail assembly

Sugar, for rimming the glass

21/2 ounces brandy

1/4 ounce orange liqueur (Bates uses Cointreau)

1 heaping tablespoon cranberry compote

Rim a martini glass with sugar. (Moisten the glass with water or lime juice before dipping it into sugar.) In a cocktail shaker with ice, combine the brandy, orange liqueur and compote. Shake and strain in the prepared martini glass and serve immediately.

Each cocktail: 197 calories; 0 protein; 6 grams carbohydrates; 0 fiber; 0 fat; 0 cholesterol; 5 grams sugar; 1 mg. sodium.