Fresh Cherry Recipes

Serves 4 

• 1 cup Brown Rice (uncooked)
• 2 tablespoons butter
• 8 green onions, chopped (including green tops)
• 2 teaspoons fresh minced garlic (about one clove)
• 1/3 cup pine nuts
• ¾ cup fresh cherries, pitted and chopped

• Champagne or sparkling wine
• Chambord
• Fresh cherries

•  1 cup apple, peeled and chopped into small pieces
• 1 cup cherries, pitted and chopped into small pieces
• ½ cup dried apricots
• 2 tablespoons raisins, golden or purple
• 8 ounces honey
• ½ cup lime juice
• 1 teaspoon garam masala
• 10 cloves fresh garlic, peeled and sliced
• 1 tablespoon ginger, finely chopped
• ½ teaspoon salt
• 1 teaspoon caraway seeds

•  2 cups cherries, pitted
• 1 tablespoon sugar
• 2 large eggs
• ¼ cup sugar
• ¾ cup light cream
• ¾ cup flour
• ¼ teaspoon salt
• 1 teaspoon vanilla extract

• 1/2 cup chopped onion
• 2 tablespoons olive oil
• 1/4 cup wine vinegar
• 2 tablespoons honey
• 1 teaspoon crushed fennel seeds
• 1/2 teaspoon salt
• 1/4 teaspoon ground pepper
• 2 cups Northwest fresh sweet cherries, pitted and halved
• Marinated Poached Halibut*
• 4 lettuce leaves
• 2 green onions, diagonally sliced

These fritters are more similar to pancakes than donuts – just make sure the oil is hot before putting the batter in the pan, otherwise the dough will be soggy.

• ½ cup rolled oats (not instant)
• ½ cup shelled walnuts, chopped fine
• ½ cup flour
• 1 teaspoon baking powder
• ¼ teaspoon salt
• ½ teaspoon ground cinnamon
• 3 large eggs
• 1/3 cup sugar
• 2/3 cup milk
• 2 tablespoons butter, melted
• 1 cup fresh cherries, pitted and chopped
• Vegetable oil, as needed

• 3 cups water
• 1 cup sugar
• 1 cup Northwest fresh sweet cherries, halved and pitted
• 1 cup fresh lemon juice, refrigerated
• Crushed ice
• 1 bottle (1 liter) club soda or seltzer
• Northwest fresh sweet cherries with stems
• 4 long stems fresh mint

• 1 lemon
• ½ cup sugar
• 1 cup nonfat buttermilk
• 1/3 vegetable oil
• 1 large egg
• 1 teaspoon vanilla
• 2 cups flour
• 2 teaspoons baking powder
• 1 teaspoon baking soda
• ¼ teaspoon salt
• 1 ½ cups cherries, pitted and chopped

• 1 cup orange juice
• 2 tablespoons olive oil
• 2 tablespoons honey
• 1/2 teaspoon salt
• freshly ground black pepper to taste
• 1 5-ounce bag baby spinach or mixed salad greens
• 3 cups Stemilt sweet cherries, pitted
• 2 cups sliced hothouse cucumber
• 1/2 cup finely diced red onion

A slump is an old fashioned fruit dessert, which can be made with berries, or any fresh fruit.  The filling is similar to a pie filling with slightly less sugar, and the topping is biscuit like.  The soft dough absorbs some of the fruit juice during the baking, which makes for a delicious dessert.  Serve the slump in bowls topped with vanilla ice cream.

• 4 cups fresh cherries, pitted and cut in half
• ½ cup granulated sugar
• 1 cup flour
• 1 teaspoon baking powder
• 2 tablespoons sugar
• ¾ teaspoon salt
• ¼ cup shortening
• ¼ cup plus 2 tablespoons milk

• ½ cup sliced almonds
• 6 tablespoons granulated sugar
• 1 1/3 cups plus 2 tablespoons all-purpose flour, divided
• ½ teaspoon salt
• 6 tablespoons cold, unsalted butter, cut into ¼ inch pieces
• 1 large egg yolk
• 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
• ¼ teaspoon almond extract
• 4 ½ cups fresh, sliced cherries
• 1 teaspoon confectioners’ sugar

These aren’t martinis at all of course, just a fun way to get kids to drink milk and eat fresh fruit.

• 4 cups low-fat chocolate milk
• 8 fresh cherries
• 8 chocolate mint candy sticks, or long toothpicks

• Fresh cherries, washed and dried (about 25-30)
• One pound semi-sweet or dark chocolate

For Crepes:

• 3 large eggs
• 1 ½ cups milk
• 1 cup unbleached flour (or use ½ cup unbleached flour and ½ cup whole wheat flour)
• 1 tablespoon sugar
• ¼ teaspoon salt
• 1 tablespoon unsalted butter, melted, plus a little extra for the pan

Put all of the ingredients except the butter in a blender or food processor and puree until smooth.  Add the butter and puree briefly again.  Pour the batter into a large measuring cup or pitcher (or just use the blender container) and let sit for 30 minutes.

