Cherries Jubilee — The Same Old Thing
In a "dot.com, I-phone, artificially-flavored" world, most of us crave old-fashioned rituals that slow us down and remind us that no matter how things change, they stay the same. Which is why the prospect of pitting a bowl of fresh cherries on the porch is so appealing. Like growing a tomato or baking a cake from scratch, it allows us to "discover a vague but comforting link to the universe," as one friend states. That said, here is a recipe for Cherries Jubilee, a recipe that probably isn't much different than one your grandmother would have made, or her grandmother for that matter. In fact, food historians credit French chef Auguste Escoffier for creating Cherries Jubilee to mark one of Queen Victoria's Jubilee celebrations in 1887 or 1897. It requires fresh pitted cherries, which you can probably find already pitted somewhere. But go ahead, sit back, relax and pit your own, because cherry pitters have made great strides—thank heavens. (Tip: Try the new one from OXO.)
Cherries Jubilee
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Recipe courtesy of Pastry Chef Peter Max Dierkes of Rat's Restaurant at Grounds for Sculpture, Hamilton, N.J.
Ingredients
| 2 | pounds sweet cherries, pitted and halved |
| 2 | tablespoons sugar |
| 1 | tablespoon cornstarch |
| 2 | tablespoons butter |
| 1/4 | cup kirsch or cognac |
| Vanilla ice cream (enough for eight 1/2-cup scoops) |
Instructions
| 1. | Sprinkle sweet cherries with 1 tablespoon sugar and let sit about 30 minutes to draw out the juices. Pour off the juice into a medium saucepan. |
| 2. | Mix 1 tablespoon cornstarch with 1 tablespoon sugar. Add to juice and stir to combine. Add butter and about one-fourth of the cherries and mix well. Cook over low heat until the sugar has dissolved. |
| 3. | Add remaining cherries and bring the mixture to a boil. While the pan is hot remove it from the flame of the stove ("Important step here, unless you want to burn down the neighborhood," says Dierkes) and add the liquor. If your pan is hot enough, the liquor should ignite when you return it to the stove (if you are cooking on an electric stove, use a stick lighter or a long kitchen match). Gently shake the skillet over the hot burner until the flames die out. Much, but not all, of the alcohol will burn off. |
| 4. | Serve warm over a scoop of ice cream. Serves 8. |
Nutritional Information
Per serving: 260 calories, 10g fat, 4g prot., 37g carbs., 3g fiber, 55mg sodium.
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