Orthodox Union
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Recipes with Cherries
Eileen Goltz
In the sometimes oxymoronic world of food, cherries are in season in June and July but February is National Cherry Month. Actually, the availability of the fresh stuff is just a minor detail that can be taken care of by using the dried, canned or frozen variety.
While it is true that fresh cherries are available at this time of year, you’d have to be part of the bailout package to be able to afford them. For me however, the dried, canned and frozen cherries are very affordable and, while not as succulent as the fresh, work really well in cooking and baking. Canned and frozen sweet cherries are ready to eat and delicious straight from the can or freezer (kids LOVE frozen cherries as a snack). Dried cherries are delicious as snacks, wonderful in salads, and can be substituted for raisins in just about any recipe appetizers to entrees and desserts.
Last but not least we have the maraschino cherries. These VERY VERY VERY sweetened cherries have been tinted red with food coloring, flavored with almond extract, sweetened with sugar and packed in sugar syrup. Yummmmo for anyone under the age of 6 (Ok, I confess, I can eat 6 or 10 of them in a Shirley Temple cocktail)
Fresh, frozen, canned or dried, cherries do offer some health benefits. They’re a great source of vitamins and minerals as well as containing antioxidants that can reduce the risk of heart attacks and help fight cancer. Cherries have also been shown to contain anti-inflammatory compounds that help relieve the pain of headaches and arthritis.
Time to celebrate all recipes cherry! The following guide should help you sort out how many cherries you’ll need to get to make the following recipes.
It takes approx. 4 cups of tart cherries to make one - 9" pie.
There's approx. 2 cups of tart cherries in one 16 ounce can.
There's approx. 2-1/3 cups of cherry pie filling in a 21 oz. can.
There's approx. 3 cups of frozen cherries in a pound.
CHERRY SWIRL CHEESECAKE (dairy)
You can use low fat substitutes for the cream cheese and sweetened condensed milk.
1/4 cup graham cracker crumbs
1 can (20 oz.) cherry pie filling
2 pkgs. (8 oz. each) cream cheese, softened
1 can (14 oz.) sweetened condensed milk
1 egg
4 egg whites
1/3 cup lemon juice
1 teaspoon vanilla
1/2 cup flour
Spray the bottom and sides of an 8" spring form pan with non-stick cooking spray. Spread the graham cracker crumbs on the bottom of the pan; set aside. Puree the cherry pie filling in a food processor or blender until smooth. In a mixing bowl, beat the cream cheese until fluffy. Gradually add the sweetened condensed milk, beating until smooth. Add the egg, egg whites, lemon juice and vanilla and mix well. Stir in the flour. Pour half of the batter into the prepared pan. Spoon 1/2 cup of the pureed cherry pie filling over top. Top with the remaining batter. Pour 1/2 cup of the pureed cherry pie filling over the batter. Use a table knife to very gently swirl the cherry puree through the batter. (Reserve the remaining puree.) Bake in a preheated oven at 300º for 60 to 65 minutes or until the center of the cheesecake is set. Cool in the pan on a wire rack for about an hour then refrigerate for 3 to 4 hours before removing the sides of the spring form pan. Refrigerate until serving. Before serving, top individual slices with the remaining cherry puree. Serves 10 to 12.
CHERRY SALSA (pareve)
This spicy mixture wows traditional salsa lovers.
1/2 cup dried tart cherries
1/2 cup cherry preserves
2 tablespoons red wine vinegar
1/2 cup chopped red onion
1/2 chopped yellow bell pepper
1/4 chopped jalapeno peppers, or to taste
1 to 2 tablespoons chopped fresh cilantro
1 teaspoon lime or lemon juice
Combine dried cherries, cherry preserves and vinegar in a small microwave-safe bowl; mix well. Microwave for 1 to 1-1/2 minutes, or until hot. Let stand 5 minutes. Stir in red onion, yellow bell pepper, jalapeno peppers, cilantro and lime juice. Refrigerate, covered, 3 to 4 hours or overnight. Serve with grilled swordfish or tuna. It’s also excellent as a topping for hamburgers. Makes about 1-1/2 cups; enough for 6 to 8 servings with a main course.
