This very fragrant and zesty sauce, which uses an entire orange, is a wonderful relish. Try it as a dessert: spoon some next to a wedge of ripe brie, and serve it with semi-sweet crackers.

1 large navel orange with thick rind
5 cups fresh cranberries, washed and picked over
1 Tbs. chopped fresh ginger root
2/3 cup dry red wine
1 1/3 cups sugar
pinch of cloves
1/2 tsp. cinnamon

Quarter the orange and remove the thick white pith from the center. Cut the quarters into several pieces and pulse them in the food processor until the pieces of rind are no larger than split peas. Add one cup of the cranberries and the ginger and pulse for a few seconds.

Combine the ground orange mixture with all the remaining ingredients in an ample, heavy-bottomed pot and bring it to a boil, stirring frequently, then lower the heat and simmer for fifteen minutes, continuing to stir often, until you have a thickness you like. If the sauce is too thick, thin it with a little water.

Allow the sauce to cool, then keep it in the refrigerator.

Makes about 7 cups cranberry sauce.

Potato And Caramelized Onion Gnocchi
With Tomato Sauce And Parmesan Cheese

When I made these gnocchi from my leftover pierogi filling, I had mashed potatoes with the caramelized onion already mixed in. Here I give the method for using plain mashed potatoes, as most people don't have the oniony kind on hand. Be sure that your mashed potatoes are smooth - it's best to put boiled potatoes through a ricer or vegetable mill - and don't skip the caramelized onions, as they really give a marvelous flavor to the dish.

1 large onion, finely chopped or minced
1 Tbs. olive oil
1 Tbs. butter
1 tsp. salt, more to taste
3 cups mashed potatoes
1 large egg
2 -3 cups all purpose flour
olive oil

2 cups simple tomato sauce
Parmesan cheese to taste

Cook the onion gently in the oil and butter, with a little sprinkle of salt, until it is soft and deep golden brown, at least half an hour. Stir the caramelized onion into the potatoes, along with about another teaspoon of salt.

Sprinkle a board with half the flour, put the mashed potatoes on top of it, and sprinkle more flour over them. Make a well in the mound of potatoes and break the egg into it, then stir it with a fork, gathering flour and potato into it, until you begin to have a dough. Gather the dough together, keeping it coated with flour, and knead it gently for about five minutes, working in as much flour as it needs to feel firm but not hard - the amount of flour will vary with the consistancy of the potatoes.

Divide the dough into five or six even balls. Roll each one of these balls into a rope about 3/4 inch thick, and cut the ropes into pieces no more than an inch long. Press the tines of a fork lightly into each piece to form shallow ridges, and keep the formed gnocchi in one layer on a parchment-lined tray, or on a board dusted with flour.

Bring about 8 quarts of salted water to a boil. Prepare a bowl with ice water - about two quarts water and a few cups of ice.

Drop 12 to 15 gnocchi at a time into the boiling water and let them cook until they float to the surface, and then one minute more. Remove them with a slotted spoon and drop them into the ice-water bath for a few minutes. Continue cooking the prepared gnocchi in batches.

When you remove gnocchi from the ice water, put them in a bowl with a couple tablespoons of olive oil, and toss gently. You can keep them this way in the refrigerator for several hours or until the next day.

To bake the gnocchi, mix them with the tomato sauce - you can use the simplest tomato sauce for this, or your favorite version of marinara. I used the tomatoes with garlic and basil that I put in jars in the summer, and it was lovely. Spread the gnocchi evenly in a large gratin dish, and sprinkle at least half a cup of Parmesan cheese over them, more if you are a cheese fancier.

Alternately, you could mix the gnocchi with melted butter and crumbled sage, or even with a cream sauce if you are feeling too thin. Whatever you like.

Bake the gnocchi at 350° for about forty minutes, or until they are hot through.

Serves 6 - 8.