Stewed Cherries Recipes

STEWED CHERRIES

Steps:

• Wash, stem and pit cherries over a saucepan to catch juice; there will be about 2 1/2 cups pitted fruit. Drop directly into saucepan, add water, cover, and simmer until tender, about 10 minutes. Stir in the sugar and continue heating for a minute or two until sugar is entirely dissolved. Stir in a few drops of almond extract, if desired. Serve warm or cold with plain or whipped cream.

CHERRY CHOCOLATE BEIGNETS WITH VANILLA STEWED CHERRIES

Steps:

• Split the vanilla bean in half and with a back of a paring knife scrape the inside of its seeds. In a medium saucepan, add the 4 cups of cherries, red wine, 1/2 cup sugar and the vanilla bean and it's seeds. Cook over medium heat for 15 minutes, remove vanilla bean. Keep stewed cherries warm.
• To make Cherry Chocolate Beignets: In a large saucepan, heat up the oil for frying to 360 degrees F. In a medium bowl, sift together flour, cocoa powder, baking powder and salt, set aside. In another medium bowl whisk eggs with oil, remaining 1/4 cup sugar and milk. Add flour mixture to egg mixture, stir in melted chocolate and dried cherries. Roll 2 tablespoons of batter into balls. Fry each side for 1 minute. Transfer beignets to a rack.
• To serve, place about 1/3 cup of the poached cherries with liquid in a soup bowl. Place 2 to 3 beignets on top and garnish with Cocoa-Sugar Dusting.
• In a small bowl combine cocoa powder and sugar.

BRANDIED CHERRIES

Steps:

• In 2-quart saucepan, mix sugar, water and lemon juice. Heat to boiling. Reduce heat to low; simmer 8 to 10 minutes or until mixture slightly reduces and thickens. Remove from heat. Stir in brandy and pitted cherries.
• Transfer cherries and liquid to jar (liquid should cover cherries completely). Cover with lid; seal tightly. Cool completely, about 3 hours.
• Store in refrigerator 4 to 6 weeks before serving.

STEWED CHERRIES ON BREAD

Steps:

• Pit the cherries over a bowl to catch as much of the juice as you can. Combine the cherries and juice in a saucepan with 1/4 cup sugar and 1 cup water. Bring to a boil, then simmer until the cherries are tender, about 15 minutes. Taste and add more sugar if necessary, along with lemon juice to taste. Cool for 15 minutes or so.
• Put the bread on a baking sheet and dot with butter; sprinkle lightly with sugar. Run under the broiler (or use a toaster oven) until the butter and sugar both melt.
• Divide the bread among 4 plates. Spoon some of the cherry juice over each piece and let soak in for a few minutes. Top with the cherries and, if you like, some whipped cream.

BEEF STEW WITH DRIED CHERRIES

Steps:

• Preheat oven to 350°F.
• Cut beef into 1 inch cubes. Combine flour, salt, allspice, cinnamon and pepper in a plastic bag. Add beef cubes to bag and shake, coating pieces evenly. Spray a heavy nonstick skillet with nonstick vegetable spray and heat over medium high heat. Add 1/3 of the beef cubes and cook until browned on all sides, stirring frequently (about 5 minutes). Don't crowd the skillet. Transfer meat to a heavy Dutch oven. Repeat with remaining meat in two more batches, ending with all of the browned meat in the Dutch oven.
• Reduce heat to medium. Add oil to skillet. Add onions and cherries. Cook over medium heat until onions are soft and light brown, about 10 minutes (you are basically making caramelized onions). Stir frequently, scraping up all the browned bits from the meat and incorporating into the onions. Mix in the sugar, vinegar and water. Increase heat to medium high and cook until onions brown, stirring frequently, about 5 minutes.
• Add onion mixture to the beef in the Dutch oven. Mix in wine, stock and mushrooms. Cover and bake until the beef is tender, about 2 hours. Uncover stew during last 30 minutes of baking if the liquid is still too thin. Add a small amount of beef stock or red wine is it is too dry.
• Serve with rice or noodles to sop up the great sauce.
• Can be made ahead and reheated before serving.

SKILLET CORN CAKE WITH STEWED CHERRIES

Steps:

• Place a 10-inch cast-iron skillet in the oven and preheat the oven to 350°F.
• In a medium bowl, sift together the flour, baking powder, and salt. Stir in the cornmeal.
• In a separate medium bowl, whisk together the eggs, egg yolk, milk, olive oil, and lemon zest until frothy. Add 3/4 cup of the sugar, and whisk to combine. Pour the wet ingredients over the dry ingredients and mix just until the batter is smooth.
• Swirl the butter in the hot cast-iron skillet until it has melted, and then pour the batter into the skillet. Return the skillet to the oven and cook until the center is set, about 25 minutes.
• While the cake is baking, set a 10-inch skillet over high heat, and add the cherries, lemon juice, and remaining 3/4 cup sugar. Cook until the cherries have released most of their juice, 10 to 12 minutes. Remove from the heat and set aside until ready to use.
• Allow the cake to cool in the skillet for 5 minutes. Then slice it into wedges and serve with the stewed cherries spooned over the top.

SPICED BRANDIED CHERRIES

Steps:

• In a small saucepan, combine sugar and spices with a cup of water. Bring to a simmer, stirring until sugar dissolves. Let simmer for 5 minutes.
• Turn off heat and add cherries and brandy to pot. Let cool, then store mixture in a jar in refrigerator for at least 2 days before eating, and up to several months. These are great over ice cream.

SKILLET CORN CAKE WITH STEWED CHERRIES

Steps:

• Place a 10-inch cast-iron skillet in the oven and preheat the oven to 350 degrees.
• In a medium bowl, sift together the flour, baking powder, and salt. Stir in the cornmeal.
• In a separate medium bowl, whisk together the eggs, egg yolk, milk, olive oil, and lemon zest until frothy. Add 3/4 cup of the sugar, and whisk to combine. Pour the wet ingredients over the dry ingredients and mix just until the batter is smooth.
• Swirl the butter in the hot cast-iron skillet until it has melted, and then pour the batter into the skillet. Return the skillet to the oven and cook until the center is set, about 25 minutes.
• While the cake is baking, set a 10-inch skillet over high heat, and add the cherries, lemon juice, and remaining 3/4 cup sugar. Cook until the cherries have released most of their juice, 10 to 12 minutes. Remove from the heat and set aside until ready to use.
• Allow the cake to cool in the skillet for 5 minutes. Then slice it into wedges and serve with the stewed cherries spooned over the top.

SWEET CHERRY-STEWED MEATBALLS

Steps:

• Combine beef, pine nuts and 1/2 teaspoon allspice. Season with salt. Form into balls or 2-inch long ovals about an inch thick. You should be able to make 12 to 16.
• In a shallow 3-quart saucepan, heat 2 tablespoons oil. Sauté meatballs over medium heat, turning, until lightly browned, about 3 minutes. Remove from pan.
• Add onions and sauté over medium-low heat until softened. Add tamarind, lemon juice, sugar, remaining allspice, 1 cup water or beef stock and wine or grape juice. Bring to a simmer. Season to taste with salt. Add cherries and meatballs, partly cover and simmer about 1 hour. Sauce should have thickened. Check seasoning.
• To serve, spoon over a bed of rice or onto split rounds of warmed pita. Sprinkle with scallions.