Agriculture Reference
In-Depth Information
This unusual technique for poaching cherries comes from chef Josiah Citrin of
Melisse restaurant in Santa Monica, California. Cooked in resealable plastic bags,
they stay firmer than they normally would. And because there is less cooking li-
quid, the fruit itself seems to come to the fore, so the cherries taste more like cher-
ries, as does the wine syrup that's left over.
Serve over vanilla ice cream.
4 SERVINGS
Gently simmer the red wine and sugar in a small saucepan until the wine loses its raw al-
cohol smell, about 10 minutes. Set aside to cool to less than 140 degrees.
Place the cherries in a 1 -quart resealable plastic bag and pour the cooled wine over them.
Press out all the air and seal the bag tightly. Place this bag inside another, press out the air
and seal tightly again.
Bring a large pot of water to 140 degrees. Place the double-bagged cherries in the water
and poach at between 140 and 150 degrees for 20 minutes. During the first 5 to 10
minutes, you'll need to pay attention to the temperature, but after that it'll maintain without
much fussing. (If the water gets too hot, just add a little tap water to bring the temperature
down.)
After 20 minutes, remove the double bag from the pot. Place a strainer over a small sauce-
pan and empty the cherries into it, collecting the poaching liquid underneath. Set the cher-
ries aside in a bowl and simmer the poaching liquid until it has reduced to a syrup. Pour
the syrup over the cherries and toss to coat well before serving.
Cherry-Almond Cobbler
The topping is cakey, almost like an almond torte, not the familiar crisp biscuit.
Serve this with vanilla ice cream or a splash of lightly sweetened heavy cream or
creme fraiche.
