PICKLED CHERRY CLAFOUTIS

SWEET AND SOUR PICKLED CHERRIES CARDEMOM, MUSTARD SEED  / PICKLED CHERRY CLAFOUTIS

The cherry season comes to the West Coast long before it gets to the East Coast, but it is a fleeting season no matter what coast you are on. I try to catch the cherry season every year, and when I can swing it, I head upstate to pick sour cherries to freeze for winter pies. This recipe calls for non-sour cherries; you can use Bing, Rainier, or whatever non-sour variety you find. Look for fresh cherries at the farmers market or in your local grocery from May through early July. I developed this recipe initially during the early summer of 2020 when I was working on My Wild Larder book, which later became the Cooking with Mushrooms book. One day I will talk more on this platform about how that transition came about and the process of book making. I am still thinking about doing a larder book, which will come in time. The good news is that I have a plethora of recipes from that project to share here with you all. I first learned to make Clafoutis, the humble French dessert that lies someplace between a custard and a pancake, back when we photographed Baking WithJulia in the mid-1990s. It became a summer tradition. It is often made with cherries, but you can use other fruits. I gave this recipe a twist by pickling the fruit. These pickle cherries are inspired by  Indian spice markets; fennel, cardamom, and mustard seeds are first bloomed, then steeped with two kinds of vinegar, and reduced to a lush syrup. The result is savory, a little salty and sweet. I hope you make these and use them in all the ways. They are the perfect partner to the custardy Clafoutis. Remember to spoon the extra syrup over the custard and cream.

SWEET AND SOUR PICKLED CHERRIES CARDAMOM MUSTARD SEED

INGREDIENTS

2 pounds sweet cherries, about 2 quarts

2 cups of apple cider vinegar 

2 cups of rice wine vinegar

5 cardamom pods, break open, discard pod, and crush seeds

2 tablespoons of black mustard seed.

1 tablespoon of fennel seed. 

2 cups of organic sugar

1 tablespoon of pink Himalayan

METHOD

Bloom the fennel seed and mustard and cardamom.

Bring the vinegar, sugar, salt, and bloomed spices to a simmer, stirring until all the sugar is dissolved.

Wash and de-stem the cherries, but leave the pits intact. 

Bring the liquid to a quick boil and turn it off.

Drop in the cherries and let them sit uncovered until the liquid has thoroughly cooled. About 15-20 minutes.

With a slotted spoon, remove the cherries and pack them into sterilized one-quart ball jars.

Bring the vinegar liquid to a quick boil to reduce the liquid and get to a more syrupy consistency, about 5 minutes.

Turn off and pour the hot liquid over the jars of cherries, leaving a 1/2-inch space at the top. Divide any remaining seeds evenly between the jars.

The cherries will keep in your fridge for up to two months.

If you want the pickled cherries for a cold winter day, hot water bath them according to the recommended USDA time.

Preheat oven to 375  degrees F

Serves 6

PICKLED CHERRY CLAFOUTIS

1 1qt jar of pickled cherries. 

1/2 cup of AP flour 

1/4 cup of maple syrup

1/4 teaspoon pink Himalayan sea salt

1 cup of heavy cream

5 room temp eggs 

1 teaspoon of vanilla extract or scrape one vanilla bean.

1 1/2 tablespoons melted butter

Extra picked juice and spices from the cherries

De-pit the cherries and set them aside in a measuring cup or bowl

In a large mixing bowl, sift the flour add the salt and maple, and mix to a semi-thick batter

In another bowl, whisk the cream, eggs, and vanilla. 

Slowly add the flour maple mixture.

Butter a nine to 10-inch shallow baking dish

Arrange the cherries in the buttered dish

Slowly pour the batter over the fruit to avoid moving it around too much.

Drizzle the butter over the batter and pop in the oven.

Bake for 30-35 minutes. The edges should be browned, and the center should be a little wobbly. The custard will continue to set even after you remove it from the oven.

Remove from the oven when done, and spoon the remaining pickled liquid over the hot Clafouti. Serve immediately with a pour of heavy cream, a dollop of creme fraiche, or softly whipped cream.

OTHER SUGGESTIONS FOR PICKLED CHERRIES:

Add to your favorite cheese and charcuterie plate.

Tart with a sharp cheese like salty ricotta salt or creamy goat cheese, pistachios, and a buttery crust

Spoon some sweet and sour cherries over homemade yogurt and top with sunflower seeds.

Make a Frico with Pecorino,  accompanied by sweet and sour cherries on the side.

The possibilities are endless.