Whether sweet or sour, red, blushing yellow or deep, blackish purple, cherries are a sure sign summer is in full swing.
Thanks to several varieties with staggered ripening times, as well as growing regions where differences in climate allow for varying peak seasons, fresh cherries are now available from late May (California cherries) through mid August (Sweetheart).
The top sweet cherry producing states are Washington, Oregon and California, while Michigan produces the most sour cherries. Cherries are also grown for commercial consumption in Idaho, Utah, Montana and New York.
The fruits are considered “super foods” with a 1-cup serving containing approximately 100 calories, 25 g carbohydrate (20 g sugar) and 3 g fiber. In addition to being a rich source of anthocyanins (the good-for-you pigment compounds that give blue, red and purple foods their vibrant color), fresh cherries are a good source of vitamins C and A. And according to studies done in the early 2000s, cherries, both sweet and sour, are believed to have anti-inflammatory properties which may help alleviate arthritis and gout pain.
But healthfulness aside, cherries are delicious and add color and sweetness to a variety of dishes, even the savory.
CHERRY TIPS
The darker the cherry, the sweeter the fruit.
Cherries do not ripen further once picked.
Whenever possible, select cherries with their stems intact. Cherries that have had their stems removed will spoil more quickly.
For optimal freshness, look for cherries with bright green stems and plump, shiny fruit.
Avoid cherries that are moldy, split, bruised or wrinkly.
Store cherries in a loosely closed or perforated plastic bag in the refrigerator for several days.
Avoid washing and stemming cherries until just before serving. To wash, simply rinse under cold running water.
Cherries can be frozen without cooking or sweetening by arranging the fruit (pits and stems removed) in a single layer on a baking sheet and freezing until solid. Transfer cherries to a freezer bag or other airtight container and freeze up to 6 months.
Cinnamon and Cherry Clafoutis
7 tablespoons butter, plus more for greasing pan, divided use
12 cherries, stemmed and pitted
3/4 cup confectioners’ sugar, divided use
1/2 teaspoon ground cinnamon, divided use
Scant 1/2 cup almond flour/meal
2 teaspoons cornstarch
1 egg
2/3 cup heavy cream
Heat oven to 350 degrees.
Heat about 1 tablespoon butter in a large skillet. Add the cherries and fry for 1 minute. Sprinkle with 1 tablespoon of the confectioners’ sugar and cook 30 seconds more. Transfer cherries to a sieve to drain; discard liquid. Set aside.
In a mixing bowl, mix the remaining butter with the remaining confectioners’ sugar, 1/4 teaspoon of the cinnamon, the almond meal and cornstarch to make thick, smooth batter. Add the egg and mix well. Coat a small, shallow baking dish or 4 individual baking dishes (we used creme brulee dishes) generously with butter. Spoon batter into pan(s). Add reserved cherries individually to batter, spaced evenly apart. Bake 15 to 20 minutes or until golden. Let cool to room temperature.
Just before serving, beat the heavy cream and the remaining cinnamon to soft peaks. Serve clafoutis with a dollop of cinnamon cream.
Makes 4 servings.
Recipe adapted from Scook: The Complete Cookery Course by Anne-Sophie Pic
Cherry Swirled Cheesecake
1 cup finely crushed shortbread cookies
2/3 cup PLUS 2 tablespoons granulated sugar, divided use
Pinch salt
1/4 cup butter, melted
2 (8-ounce) packages cream cheese, at room temperature (we used a combination of regular and Neufchatel)
Seeds from 1/2 vanilla bean OR 1/2 tablespoon vanilla extract
2 eggs
1/2 cup sour cream
1/3 cup cherry jam such as Cherry Freezer Jam (recipe follows), plus more for serving, optional
Heat oven to 350 degrees. Line a 9-by-5-inch metal loaf pan or baking dish with parchment paper.
In a bowl, combine the cookie crumbs, 2 tablespoons sugar and the salt. Stir in melted butter and mix well. Press mixture into the bottom of the prepared pan. Bake 10 minutes or until golden brown. Let cool.
Reduce oven to 300 degrees.
In a large bowl, beat the remaining sugar, cream cheese and vanilla until smooth. Add the eggs, one at a time, beating well after each addition. Stir in the sour cream. Pour batter over the crust. Dollop or pour jam over surface, then use a knife to swirl the jam through the batter.
