12471 Sweet and Sour Cherries Makes 1 Quart Wed Aug 06 01:08:03 -0700 2008 Thu Feb 05 08:53:13 -0800 2009 Licensed http://www.chow.com/recipes/12471 Thu, 05 Feb 2009 16:53:13 GMT Pickled cherries and the pickled prunes that follow make an ideal accompaniment to pâtés, confits, foie gras, or any rich daube in this book. This recipe has been adapted to use the cherries available in the market when they are not too sweet.

Prepare at least 3 months in advance.

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  • Carefully inspect, wash, and dry each cherry. Discard any that are bruised. Prick each once or twice with a needle. Trim each stem, leaving about ½ inch attached.
  • In a nonreactive saucepan, combine the sugar and vinegar. Cook, stirring, until sugar is dissolved. Add the cloves and mace; boil 1 minute. Remove from the heat and allow to cool. Add the cherries, cover, and let stand 1 day.
  • The following day, sterilize two 1-pint canning jars and their rubber rings: Cover with warm water in a pan, bring to a boil, and boil covered 10 minutes. Drain upside down on kitchen towels.
  • Meanwhile, drain the cherries (reserve liquid) and place in the clean jars. Bring the liquid to a boil and boil 7 to 8 minutes. Cool completely, then pour over the cold cherries. Add vodka or eau-de-vie to cover. Seal and let stand in a cool, dry, dark place for 3 months before serving.
  • The cherries will lose their bright color; according to some old cookbooks, this is the sign that the cherries are ready to be eaten.
    • ]]>     http://www.chow.com Paula Wolfert 50 Main 1½ pounds (about 1 quart) firm, not too sweet cherries

    ]]>     1 cup sugar

    ]]>     3 cups white wine tarragon vinegar

    ]]>     2 whole cloves

    ]]>     1 piece mace or ¼ teaspoon ground mace

    ]]>     90-proof vodka or plain eau-de-vie

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