Skip to main content
  1. Home
  2. Food & Drink

Cranberries are hard to come by this fall: How to use lingonberries in fall cocktails and dishes instead

We might like lingonberry more than cranberry

Mark Stock
By
Lingonberries in the wild
Tatters / Flickr

Supply chain shortages are claiming some of our favorite goods, from eggs and Champagne to Green Chartreuse liqueur. Now, it seems, cranberries are taking a hit. And that’s not the best news given that the holidays are on the horizon.

Fear not, there’s a substitute that’s just as good, if not better — the lingonberry. The Scandinavian sibling of the cranberry, lingonberries are perhaps most famous for injecting flavor in Swedish fish candies. The versatile fruit works well in a number of things, from cocktails to sauces like compote. Anybody who’s been to Ikea knows how tasty meatballs are with lingonberry, but the fruit can do so much more.

Recommended Videos

Also known as the mountain cranberry or cowberry, the lingonberry thrives in boreal areas in the upper expanses of the Northern Hemisphere. This Nordic fruit is a safer bet this year as cranberries continue to struggle, dealing with drought and heat spikes courtesy of climate change.

Related

So, as you crave that tangy turkey sauce this Thanksgiving or look for some bright red fruit to add to a favorite drink, think beyond the cranberry, specifically the lingonberry.

Here’s how to use the zippy fruit in a host of dishes this fall and winter.

Lingonberry compote.
EsterEv

Chef Dan Jacobs’ lingonberry compote

Dan Jacobs is the chef at James Beard-nominated restaurant EsterEv in Wisconsin. He likes to make compote out of lingonberries, treating the fruit to some baking spices, peppers, sugar, and a few more complementary ingredients. Try the compote alongside some pancakes in the morning, slathered on the bread of a turkey sandwich for lunch, or with meatballs or sausage for dinner.

“We like to source frozen wild lingonberries from Mikuni Wild Harvest,” Jacobs said. “Lingonberries are slightly smaller than their American cousin the cranberry, so be sure to account for that 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 lower acidity, which makes them a bit sweeter than the cranberries we’re accustomed to in the States. They’re a great flavor to pair with gamey meats, such as our dry-aged duck at EsterEv.”

Ingredients

  • 2 1/3 cups lingonberries
  • 1 blistered and seeded scotch bonnet pepper, minced
  • 1 3/4 ounces orange zest
  • 1/3 ounce sunflower oil
  • 2/3 ounce ginger minced
  • 1/2 teaspoon cinnamon, toasted and powdered
  • 1/2 teaspoon allspice, toasted and powdered
  • 2/3 cup brown sugar
  • 2 1/2 ounces rice vinegar

Method

  1. Sweat ginger and add spices to the pan.
  2. Toast until fragrant.
  3. Add brown sugar, orange zest, and scotch bonnet liquefy.
  4. Add vinegar and lingonberries and simmer for 30 minutes.
  5. Chill and serve.
Winter Mule cocktail
Purity Distillery

Winter Mule

“We love to highlight native Scandinavian ingredients in our spirits,” said Mathias Tonnesson, master blender at Purity Distillery in Sweden. “Lingonberry is a tart, sweet fruit that shines in our organic gins and gives classic cocktails a unique and flavorful twist for the holidays.” As for lingonberry syrup, Dryck Lingon from Ikea is highly recommended.

Ingredients

  • 2 ounces Purity Old Tom Organic Gin
  • 1 ounce Lingonberry syrup
  • 1/2 ounce fresh lime juice
  • 4-6 ounces ginger beer, chilled
  • Lime and rosemary for garnish

Method

  1. Combine all ingredients in a mule mug over crushed ice and garnish with lime slice and a
    rosemary sprig.
Meatballs on spinach
Saad Qamar / Shutterstock