Bake 60 to 80 minutes or until cake begins to brown and it jiggles just slightly in the center when the pan is shaken. Let cool completely in pan on a wire rack. Cover with plastic wrap and refrigerate overnight before serving.
Serve with a dollop of additional jam, if desired.
Makes 8 to 10 servings.
Recipe adapted from The Preservation Society Home Preserves by Camilla Wynne
This soft jam is a cross between convenient and fast freezer jam and a traditional cooked jam. The mixture is slightly cooked, giving the jam a more classic flavor, but because the finished jam is stored in the freezer or refrigerator, no water bath is necessary.
Cherry Freezer Jam
1 1/2 pounds ripe sweet cherries
2 tablespoons fresh lemon juice
21/2 cups granulated sugar
3/4 cup water
1 box Sure-Jell Fruit Pectin
Wash and dry 8 (4-ounce) or 5 (1/2-pint) freezer-safe plastic containers; set aside.
Stem and pit cherries. Finely chop or grind fruit. Measure exactly 2 cups cherries into a large bowl. Stir in lemon juice and sugar. Let stand 10 minutes, stirring occasionally.
In a heavy saucepan, combine the water and pectin. Stirring constantly, bring to boil over high heat, making sure the pectin is completely dissolved. Boil 1 minute, then add fruit mixture and cook, stirring, until mixture comes to a boil. Remove from heat and ladle hot jam into prepared containers, leaving 1/2 inch of head space. Wipe rims with a damp cloth; immediately cover with lids. Let stand at room temperature for 24 hours. Use or refrigerate up to 3 weeks or freeze up to 1 year. Thaw in refrigerator before using.
Makes 8 (4-ounce) jars.
This bar cookie strikes the ideal balance between fruit bar and cookie. The moist, sweet cherries provide color and texture contrast, while the cookie crust makes it portable.
Sweet Cherry Bars
1 cup butter, softened
1 cup granulated sugar
1 cup firmly packed light brown sugar
3/4 teaspoon vanilla extract
1/8 teaspoon lemon extract
2 eggs
2 3/4 cups all-purpose flour
1/2 teaspoon baking soda
Generous pinch salt
1 1/2 cups pitted and halved fresh sweet cherries
Heat oven to 350 degrees. Grease a 9-by-11-inch baking dish with butter or nonstick spray.
Cream butter and sugars in a large mixing bowl with an electric mixer on medium speed until fluffy, scraping sides of bowl as necessary. Add the extracts, then the eggs, one at a time, and beat until smooth.
In a separate bowl, combine flour, baking soda and salt; mix well. Add to butter mixture; beat 3 to 4 minutes, or until smooth, thick doughlike batter forms. Spread half the batter in prepared pan. Scatter cherry halves over batter. Place spoonfuls of remaining batter on top of cherries; gently spread to cover fruit.
Bake 35 minutes or until wooden pick or skewer inserted in middle comes out clean. Cool completely before cutting.
Makes about 16 bars.
Pulled Pork Griddle Cakes With Sweet Cherry Relish
1 1/2 cups cornmeal
1/2 cup all-purpose flour
2 teaspoons baking powder
1 teaspoon salt
1 tablespoon sugar
1 2/3 cups buttermilk
3 tablespoons butter, melted
2 eggs, lightly beaten
10 ounces (1 1/2 cups) pulled pork (homemade or prepared)
Sweet Cherry Relish (recipe follows)
In a large bowl, stir together the cornmeal, flour, baking powder, salt and sugar. Whisk in buttermilk, melted butter and eggs. Stir in pulled pork.
Heat a lightly greased griddle or nonstick skillet over medium heat. When hot, ladle batter by the 1/4-cupful onto hot griddle. Cook 3 to 4 minutes, or until tops are covered with bubbles and edges look dry; turn and cook on second side 2 to 3 minutes or until done. Serve with cherry relish.
Makes 16 griddle cakes.
Sweet Cherry Relish
1/4 red bell pepper, diced
1/4 white onion, diced
1 cup pitted, halved fresh cherries
1/2 lime, juiced
Pinch cumin, optional
Combine all ingredients in a small bowl and mix well. Let stand 20 minutes before serving.
Makes about 2 cups.
Griddle cake recipe adapted from Southern Living Ultimate Book of BBQ, The Complete Year-Round Guide to Grilling and Smoking with Pitmaster Christopher Prieto; cherry relish recipe from Kelly Brant