When you are ready to cook the crepes, heat an 8 or 9 inch nonstick skillet or crepe pan over medium heat.  Rub a little butter in the pan with a paper towel and then ladle a scoop of batter into the pan.  Immediately tilt and twirl the pan to spread the batter evenly around the bottom of the pan.  Crepes should be thin, so getting the right amount may take some practice.  Expect a “mistake crepe or two to begin.

Cook the crepes until almost done on one side, then carefully flip to cook the other side until the crepe is a light golden brown.  Slide the crepe out of the pan onto a plate, placing wax paper between crepes as you build the stack.  Add butter to the pan for each crepe.  The crepes can be used right away, or refrigerated overnight.

 For the Cherry Filling 

• 3 cups fresh cherries, pitted and halved
• 1 tablespoon fresh lemon juice
• ½ cup sugar
• 2 teaspoons cornstarch
• 2 tablespoons water

•  6 eggs
• 1 cup whole milk
• ½ teaspoon of cinnamon
• ½ teaspoon of vanilla
• Eight slices of Challah Bread, sliced thickly
• Butter, as needed for griddle

Fresh red cherries; pitted and sliced. (one half pound of cherries, about five per serving)  

Whipped cream

•  4 fresh, ripe pears
• Juice from one fresh lemon
• 1 teaspoon sugar, if desired
• 1 cup fresh cherries, plus four cherries with stems remaining
• 1 cup fresh whipped cream

• 4 fresh apples (Gala, Pink Lady or Fuji)
• 4 fresh peaches
• 2 cups fresh cherries, pitted and halved
• 1 tablespoon fresh lemon juice
• ½ cup sugar
• 2 teaspoons cornstarch
• 2 tablespoons water

Simple fruit kabobs make a simple fruit platter a little more special.  If melon isn’t available, most fresh fruit works well in the presentation.

• 8 bamboo skewers
• One cup fresh cherries, pitted with stems remove
• One cup chopped fresh pineapple
• One cup chopped honeydew melon (bite-sized pieces)
• One cup chopped cantaloupe (bite sized pieces)

• One whole, fresh pineapple
• One cup fresh cherries, pitted and stemmed
• One cup fresh pineapple, chopped into bite-size chunks
• Two bananas, peeled and sliced into bite size pieces
• One cup fresh honeydew melon, chopped into bite-size pieces

• 2 fresh nectarines
• 1 cup fresh cherries
• 2 tablespoons fresh cilantro
• 1 tablespoon lime juice
• Salt, to taste
• 4 chicken breasts

• Vanilla Ice Cream, four large scoops
• Bottled Fudge Sauce, heated, approximately 8 tablespoons or ½ cup
• Fresh Cherries  

• 6 cups of mixed salad greens
• 1 cup fresh red cherries, pitted and sliced
• ½ cup chopped walnuts, plain or candied, as desired
• 6 ounces of feta cheese, crumbled

This cheesecake recipe was taken from Gourmet magazine, printed in November of 1999.  The secret is here is to top rich cheesecake not with syrupy sweet cherry pie filling but with fresh, sliced cherries, sprinkled lightly with a little granulated sugar.  Cherries can be sliced and arranged, or spooned on top of cheesecake.

 For the crust:

• 1 ½ cups finely ground graham crackers
• 5 tablespoons unsalted butter, melted
• 1/3 cup sugar
• 1/8 teaspoon salt

 Stir together crust ingredients and press onto bottom and 1 inch up side of a buttered 24 centimeter spring form pan.  Fill right away or chill up to 2 hours.

For the cheesecake

• 5 (8 ounce) packages cream cheese, softened
• 1 3/4 cups sugar
• 3 tablespoons all-purpose flour
• Finely grated zest of 1 orange
• Finely grated zest of 1 lemon
• 5 large eggs
• 2 large egg yolks
• ½ teaspoon vanilla

• 8 cups mixed salad greens, divided
• 1 ripe mango, peeled and chopped
• 1 small, ripe avocado, chopped
• ½ cup pitted, sliced cherries
• ¼ cup of sliced almonds
• Raspberry vinaigrette bottled dressing, to taste

Oatmeal is warm, satisfying and delicious.  Non-instant oatmeal is also a whole grain, and provides two grams of fiber per serving.  Adding sliced cherries not only perks up this already healthy breakfast but increases the fiber, antioxidants and visual appeal!

• 2 cups fresh cherries, pitted
• 2 cups fresh pear chunks (peels off)
• 2 cups fresh peach chunks (peels off)
• 2 cups fresh apple chunks (peels on or off, as desired)
• Juice from one fresh lemon

• 1 ½ cups mixed fruit chopped (honeydew melon, fresh peaches, rainier or red cherries –pitted and sliced)
• 1/3 cup sugar
• 1 750-ml bottle crisp white wine, such as Sauvignon Blanc or Pinot Grigio
• ¼ cup brandy
• 2 tablespoons Triple Sec or other orange flavored liqueur
• ¾ cup sparkling water or club soda
• Ice cubes
• Fresh cherries with stem on and mint sprigs for garnish

• 6 egg yolks
• 6 tablespoons sugar
• 1 cup Marsala
• One cup fresh cherries, pitted and sliced
• One tablespoon granulated sugar