Fresh Bing Cherry Sauce

Total Time: 1 hr Preparation Time: 30 mins Cook Time: 30 mins

Ingredients

• 1 lb bing cherry (pitted & chopped)
• 2 tablespoons fine sugar
• 2 bay leaves
• 3 allspice berries
• 3 whole cloves
• 1 cinnamon stick
• 1 pinch fine sea salt
• 1/2 cup orange muscat dessert wine (*nibbia wine)
• 2 teaspoons lemon zest
• 2 tablespoons fresh lemon juice
• 2 tablespoons unsalted butter
• 1/2 cup red shallot (chopped)
• 1/4 cup cherry brandy
• 1 pinch ground nutmeg
• 1 pinch ground cayenne pepper

Recipe

• 1 place cherries a glass bowl. add sugar, sea salt, orange muscat wine, lemon zest, lemon juice and stir.
• 2 place bay leaves, allspice berries, whole cloves, cinnamon stick in cheese cloth and tie with a string to complete sachet. place sachet in cherries, cover with plastic and chill for 1 hour.
• 3 melt 1-tablespoon butter in a heavy bottom saucepan and saute shallots until they are soft or tender. add cherry brandy and reduce by one-half.
• 4 add fresh cherries with their juice, sachet and bring to a slow boil. stir cherries to prevent burning and wish in butter. reduce to a simmer for 10-15 minutes. remove cherries from heat, discard sachet and allow cherries to cool slightly.
• 5 puree cherries with a hand blender, bring to a simmer, add nutmeg and cayenne pepper to taste. stir cherry sauce and simmer for 5 minutes.
• 6 strain cherry sauce using a fine sieve or chinois. serve fresh bing cherry sauce hot or room temperature.
• 7 garnish: fresh bing cherry sauce with whole cherries.
• 8 *orange muscat dessert wine (nibbia winery, half-moon bay, ca.).
• 9 chef's note: you can use any muscat wine.