Cranberry and Orange Thyme Sorbet

Fresh cranberries make a tangy, slightly tannic, and very refreshing sorbet. Infused with the fruity aroma of orange, lemon, or English thyme, the sorbet is a delightfully unique cranberry dish to serve before, during, or after Thanksgiving dinner, or as a palette cleanser for fall dinner parties.

Makes 1 quart or 8 servings

12 ounces fresh cranberries, washed
1 cup sugar
1 1/2 cups water
Thinly sliced zest of 2 oranges (removed with a zester)
8 to 12 3-inch springs fresh thyme, such as orange balsam, lemon, or English thyme(1/2 ounce)
1 1/2 cups freshly squeezed orange juice

pinch of salt

Bring the cranberries, sugar, water, and orange zest to a boil in a medium saucepan. Partially cover the pan and boil until most of the cranberries pop, about 5 minutes. Stir in the thyme sprigs, remove from the heat, cover tightly, and steep for 30 minutes. Pour the fruit mixture into a fine sieve set on top of a deep bowl. Stir and press down on the fruit with the back of a large spoon to extract as much juice and pulp as you can, leaving the skins and thyme behind in the sieve. Refrigerate the strained mixture until thoroughly chilled. Stir in the orange juice. Freeze in an ice cream make according to the manufacturer's directions.

For a pretty presentation, put a scoop of sorbet in a martini glass, and garnish with a fresh cranberry and thyme sprig.