Jamie Oliver’s Swedish meatballs

Well, now we’re hungry so we’ve sourced a recipe from renowned chef Jamie Oliver. The classic Scandinavian dish brings comfort and warmth to any table. Be sure to keep all the lovely juices as you cook and combine them with any leftover herbs and lingonberries for some extra sauce (that’ll 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 minced beef
  • 1 large egg
  • 3 1/3 ounces milk
  • 1/3 cup dried breadcrumbs
  • 1 teaspoon ground allspice
  • 1/2 lemon
  • 1 1/3 cups beef stock
  • 1 tablespoon flour
  • 2 ounces double cream
  • 1 jar of lingonberries (7-8 ounces)
  • Salt and pepper
  • Olive oil

Method

  1. Put most of the herbs in a bowl with the pork, beef, egg, milk, breadcrumbs, and allspice. Add the salt and pepper and mix it all up.
  2. Divide the mixture in half and manipulate each part into a link-like shape. Cut them into 15 pieces and roll them into spheres. Get your hands wet to help with the process. Place the meatballs in an oiled tray and wrap and refrigerate for 1 hour.
  3. Add oil to a large pan on medium heat and add meatballs. Cook for 10-15 minutes, tossing now and again, until golden brown.
  4. Put the meatballs on a plate and remove excess fat from the pan. Add lemon juice, a bit of stock, flour, cream, and 1 tablespoon of lingonberry (salt and pepper to taste).
  5. Bring to a boil then reduce heat. Return the meatballs to the pan and coat them evenly in the sauce.
  6. Serve about eight per plate and drizzle pan sauce over the top with a bit of extra lingonberries.

Meatloaf on table.

Lingonberry Game Meatloaf

This recipe is a hearty number fit for a king during the throes of shoulder season. We love the comfort element involved, as it feels a little like something you might find on the Thanksgiving Day table. Feel free to mess around with our ground meat, trying beef, pork, and plant-based options or some combination thereof.

Ingredients

  • 2 cups game ground meat
  • 4 tablespoons breadcrumbs
  • 1/2 cup veal stock (not concentrated)
  • 1 cup heavy cream
  • 1 tablespoon soy sauce
  • 2 teaspoons Purity Gin
  • 2 eggs
  • 2 tablespoons onion, grated
  • A pinch of black pepper
  • Butter for frying
  • 1/2 cup lingonberries, frozen
  • 1 cup game/veal stock (not concentrated)
  • 2 cups heavy cream to the sauce

Method

  1. Mix breadcrumbs, veal stock, cream, soy sauce, gin and egg in a bowl. Let the mixture sit and swell for 10 minutes.
  2. Add the ground meat, grated onion, pepper, and possibly a little salt. Mix until it becomes a smooth batter.
  3. Moisten your hands with water and shape the patties.
  4. Brown the butter in a frying pan and fry the patties for 3-4 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 gets too crowded, the patties will boil instead of frying.
    Add the lingonberries (preferably directly from the freezer) to the pan when the patties are almost done. Let them cook for a while.
  5. Remove the patties, pour the game stock + cream into the frying pan, and whisk it around. Let it simmer for a while.
  6. Place the patties back in the sauce and let them become warm. Garnish the patties with some lingonberries and parsley and serve with lingonberry jam and cooked potatoes.

The holidays are coming — are you prepared? Check out our favorite Thanksgiving cocktails and recipe for perfect mashed potatoes. We also have some great holiday wine ideas as well.

Editors' Recommendations

Topics
Mark Stock
Mark Stock
Contributor
Mark Stock is a writer from Portland, Oregon. He fell into wine during the Recession and has been fixated on the stuff since…
How to throw the ultimate fondue party, according to experts
These tips will make your fondue party unforgettable
Cheese fondue potato dip

Want to throw the most memorable and mouthwatering fondue party? If so, let’s begin with the basics. A fondue party centers around a pot of fondue, which generally contains melted cheese or chocolate. It is served with a variety of food items for dipping such as fresh fruits and vegetables. Think of it as a Chinese hot pot, except that the ingredients are dipped into a pot of luscious melted cheese (or chocolate) rather than hot broth.

