Red, yellow, orange, pink cherries are the first signs of a new fruit season, a vivid confirmation of the long-awaited summer. So, it’s time to invent light berry desserts and aperitifs!
The cherry season is rather short (from the end of May to July), but how much pleasure these juicy berries, which have absorbed the bright sunlight and the sweetness of warm days, bring to us, who miss the summer! Cherry is the most famous type of cherry (translated from Latin as “bird cherry”, Prunus avium), its history goes back to the deep past – in particular, the ancient Roman philosopher Pliny the Elder mentions it in his Natural History. Now it is already difficult to understand who exactly – the Greeks or the Romans – was the first to bring the cherry tree from Asia, more precisely, from the region between the Caspian and Black Seas. But it is known for sure that it was the Romans who spread it throughout the empire – its fruits were included in the menu of the legionnaires.
Cherry is the sweetest of all red berries and, therefore, best supplies us with energy: 100 g contains about 68 kilocalories. A natural diuretic, it also aids digestion (unless overused, otherwise you can get the opposite effect). Cherries are rich in potassium and vitamins C, B and A (the latter in the form of beta-carotene), but of particular interest are their antioxidant properties. Numerous laboratory studies show that some of the substances contained in cherries can slow down the oxidation of cholesterol, which causes cardiovascular disease, and reduce the growth of cancer cells in the tissues of the intestines and breasts. However, these promising results have yet to be confirmed by clinical trials.
Alain Passard’s fantasies on the theme of cherries are, as always, unpredictable and virtuoso – exquisite combinations of sweet and salty, fruits, herbs and vegetables will pleasantly amaze your guests.
Cherries with sage and fresh fennel
For 4 personsPrepare: 5 minutesPreparation: 10-15 minutes
- 500 g cherries
- 2-3 “heads” of young fennel
- 2 sprigs of fresh sage
- 1 st. l. almond flakes (or shelled almond halves)
- some salted butter
- 1 tsp. granulated sugar
Preparation
In a deep frying pan, melt the salted butter with granulated sugar over low heat. Add washed and dried cherries, thinly sliced fennel and sage leaves. Leave to caramelize on the fire for 10-15 minutes, stirring regularly so that the berries are covered with sugar glaze on all sides. At the end, add the flaked almonds, transfer to a dish and serve immediately.
Cherries in orange syrup with pistachios and vanilla
For 4 personsPrepare: 15 minutesPreparation: 20 minutes
- 500 g cherries
- 3 art. l. crushed unsalted pistachios
- 1 vanilla stick
- 2 orange
- 1 sprig of fresh mint
- 1 Art. l. granulated sugar
Preparation
Remove the zest from well-washed oranges with a vegetable peeler; squeeze the juice and pour it into a saucepan. Add sugar, vanilla stick, mint leaves, orange zest and boil everything over the fire for 5-6 minutes. Add the cherries and sweat in the resulting syrup for another 10-12 minutes. After removing the berries from the pan, roll in their crushed pistachios and put on plates. Garnish with caramelized mint leaves and orange zest, top with remaining syrup. This dessert can be served with vanilla ice cream.