CHOCOLATE CHERRY NUT BREAD (dairy or pareve)
1/2 cup (1 stick) butter or margarine, softened
3/4 cup firmly packed brown sugar
1 cup buttermilk
2 eggs
1 teaspoon almond extract
2 cups flour
1/2 teaspoon baking powder
1/2 teaspoon baking soda
1/2 teaspoon salt
1/2 cup dried tart cherries
1/2 cup mini semisweet chocolate morsels
1/3 cup toasted chopped almonds
Preheat oven to 350. Put margarine and sugar in a large mixing bowl. Beat with an electric mixer on medium speed 3 to 4 minutes, or until well mixed. Stir in buttermilk, eggs and almond extract; mix well. Combine flour, baking powder, soda and salt. Add to buttermilk mixture; stir just until dry ingredients are moistened. Stir in cherries, chocolate morsels and nuts.
Grease and flour bottom only of 9 x 5-inch loaf pan. Pour batter into prepared pan. Bake in a preheated oven 55 to 65 minutes, or until wooden pick inserted in center comes out clean. Let cool in pan on wire rack 10 minutes. Loosen edges with a metal spatula. Remove from pan. Let cool completely. Wrap in plastic wrap and store in refrigerator. Makes 1 loaf, about 16 slices
DRIED CHERRY BANANA BREAD (dairy or pareve)
1/2 cup margarine or butter
3/4 cup sugar
2 eggs
2 cups flour
3 teaspoon baking powder
1/2 teaspoon salt
1/4 teaspoon ground nutmeg
1 cup mashed banana (about 3 medium)
1 cup dried tart cherries
Combine butter and sugar in a large mixing bowl. Beat with an electric mixer on medium speed 3 to 4 minutes, or until well mixed. Add eggs, one at a time, beating well after each addition. Combine flour, baking powder, salt and nutmeg; add flour mixture and bananas alternately to butter mixture, beating just until ingredients are moistened. Do not overmix. Fold in dried cherries.
Pour batter into a greased 9x5x3-inch loaf pan. Bake in a preheated 350-degree oven 50 to 60 minutes, or until done. Let cool in pan on wire rack 5 minutes, then remove from pan. Let cool completely. Wrap in plastic wrap to store. This bread is best served the day after baking. Makes 1 loaf, about 20 slices.
SPINACH SALAD WITH DRIED CHERRIES (pareve or dairy)
Dressing:
1/4 cup olive oil
1/4 cup red wine vinegar
2 teaspoons honey
1/8 teaspoon black pepper
Salad:
5 cups cleaned torn spinach leaves, stems removed
1 cup bite-size fresh pineapple wedges
1/2 cup dried tart cherries
1/2 cup thinly sliced red onion
Crumbled feta cheese, if desired (optional)
For the dressing, combine oil, vinegar, honey and pepper in a medium bowl; mix well and set aside.
For the salad, combine spinach with pineapple, cherries and onion in a large salad bowl. Spoon dressing over spinach mixture; mix to coat salad with dressing. Serve topped with feta cheese, if desired. Serves 4.
SMOKED TURKEY AND CHERRY SALAD (meat)
Dressing:
1/2 cup olive oil
1/4 cup lime juice
3 tablespoons chopped fresh tarragon (or 1 tablespoon dried tarragon)
1 tablespoon balsamic vinegar
1 teaspoon granulated sugar
Salt and pepper, to taste
Salad:
8 cups mixed salad greens
3 cups chopped cooked smoked turkey
1 cup canned dark sweet cherries, drained well
1/2 cup chopped green onion
1/2 cup toasted slivered almonds
For dressing, combine olive oil, lime juice, tarragon, balsamic vinegar and sugar in a medium bowl; mix well. Season with salt and pepper. For salad, divide greens between 6 dinner plates. Arrange turkey, cherries, green onions and almonds equally over each serving of greens. Drizzle with dressing just before serving. Makes 6 servings.
CHERRY SALMON (fish)
1 1/2 pounds fresh or frozen salmon filet with skin
3 tablespoons brown sugar
1 tablespoon grated orange peel
1/2 teaspoon coarsely ground pepper
1 ripe mango or papaya, seeded, peeled and chopped
1 cup frozen tart cherries, thawed, drained and halved
2 tablespoons chopped fresh mint, basil or cilantro
2 teaspoons balsamic vinegar
1/4 teaspoon crushed red pepper
Thaw fish, if frozen. Stir together brown sugar, orange peel and pepper. Place fish, skin side down, in a shallow pan. Rub sugar mixture over fish. Cover and refrigerate 2 to 8 hours. Remove fish from pan, draining off any juices. Place salmon, skin-side down, on gas grill over medium heat or on charcoal grill 4 to 6 inches from medium-hot coals. Grill for 20 to 25 minutes, or until fish flakes easily. Do not turn fish. Meanwhile, toss together mango or papaya, cherries, mint, vinegar and red pepper. Spoon fruit salsa over warm fish. Serve immediately. Serves 4