Fondue parties tend to be retro-style. However, international social dinner themes like the hot pot can be incorporated into a fondue party menu to spice up a gathering. Other than that, a fondue party is a way to reconnect with your loved ones over the dinner table -- perhaps to talk about retro dishes that are poised for a comeback or just the good ol’ days. We know that food binds us together, regardless of our heritage. So if you are looking for great fondue party ideas, here are some tips from professional chefs and party planners to help you throw the ultimate fondue party.

Read more
Forget the wine this Thanksgiving: 5 batch cocktails that just might be better for your group dinner
Batch cocktails are better than wine - here's why
Crowd of people toasting with cocktails

If we're completely honest with ourselves, alcohol on Thanksgiving is every bit as important as the turkey. Maybe you're the sole cook in the kitchen, upon whom the entire culinary burden is placed, and you need a little stress relief. Maybe your single, child-free lifestyle is something that, for some reason, is up for debate between every member of your family. Or maybe you just really need something to get you through dinner with Uncle Steve yammering on about his rifle collection. Whatever the reason, on Thanksgiving, booze is a necessity.

In many families, the social lubricant of choice with Thanksgiving dinner is wine, which makes sense. For many, wine feels like the correct, most sophisticated choice for what may be the most elegant meal of the year. But the truth is, not everyone likes wine, and it's nice to have other options available for those who would prefer to douse their familial frustrations in mezcal or whiskey and not pinot noir.

Read more
A chef’s tips for making a dry-aged roast duck recipe that beats your dried-out Thanksgiving turkey any day
Dry-aged roast duck vs dry turkey - the choice is clear
dry aged duck dish

On holidays, there are things that are done for the sake of tradition. Red hearts are strung about, eggs are painted, flags are flown, pumpkins are carved, and turkey is eaten. Turkey on Thanksgiving is just one of those givens in life. The question, "What are you having for dinner" on Thanksgiving day, is never something that needs to be asked. That would just be ridiculous. But what if - caused by some extremely blasphemous flaw in your genetic design - you (gasp) don't care for turkey? What if you've spent your entire life hiding your distaste for this blandest of birds, and your whole Thanksgiving career has been a lie? First of all, forgive yourself. Turkey can be dry and gross and, if we're honest, is probably the least exciting protein out there. Save for, perhaps, boneless, skinless chicken breast. That's why we love a non-traditional Thanksgiving meal. This year, give yourself some grace and step away from the Thanksgiving turkey. Instead, consider duck.
There are plenty of non-turkey Thanksgiving meal ideas out there, and we are completely on board with this trend. From a whole roasted salmon, to an elegant prime rib, to a casual outdoor crab feed, there are thousands of ways to celebrate the spirit of thankfulness that have nothing to do with turkey. But this recipe might just be our favorite. One that still features poultry, but lacks the lackluster tradition just for tradition's sake.
Chefs Dan Jacobs and Dan Van Rite, of esteemed Milwaukee restaurants DanDan and EsterEv, have shared with The Manual their famous dry-aged roast duck as an amazing alternative to a boring turkey this Thanksgiving. These five-time James Beard-nominated chefs are determined to turn your tired holiday table into something deliciously exciting with this recipe, and we are here for it. Their amazing dry-aged roast duck recipe features an easy dry-aging technique to tenderize the meat, develop flavor, and ensure extra crispy skin. The best part is there's absolutely no fancy equipment or ingredients necessary.
Dry aging meat at home sounds like an intimidating process, but all that's really needed is a little extra room in the refrigerator. Dry aging is a process of tenderizing and flavoring meat that helps to develop a far more rich and robust flavor than it would have when fresh. And yes, it can be safely done at home. Refrigerators have built-in circulation systems that will allow fresh air to surround the meat as it dry-ages, keeping it cool, dry, and safe from bacteria.

And while this recipe calls for simply roasting in a regular oven, Chef Van Rite explains that a combi oven works even better, telling The Manual, "At EsterEv, we cook our duck in a combi oven at 378 degrees with 60% humidity. We roast it for seven minutes and then flip it for another seven minutes before letting it rest for 10-15 minutes. If you have access to one, the combi oven really elevates the taste of the bird."

Read more