Wednesday, June 13, 2007

Spiced Cherries

I think I've mentioned before how I am allergic to almost every fruit except for berries and citrus. And yes, it's as hard as you think it would be, especially when it comes to the middle of summer when practically everything is juicy and fresh. I've had to learn ways to cook or process fruits since I'm only allergic to them in their fresh and raw state.

This recipe kind of came about in a very roundabout-try-and-see-if-it-works sort of way. I had a bag of star anise that I picked up at my local Asian market for .99 (seriously, best deals ever in fresh seafood, spices, and dry goods) and some cherries that I wanted to use up. I was originally going to just use the star anise and whole allspice berries when I discovered I was completely out of the latter. As I was digging through my spice cabinet, I spied a jar of pickling spice and thought I'd give it a try.

What a great combination of flavors! These are perfect to eat by themselves, or wonderful served on top of a nice cheese, such as a Camembert or goat cheese. Here I've served them on a creamy Gorgonzola and they add a lovely sweet and tart taste. Go ahead - give them a try!

Spiced Cherries II

Spiced Cherries
1 c sugar
1 c water
1 tsp pickling spice
2 star anise
2 c fresh cherries, pitted and cut in half

Combine sugar, water, and spices in medium saucepan. Bring to a boil over high heat and allow to simmer for 5 minutes. Remove from heat and pour over cherries in a small bowl. Allow to cool to room temperature, cover, and store in refrigerator for 24-48 hours. Serve and enjoy!

8 comments:

evinrude said...

These look lovely! Pardon me, but what does the pickling spice contain?

kickpleat said...

wow, these look amazing!

wellunderstood said...

hm. intriguing . . .

Anonymous said...

I'm so interested to hear about your raw fruit allergy, as I have the same thing and I've never known anyone like me in this respect. I have found that as I've gotten older (I'm 42) I can eat more things fresh. Organic seems to make a difference too. Do you have any idea what this is about? (I have the same thing with raw nuts, but can eat them roasted).

US said...

mmm sounds delish!

Linda said...

sounds fabulous. so flavor-packed, yet simple!

Anonymous said...

I made your chile-cumin potato salad for a cookout this weekend, and it was a super hit! Even the traditional eaters (meat-and-potato types) loved it. It's definitely going in my potato salad rotation (up there with my all-time favorite, a grilled potato salad with lemon-mustard vinaigrette, blanched green beans, and feta)! Thanks for sharing the recipe,
Sarah

Anonymous said...

so pretty! ^^