Cranberry, Tangerine and Apricot Conserve

Yield: approximately 4 cups

Ingredients:

• 6 tangerines
• 1 cup sugar
• 4 cups fresh or frozen cranberries
• 1/2 cup thinly sliced dried apricots
• 2 tablespoons chopped crystallized ginger
• 1 cup chopped pecans

Directions:

1. Remove zest from 1 tangerine and chop coarsely. Peel and section 3 tangerines.
2. Squeeze juice from the remaining 3 tangerines, adding enough water to make 1 cup. Combine juice with sugar in a medium-size saucepan and heat on high, stirring occasionally. As soon as the mixture is boiling briskly, remove from heat and set aside.
3. Add cranberries, apricots, tangerine sections, zest and ginger to the hot mixture. Cook over medium-high heat, stirring occasionally, until the cranberries burst, about 10 to 15 minutes. Remove from heat and stir in pecans.
4. The conserve will keep for up to 6 weeks when tightly covered and refrigerated. For gift-giving, the hot mixture may be poured into sterilized preserving jars and sealed by the vacuum method. (Submerge the closed jars in boiling water and simmer for 10 minutes.)